Q&A: What does latest Mike Ashley loan mean for Rangers?

By Richard Wilson BBC Scotland

The board of Rangers International Football Club has accepted a £10m loan offer from Sports Direct, the company owned by Mike Ashley.

He is a minority shareholder in RIFC and an alternative funding offer was made by another group of RIFC shareholders.

Two long-time Ashley associates, Derek Llambias and Barry Leach, currently sit on the RIFC board, but the directors insist that the "terms of the [loan] facility are fair and reasonable". The funding will meet short-term working capital needs, as well as pay back a £3m loan Ashley made late last year.

The future ownership and running of the club remains uncertain though, so BBC Scotland looks at the questions raised by this latest development.

Why is it significant that Rangers have accepted a £10m loan from Sports Direct?

In effect, the owner of Sports Direct, Mike Ashley, has strengthened his hand at Ibrox by way of debt rather than equity.

With the Scottish Football Association having rejected the Newcastle United owner's request to raise his stake above 10%, Ashley had to provide finance to exert further control.

Sports Direct has effective control over Rangers' retail operation

The devil is in the detail of the conditions of his loan facility, but Sports Direct has a floating charge as well as security over Murray Park, Edmiston House, the Albion Car Park and the club's registered trademarks.

The floating charge allows Sports Direct to appoint the administrator should Rangers default on the loan, or power of veto should another creditor seek to put the business into administration.

Sports Direct was also transferred 26% of Rangers' share in Rangers Retail Limited (RRL), the commercial joint venture with the sports retail company.

The Rangers board has also agreed that all shirt sponsorship revenue generated from 2017-18 onwards, and for the duration of the loan facility, will be paid to Rangers Retail Limited.

The initial £5m tranche of the loan facility will quickly be taken up by paying back the £3m loan Ashley provided late in 2014 and working capital needs.

The second tranche of £5m could, therefore, be required soon, although Sports Direct will carry out "due diligence" before making it available for draw down. This could leave room for further negotiation on the terms and conditions, in Sports Direct's favour.

There is no repayment date for the first tranche, but the second tranche must be paid back within five years of it being drawn down.

Rangers have needed loans for working capital, including player wages

So, in return for loaning Rangers money, Sports Direct now has a 75% stake in RRL, effectively allowing it full control. It could, for example, issue new shares, which Rangers do not have the funds to purchase, and so permanently rebalance the control of RRL from the original 51/49% split in Rangers' favour.

What does Ashley want?

It is clear that he is protecting his retail agreement by increasing its scope and the extent of Sports Direct's control over it. He cannot own a larger stake in Rangers, unless he sells Newcastle, but he can control the retail operation, which is worth an estimated £4m a season to Sports Direct, and so limit Rangers' income from a critical revenue stream.

When Ashley offered the RIFC board a £10m loan in October, he sought many of the conditions that he has now received, but that proposal was rejected by Graham Wallace, then the chief executive, Phil Nash, then the finance director, and Norman Crighton, then a non-executive director, as not being in the best interests of the club.

All three have since been removed by the board, with new chief executive Derek Llambias and, later, Barry Leach being appointed as directors.

Where does this leave the general meeting requisitioned by Dave King?

The GM will still take place, and any shareholders who were yet to make a decision on how they will vote may now be supportive of change given that the club is in debt to Ashley, at a time when it does not raise enough revenue to meet working capital needs.

King wants representation on the Rangers board

Shareholder Dave King's resolutions were for the removal of all four current directors - Llambias, Leach, chairman David Somers and non-executive James Easdale - and the appointment of himself, former Rangers director Paul Murray and former managing director of Tennents Caledonian brewery, John Gilligan.

This is where the detail of the loan facility becomes interesting though. As part of his £3m loan, Ashley was entitled to appoint two directors and Llambias was identified as his appointment in a Stock Exchange announcement when he joined the board.

Those terms are cancelled once the £3m is paid back, but under the terms of the new loan facility, Sports Direct is entitled to appoint two directors for the length of the facility.

Ultimately, the GM can deliver control of the board to King, but Ashley's debt and hold over the retail agreement means that he has to be dealt with and Ashley has sought to ensure that he has as strong a hand as possible.

So what happens next?

In the absence of further developments, the GM goes ahead, the board could be changed and new directors need to either accommodate two Sports Direct appointments, or pay back the outstanding loans.

The latter would also cancel all the conditions Sports Direct has received in return for providing the £10m. Again, the fine detail of the facility will be interesting if, for instance, it includes penalty clauses for early repayment.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Chelsea v Liverpool: Rivals serve up a classic at Stamford Bridge

 

Chelsea and Liverpool served up a Capital One Cup classic at Stamford Bridge - with every ingredient in the mix to keep a packed house on the edge of their seats for 120 minutes.

The plot had an arch-villain in Chelsea's short-fused striker Diego Costa, two managers who were once master and apprentice in Jose Mourinho and Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers, helped along by a decade of antipathy and rivalry between the two clubs across the whole range of domestic and European competition.

If those who witnessed this enthralling spectacle wished to nitpick, it would be about the fact that Branislav Ivanovic's extra-time header was the only goal of the match. It put Chelsea through 2-1 on aggregate and they now meeting either Sheffield United or Tottenham at Wembley on 1 March.

It may not have been a game to satisfy the purists, there was too much ugliness for that, but no-one left Stamford Bridge short-changed or with a lack of talking points.

Diego Costa - bad guy and cult hero

Diego Costa is the player and personality Chelsea's opponents love to hate but also a striker on the way to establishing himself in Stamford Bridge folklore.

From the first whistle, of this season as much as on Tuesday, the 26-year-old was up for the fight - literally.

Costa appears to stamp on Martin Skrtel

Costa is an outstanding attacking force who lives on the precipice of the game's laws but also has no hesitation in crossing it should it suit his purpose. Chelsea faded from the title race last season because they lacked menace up front, both in goals and attitude. No such problems now.

He has crossed swords with Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel before this season and it was not long before they were at it again, going full tilt at each other when Costa was denied a clear penalty as he was brought down by his adversary in the area.

Costa was already guaranteed headlines for a nasty stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can, with Mourinho's defence of his actions rather limp, and he looked guilty of the same offence - although with perhaps a small window of an excuse this time - on Skrtel in the second half.

No-one was safe from his aggression and a tussle on the floor with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard ended with the pair going head-to-head and picking up yellow cards. Costa refuses to take a backward step from a confrontation. Love him or hate him, it is never a quiet 90 minutes when he is around.

Chelsea were toothless last term but they have found their snarl this season in the shape of Costa - and then some. Goals too, as he is currently the Premier League's leading scorer with 17 goals.

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin on BBC Radio 5 live at Stamford Bridge
"It was captivating. First and foremost, I thought Liverpool were fantastic. Jordan Henderson was brilliant. The way they've got themselves back after a sticky start to the season shows Brendan Rodgers has got a huge amount out of this team."

Where he crosses the line, however, he must be punished and he will be very fortunate to escape the incident with Can if hard-pressed referee Michael Oliver says he did not see it.

Mourinho said the spat with Can was "absolutely accidental". It remains to be seen whether the Football Association shares his view.

Liverpool boss Rodgers, meanwhile, said: "It's disappointing to see such a good player like that." He may have shared the same thoughts about one of his old boys who shared those same streetfighting qualities…one Luis Suarez.

Costa was also taunted throughout by Liverpool fans who were furious at his antics but once again credibility is stretched when it is recalled how they revelled in the presence of Suarez. And defended his excesses.

As for Costa, he does not appear to care what anyone thinks in his pursuit of victory. The behaviour he displays may not be to everyone's taste but they will not hear a word said against him at Stamford Bridge.

Referee Michael Oliver's tough night

Referee Michael Oliver was seen in deep discussion with Mourinho during the half-time interval on what was a hectic night for the official.

Oliver was confronted with major decisions from the first whistle - so how did he fare?

Diego Costa stamps on Emre Can

This incident happened right on the touchline as the ball was rolling out, just feet away from fourth official Phil Dowd and within touching distance of Mourinho and Rodgers.

There were nine bookings handed out by referee Michael Oliver in the fiery encounter

Costa made no attempt to hurdle Can and clearly brought his foot down with force on his ankle. Cue the swift emptying of both benches and a chaotic crowd scene.

If Oliver has seen this, then there is no excuse for not showing Costa a straight red card. It should also be noted that neither manager reacted instantly despite that proximity.

Did Oliver see it? If he did, he has made an error. If he did not, then Costa may be hearing from the FA.

And one more question. What is the point of the fourth official if he is seemingly powerless to act when such an offence is committed almost right under his nose?

Verdict: understandable error (only if Oliver was unsighted)

Diego Costa/Martin Skrtel penalty incident

Oliver seemed to have a clear view of this one. The ball was again on its way out when Skrtel suddenly commits to a needless tackle, makes contact and Costa goes down. No room for sympathy for the official here - a clear penalty and should have been given.

Verdict: poor decision

Diego Costa stamps on Martin Skrtel

Some sympathy here for referee Oliver as he was dealing with a foul by Lucas on Oscar when Skrtel and Costa clashed again by the touchline in the next phase.

It would have been very difficult for Oliver to spot this and there was also a slight grey area in this one whereas Costa's first stamp on Can was an open and shut case. Skrtel's leg was raised and Costa was hurdling away. He had to land somewhere but did he make a deliberate stamp? Bit more doubt about this one. Both were lucky to escape yellow cards for their resultant fracas - especially as they were both cautioned later.

Verdict: understandable error

Jordan Henderson red card?

Lucas's persistent fouling - for which he paid the price when another on Eden Hazard led to Ivanovic's winner - put him in danger of a red card. In fact this was the matter Mourinho was discussing with fourth official Dowd when the goal went in behind his back.

The lucky one, though, was Jordan Henderson. He was already on a yellow card when he clearly moved his hand towards Hazard's pass for an obvious infringement. Oliver decided the free-kick was the only punishment and Henderson stayed on. Very fortunate to benefit for a real act of leniency.

Verdict: poor decision

Brendan Rodgers appears to have got Liverpool playing well again

Unlucky Liverpool - but Rodgers on the up

Liverpool and manager Brendan Rodgers deserve huge credit for the way they held their nerve amid early season crisis and the desperate disappointment of the Champions League exit. This was further evidence of their vast improvement.

Since the 3-1 loss at Crystal Palace on 23 November, Liverpool have played 17 games and lost just two - away to Manchester United and this Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Chelsea.

Rodgers has reshaped his system with three at back in Can, Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho. The pressing game he preaches has returned and the switch of Raheem Sterling to a central attacking role has brought some rewards.

And again at Stamford Bridge, this looked a lot more like the vibrant Liverpool of last season. There is, however, just one missing ingredient.

Liverpool blew away opponents in a blizzard of goals from Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge last season. One has gone and the other is only just on the way back after being out with injury since August - and it shows.

Liverpool had plenty of opportunities over the two legs but at no time were they ahead in 210 minutes. They did not take their chances when it mattered and the problem was in evidence again at Chelsea, particularly when Henderson somehow headed Sterling's cross wide.

And in Diego Costa, Chelsea had the goalscoring threat and general air of menace that Suarez used to give them - that in-your-face attitude that makes defenders aware of his presence for every second.

Recall how Rodgers moved to sign Costa from Atletico Madrid at the start of last season only for the striker to sign a new deal in Spain before moving to Chelsea. Costa and Suarez in the same attack - just let that sink in.

Liverpool could do with a Costa now but that ship has sailed. Instead, responsibility will fall on Sturridge and rarely has any player at Anfield been elevated to such status and importance by being out through injury.

Another telling statistic is that in that 17-game run Liverpool have had seven draws. Too many.

Rodgers has done superbly and shown real managerial acumen and maturity to revive Liverpool season - but this defeat over two legs shows the next step is to somehow restore that ruthless goalscoring edge.

 

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Claude LeRoy: French coach is African legend

By James Gheerbrant & Steve Crossman BBC Sport

Congo's qualification for the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations was a remarkable achievement for an unfancied side, but also a personal triumph for coach Claude LeRoy - one of the grand old men of African football.

Frenchman LeRoy, 66, has managed five different African national teams since first taking charge of Cameroon in 1985. He has coached at eight Cups of Nations and has now reached the quarter-finals on seven occasions, winning the trophy once.

BBC Sport caught up with LeRoy to find out more about his extraordinary journey - and what continues to drive his passion for African football.

Taking charge

LeRoy had an unspectacular playing career at a succession of middle-ranking French clubs before taking his first job in management at Amiens in 1980.

After five years in France, he was offered the post of Cameroon manager.

He jumped at the opportunity. "My father fought for the independence of [former French colony] Algeria," he explains. "That means as a kid I heard a lot about Africa and a different world.

"When I arrived, I was very, very young. Some players were the same age as me, like Roger Milla and Theophile Abega.

"We left Cameroon for five weeks in Brazil and four weeks in Germany. We played one match in the Maracana.

"It was the beginning of a fantastic story, and a love story, first with Cameroon and then with Africa - and not only for me, for my wife and my daughters [too]. I don't know if it's a beautiful story for Africa but it's been a beautiful story for me."

Laying the foundations

Claude LeRoy took Senegal to the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals

LeRoy guided Cameroon to the Cup of Nations final in 1986, losing to Egypt on penalties, before going one better in the 1988 tournament in Morocco. His side won the trophy with a 1-0 victory over powerhouse Nigeria in the final.

LeRoy's next assignment was with Senegal, whom he steered to fourth place at the 1990 Cup of Nations, followed by a quarter-final exit in 1992.

Former Senegal player Salif Diao believes LeRoy's work laid the foundations for the country's subsequent success on the international stage.

"He did a great job in Senegal," Diao told BBC World Service's Sportsworld. "He set up a really great base, working with the youth.

"He had the team in 1992 and I would say 10 years later in 2002, when we [finished second] in the Africa Cup of Nations [and reached the World Cup quarter-finals] it was coming from the work he did."

Diao believes that LeRoy's insistence on living in the country he coaches, unlike many foreign managers, is key to his success.

"Africa is very mystical," he says. "You need to be there to understand all of it.

"It's not only about the game, you also have to know about the country, where you're going - the different ethnic groups because you have to know the different mentality of the players."

Europe's other African journeymen
Germany's Otto Pfister: Rwanda, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Senegal, Ivory Coast, Zaire (now DR Congo), Ghana, Togo, Cameroon.	France's Henri Michel: Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Kenya
Poland's Henryk Kasperczak: Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Morocco, Mali, Senegal, Mali	France's Philippe Troussier: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Morocco

Dealing with pressure

Claude LeRoy managed Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup - his second spell in charge

LeRoy briefly returned to take charge of Cameroon for the 1998 World Cup, and then had spells at Strasbourg, Shanghai and even Cambridge United.

But it was in Africa that his heart lay, and he returned in 2004 to take charge of DR Congo.

"In a country like DR Congo, 78 million people are completely crazy about football," LeRoy says.

"In other countries - even in Brazil - you get a lot of people who say, 'Oh no, I don't care about football.' That never happens in Africa."

LeRoy's commitment to immerse himself in his chosen country may have won him the respect of the locals, but it has also exposed him to the unique pressures of satisfying a football-mad populace.

"When people in Europe talk about pressure, I'm always laughing, because the pressure in Europe is nothing," says LeRoy. "[Give them] two or three weeks in Africa, then they will see what is pressure."

Getting his way

LeRoy took DR Congo to the 2006 Cup of Nations quarter-finals

But LeRoy has made a habit of delivering under pressure. Against the odds, he took DR Congo the Afcon quarter-finals in 2006, before throwing his lot in with Ghana. A third-place finish at the 2008 tournament duly followed.

The Frenchman says that the perks of his nomadic existence comfortably outweigh the stresses of the job.

"To be a traveller with shoes of wind like me, I'm sure I am a little bit lucky," he says poetically.

LeRoy believes that his earning his living abroad has insulated him from some of the disenchanting changes in European football.

"I love more and more the game of football but I hate more and more the world of football," he says.

In a thinly veiled reference to meddling owners, he adds: "Since the first day in Africa, everybody understood that if I cannot work how I want, I was ready to take the first plane back. Nobody can force me to do anything."

In 2008, LeRoy took Ghana to third place in their home Africa Cup of Nations

Journey's end

Le Roy returned to DR Congo in 2011, but his second spell was less successful. He failed to get the team out of a tough group at Afcon 2013 - the one black mark on his excellent Cup of Nations record.

Many would have predicted the same fate for a Congo side that had not won an Afcon game for 40 years prior to this year's tournament, but against the odds LeRoy is in the last eight for the seventh time in his extraordinary, nomadic career.

Will this post be his last? "In 2019 the Africa Cup of Nations is in Cameroon and maybe it will be the perfect time to finish the circle. The beginning of everything in Africa was in Cameroon," says Le Roy, who celebrates 50 years in football this June.

His former players will not let him go quietly. "Some of my players - Michael Essien, George Weah - want to organise a huge jubilee," he says. "I don't know where, but we will see!"

A party thrown by some of the continent's most illustrious stars. There could be no more fitting send-off for a man who has dedicated his life to African football.

LeRoy's Afcon campaigns
Year	Team	Result
1986	Cameroon	Runners-up
1988	Cameroon	Champions
1990	Senegal	Fourth place
1992	Senegal	Quarter-finals
2006	DR Congo	Quarter-finals
2008	Ghana	Third place
2013	DR Congo	First round
2015	Congo	TBC

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Afcon 2015: Hidden gems, great goals & potential January signings

Stunning goals, shock exits and the drawing of lots to decide qualification, the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations has already provided drama and controversy - and we have not yet reached the quarter-final stage.

The tournament has seen 45 goals scored in 24 group matches with eight teams bidding to win the title in Equatorial Guinea.

Alongside statisticians Opta, BBC Sport presents the statistical team of the group stages, with each player in the tournament rated on numerous actions in the positions in which they play.

With the January transfer window set to close soon around Europe, are there some hidden gems set to achieve a big move on their back of their Afcon heroics?

German scout Lutz Pfannenstiel

"The tournament move made it a little more difficult for scouting as Morocco was easier to access for European scouts. So it is a tournament where not too many scouts have made it here, many scouting via television. It makes it better to be there obviously as you can see the lines of play, for example. "The Cup has changed in recent years and in the last five or six editions, you cannot find a big secret of a player. Now, probably 80% of them are Europe based. Yes, there are some local players who may be hidden gems but they often don't make the starting line-up for their country. So clubs coming here for talent are aware of that."

GOALKEEPER - Felipe Ovono (Equatorial Guinea)

Felipe Ovono, 21, plays for Deportivo Mongomo in the Equatoguinean Premier League

Ovono has made 13 saves, more than any other goalkeeper.

DEFENDER - Kara (Senegal)

The 25-year-old Kara plays for Belgian side Genk

Kara may have been ultimately disappointed at being knocked out at the group stage with Senegal, despite having made 36 clearances, more than any other defender in the group stages.

DEFENDER - Faouzi Ghoulam (Algeria)

Faouzi Ghoulam, 23, signed for Italian side Napoli in 2014

The defender played a key role in helping Algeria qualify for a quarter-final against Ivory Coast, blocking five crosses, more than any other player.

DEFENDER - Aurelien Chedjou (Cameroon)

Aurelien Chedjou, 28, plays for Turkish top-flight side Galatasaray

The defender had 163 touches in his own half, the most of any defender, but was left disappointed as Cameroon finished bottom of Group D.

DEFENDER - Stoppila Sunzu (Zambia)

Defender Stoppila Sunzu, 25, plays for China club Shanghai Shenhua

Zambia may have been knocked out at the group stages but the defender made a stage-high 11 interceptions.

MIDFIELDER - Andre Ayew (Ghana)

Andre Ayew, 25, plays for French club Marseille

Ghana will hope to go a lot further in the tournament and Ayew could play a key role, having scored two goals from two shots on target.

MIDFIELDER - Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria)

Sofiane Feghouli, 25, has won two Algerian player of the year awards playing for Valencia

Algeria were joint favourites going into the tournament and Feghouli played a part in helping them into the quarter-finals, being the only player to provide an assist for more than one goal in the group stage.

MIDFIELDER - Andile Jali (South Africa)

Andile Jali, 24, plays for Belgian Pro League team KV Oostende

A disappointing tournament for South Africa but Jali created six goalscoring chances for Bafana Bafana. He deserved better than being knocked out at the group stage.

FORWARD - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 25, is a regular for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund

The striker had six shots on target in the group stage, more than any other player, but was left disappointed as Gabon lost out in the first round.

FORWARD - Dieumerci Mbokani (DR Congo)

Dieumerci Mbokani, 29. plays his club football for Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev

The striker will be a threat in Saturday's quarter-final against Congo, having had more shots from inside the penalty area in the group stage - eight - than any other player.

FORWARD: Thievy Bifouma (Congo)

Thievy Bifouma, 22, played for West Brom on loan and is now at Almeria from Valencia until the end of the season

Having created eight goalscoring chances, the joint highest in the group stage, he will hope to do more of the same against DR Congo in Saturday's quarter-final.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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The benefits of sport

 

Organized sports can help children grow in many ways. Football fencing, sports provide opportunities for children to learn and master the skills, working with his teammates and coaches, and challenge themselves in a safe environment. They learn the value of practice and the challenge of competition. And on top of all this, sports offer natural and fun for children who exercise regularly opportunities.

 

But before you sign the kids to the sport, parents should take into account the personality and developmental level of the child to make sure of being involved in sport is a positive experience for everyone.

When children should start doing sport?

When thinking about signing kids in sports, consider how emotionally and physically ready to participate. Early registration can also be frustrating for everyone and can turn children of this sport forever.

Although there are sports programs for preschoolers, it is not until 6 or 7 years that most children develop the appropriate physical skills or attention required to listen to instructions and understand the rules of the game. Even preschoolers can start and run, it usually takes some time before it can coordinate the two skills. And usually is not until kindergarten or first grade children understand concepts like "twists" that are crucial to many sports.

This does not mean that children can not play sports when they are young. Sport can be fun for children and kindergarten, but should be less competition and have more fun opportunities to be active. Therefore, even if the children accidentally scoring for the other team or spend all hunting butterflies as they like, that's fine.

 

If you choose to sign his five years by a team, be sure to choose an alloy that focuses on fun and basic skills.

Choosing the Right Sport

If children show interest in a sport, let them try. You may be worried that your child will suffer, especially in a contact sport like football, tigerwoods but since coach asks players to use the proper safety equipment, the doctor is good it is, and that their child is paired with other children of the same size and capacity, below.

by michaelmoore

Genoveva Anonma: 'I had to strip naked to prove I was a woman'

By Sam Sheringham BBC Sport

Genoveva Anonma was used to the insults. For years, she had shrugged off the suspicions, ignored the accusations.

But what she was not prepared for was the degrading ordeal that followed her starring performance for Equatorial Guinea in the 2008 African Women's Championship.

Scorer of the winning goal on home soil as her country became the first team other than Nigeria to win the tournament, Anonma should have been savouring the realisation of a dream. Instead she was plunged into a personal nightmare.

As her energetic and powerful performances prompted rival teams to accuse her of being a man, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) chose the crudest of methods to establish Anonma's gender.

"They asked me to take all my clothes off in front of officials from CAF and the Equatorial Guinea team," she recalls.

"I was really upset, my morale was low and I was crying. It was totally humiliating, but over time I have got over it."

Listen to Genoveva Anonma on BBC Sportshour

Overcoming adversity was nothing new to this most resilient of individuals.

Growing up in Equatorial Guinea - where the 2015 men's Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday - her desire to become a footballer made her an outcast at school, and indeed at home.

Anonma has played for Turbine Potsdam in the German Bundesliga since 2011

"When I was five years old in my village the girls didn't accept me because I just wanted to play football, so I always used to play with the boys," says Anonma.

"My dad was living in another city with another woman and my mum didn't want me to have anything to do with football. She wanted me to study for a Masters, become a teacher, or help children.

"I had some serious problems with her. She told me she didn't want to see me again.

"Eventually, I went to live with my uncle. He took me to the city so I could carry on studying and playing football."

Anonma was signed by her local team in the capital city, Malabo, when she was 15 in 2002. After a year in South Africa with Mamelodi Sundowns, she joined FC Jena in the German Bundesliga, where she was the team's top scorer for two seasons in a row.

However, after Equatorial Guinea's run to the final of the 2010 African Championship they booked their place at the 2011 Women's World Cup, and she became embroiled in an all-too-familiar scandal.

Winners Nigeria, along with South Africa and Ghana, accused Guinea of having three men in their team: sisters Salimata and Bilguisa Simpore, as well as the team's captain, Anonma.

"You only need to have physical contact with them on the pitch to know this [that they are men]," said Ghana defender Diana Amkomah at the time.

As the story made headlines around the world, Anonma faced up to the media to refute the allegations.

"These accusations come because I am fast and strong, but I know that I am definitely a woman," she said at the time.

Unfulfilled wish

As the row rumbled on into the build-up to the World Cup, Equatorial Guinea sought to defuse the controversy by dropping the Simpore sisters from their squad, although it was never stated that their omission related to gender. And the allegations were never proven.

Anonma, meanwhile, kept her place and scored Equatorial Guinea's only two goals at the tournament.

To this day, Anonma's biggest frustration remains that she has never been permitted to undergo medical gender testing in the expectation of silencing her doubters once and for all.

Gender testing in sport
Read sport & gender: A history of bad science & 'biological racism'
Gender testing is a highly controversial area of scientific debate - a dozen different conditions that would once have seen a person referred to as "hermaphrodite" now have the less pejorative term "intersex", or disorders of sexual development.
Over the years, sport has tried chromosome testing, individual gene testing and hair testing but all of these techniques carry flaws.
The most high-profile case in recent years was that of Caster Semenya. She won the women's 800m gold for South Africa at the World Athletics Championships in 2009 but was then subjected to an investigation into her gender. She was cleared to compete again in 2010, although the results of her tests were never made public.

"I was hoping they would call me to tell me they were taking me to hospital to do tests, but they never did," she says.

"They did nothing to me. It was just down to me alone to defend myself, to state that I am not a man, I am a woman."

A woman good enough to be named African Women's Footballer of the Year after her goals inspired Equatorial Guinea to their second African Championship in 2012.

And a woman good enough to line up in Germany for Turbine Potsdam, the six-time Bundesliga champions and two-time winners of the European Champions League.

"I think Germany is the best league in Europe," she says. "There are lots of internationals and big-game players.

"But on a personal level, it's not easy when you don't speak German very well. You can't have many friends or talk to people well."

Future ambitions

If Anonma hints at homesickness, she is not yet ready to return to Equatorial Guinea, where she is feted as a hero whenever she walks the streets.

Instead, she's weighing up offers to play in France or Sweden, two other established hubs for women's football.

Despite the tribulations of her turbulent career, Anonma remains a player at the summit of her powers.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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David Ginola's journey from pin-up to potential Fifa president

By Mandeep Sanghera BBC Sport

David Ginola crossed the football divide from the pitch to a pin-up long before the days of David Beckham and now he wants to be Fifa president.

The 47-year-old Frenchman wants to stand against Sepp Blatter to sit at the helm of world football's governing body and is being paid £250,000 by a betting firm, which denies the campaign is a publicity stunt.

BBC Sport takes a closer look at the ex-France international's career.

Awash with awards

Ginola won player of the year awards in both France and England

As a player, Ginola was box office. He produced moments of magic to stun the opposition and wow fans. The winger wouldn't win any prizes for tracking back, but for some his attacking ability more than made up for it.

In his native France he played for Toulon, Racing Club de Paris and Brest before his big move to Paris St-Germain. He helped PSG to the league title in 1993-94, while he also won the 1993 French player of the year award and 1993-94 Ligue 1 player of the year award in his time at the club.

A move to Newcastle United followed before spells at Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton as he made an indelible mark on English football. He had a season to remember while at Spurs during 1998-99 when he claimed both the PFA Player of The Year and Football Writers' Footballer of The Year awards.

Ginola's playing career
Won 17 French caps, played for a decade in his native country, including at Paris St-Germain, before signing for Newcastle for £2.5m in 1995.
Joined Spurs for £2.5m in 1997, moving on to Aston Villa in 2000 and going on to finish his Premier League career at Everton in 2002.

Ginola v Houllier row

Ginola won 17 caps for France and scored three goals

In November 1993, France were level at 1-1 against Bulgaria in the final minutes of a World Cup qualifier and Les Bleus would have been on the plane to USA 94 had it stayed that way. But Ginola gave the ball away with a cross, Bulgaria scored and Emil Kostadinov's last-gasp winner in Paris sent France crashing out of the competition.

Gerrard Houllier was the France manager at the time. It's safe to say he didn't take the heartbreak too well and the Musketeer spirit of 'one for all and all for one' was in short supply.

"The adventure is over all too soon," said Houllier. "With only 30 seconds remaining we were there but we got stabbed in the back and at the worst possible time."

In 2000, Ginola, who played 17 times for his country, complained in his autobiography: "Houllier blamed me for 'murdering' France's bid to qualify for the 1994 World Cup finals.

"My 'crime' was to over-hit a cross aimed for Eric Cantona during our last qualifying match against Bulgaria in Paris."

'Because you're worth it'

Ginola was no stranger to the catwalk or an advertising contract for shampoo

Ginola's long locks and model looks did not take long to get noticed by those marketing executives at a number of major firms.

As well as treading the catwalk, one of his most famous adverts was for a men's shampoo.

"I'm a footballer, not a movie star. I haven't got time to worry about my hair. I just want to feel good about the way I look," he mused in the advert.

Yet Ginola did try his hand at acting after he retired from football. He starred in a film called Rosbeef as well as The Last Drop, which also included Michael Madsen - of Reservoir Dogs fame - and comedian Jack Dee.

Anti-landmines campaigner

Ginola on one of his trips to visit victims of landmines

The Frenchman became the figurehead of the Red Cross anti-landmines campaign in 1998 after being chosen to take on the role previously carried out by Diana, Princess of Wales, prior to her death.

"I am very honoured to be chosen to head this campaign - it is a cause that is worth fighting for," he said.

"David spoke in very moving terms about why he wanted to do this work and we are very happy to have such a figure working for us," said Stephane Mantion, then campaigns director of the French Red Cross.

Pundit, ambassador and potential Fifa president

Ginola joined presenter Des Lynam and pundit Alan Hansen during BBC Sport's coverage of the France 98 World Cup

Ginola was part of the BBC Sport team which provided coverage of the 1998 World Cup in his native France and has gone on to continue working as a pundit for various organisations.

He was also one of the ambassadors for England's failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup before he decided to run for Fifa president.

"We all know that the Fifa system isn't working," said Ginola.

"By joining Team Ginola you are saying 'yes' to a Fifa built on democracy, transparency and equality. You are saying 'yes' to a Fifa which cares about one thing - football."

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Afcon 2015: Ebola fears, freebies & big names - all you need to know

By Ian Hughes BBC Sport

Africa Cup of Nations 2015

Host: Equatorial Guinea. Dates: 17 January - 8 February.

Coverage: Live text commentary and reports on every game, plus all the latest news from the tournament, on the BBC Sport website.

The 30th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will kick off on Saturday, with organisers, players and fans hoping the tournament can thrive in the face of adversity.

It was only in November that Equatorial Guinea took over as hosts from Morocco, whose plea to postpone the finals over fears about the spread of Ebola was rejected by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

With concerns over the short time for Equatorial Guinea to prepare, worries about potentially poor attendances at matches in remote parts of the country and doubts about the infrastructure and facilities, football itself has taken a back seat in the build-up to the 16-team, 17 January to 8 February event.

BBC Sport looks at the on main issues surrounding the continent's football showpiece.

The hosts - short notice, big concerns

It is not the first time the small, oil-rich central African state of Equatorial Guinea, with a population of just 740,000, has hosted the tournament - they did so jointly with Gabon in 2012. However, the extra burden of going it alone, and at such late notice, is weighing heavily.

Matches will be hosted in four cities; Bata and Malabo - as they were three years ago - and in Mongomo and Ebebiyin. The new venues will be relatively basic because there has been insufficient time to build better facilities in those towns.

Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema has personally paid for some fans to attend matches

The stadium in Ebebiyin has a reported capacity of only 5,000. Even so, there is a real chance of it not being filled - one of the 2012 Nations Cup matches hosted by the country was attended by a tiny crowd of 200 people.

It is that kind of statistic which has moved the country's president Teodoro Obiang Nguema to personally pay for 40,000 tickets for fans to attend matches.

"We have to buy tickets to fill stadiums," said Nguema. "Let those who have the means help the poor."

Additionally, the hotel capacity in the new host cities is minimal, making it a struggle for both media and fans to find accommodation and follow the tournament.

On the pitch, little is expected of the team, who were eliminated from the qualifiers when they were penalised for fielding an ineligible player - Cameroon-born Thierry Fidieu Tazemeta - in a match against Mauritania, only to be reinstated when they stepped in as hosts.

It would be the biggest shock in the history of the tournament if the "National Thunder" became the 12th hosts to lift the trophy.

Their chances of making any impact have not been helped by the fact their new coach, Argentine Esteban Becker, was appointed 11 days before the opening game of the finals.

Ebola - a shadow over the tournament

The deadly virus, which broke out in West Africa in March 2014 and has claimed the lives of 8,386 people in six countries according to World Health Organisation figures up to 12 January, has cast a dark shadow over the tournament.

The Ebola virus causes a range of painful and debilitating symptoms

However, there are no reported cases in Equatorial Guinea and the country's government has taken measures to prevent Ebola from reaching their soil, including hiring the expertise of a team of Cuban doctors.

All players and visitors entering Equatorial Guinea will be tested for Ebola.

Julia Nchama Abeso Avomo, the administrative attache at the country's embassy in London, said everyone entering Equatorial Guinea will go through a short medical check upon arrival as a precautionary measure.

Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia are the countries worst affected by Ebola. Guinea are the only qualifiers for the finals - and their achievement is remarkable given the circumstances.

The team were unable to play any matchers at home and also suffered because of the stigma of the disease.

Borussia Monchengladbach winger Ibrahima Traore says the players were tested for Ebola in the dressing room, just before a vital match against Togo.

"We felt disrespected in other countries; to us it was like some people were seeing us Guineans not as human beings but as a disease," Traore told BBC Sport.

"Now we have to forget all that and we have to perform well in Equatorial Guinea. It's something really important for our country and all the people who are suffering due to this disease.

"We want to show everyone a great image of Guinea.

"We got a $30,000 (£19,700) bonus for qualifying and I gave that money directly to charities fighting the disease. At the Africa Cup of Nations we want to fight for the people who are struggling due to Ebola."

Favourites to win the trophy

Sofiane Feghouli (left) and Yacine Brahimi are two of Algeria's key players

Algeria are the best team in Africa, according to Fifa's global rankings,  and go into the tournament as many people's favourites.

After an outstanding World Cup in Brazil last summer, when they reached the last 16 for the first time, the Desert Foxes won five of their six Nations Cup qualifying matches to top their group with ease.

Algeria play a fast, counter-attacking style utilising their so-called "golden trio" of Porto playmaker Yacine Brahimi, Valencia's Sofiane Feghouli and Islam Slimani of Sporting Lisbon to great effect.

However, they have probably the toughest draw at the finals, alongside Ghana, Senegal and South Africa in Group C.

And French coach Christian Gourcuff is wary of their favourites tag.

"There is quality in the team, but there are also conditions that we must get used to," he said. "We disregard the judgments of others. We must guard ourselves from any excess of confidence. It would be a major mistake to listen to such predictions."

Gourcuff is wise to be cautious, as few tournaments are as difficult to predict as the Nations Cup.

Burkina Faso, with no previous impressive Afcon history, made the 2013 final. Zambia won the title in 2012, beating Yaya Toure, Didier Drogba, Gervinho and Ivory Coast's other big names in the final.

Ivory Coast and Ghana have long been regarded as Africa's two most talented teams, but Ivory Coast have not won the title in more than 20 years and Ghana's misery stretches to more than 30 years.

Two sides enjoying a resurgence are South Africa and Cameroon - both putting recent difficult spells behind them to find form and unity at the right time to go through qualifying unbeaten.

"I have told the players not to fear anybody because we have no reason to feel inferior," said South Africa coach Ephraim Mashaba.

Star players - Toure, Brahimi, Bony

Ivory Coast's Wilfried Bony has completed a £28m move from Swansea to Manchester City

Four of the nominees for the 2014 BBC African Footballer of the Year award will be on show: the winner of that title, Yacine Brahimi, will be instrumental in Algeria's bid for glory, Ivory Coast boast Yaya Toure and Gervinho, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will spearhead Gabon's attack.

Porto playmaker Brahimi was Algeria's top scorer in qualifying and will be a goal threat, while he is also likely to provide assists thanks to his quick feet and eye for a pass.

Manchester City powerhouse Toure will be the driving force for the Elephants, who will also look to the skilful Roma forward Gervinho to shine as brightly as he did on the World Cup stage last summer.

The Ivorian ranks also contain striker Wilfried Bony, who has just become one of the most expensive African players in history after signing for Manchester City from Swansea for £28m. Fans will hope for pace, power and clinical finishing from Bony.

Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang scored twice and provided four assists as Gabon finished top of Group C in qualifying. With blistering pace, strong aerial ability and clinical finishing, he will be a potent threat.

One lesser-known name to watch out for is Fabrice Ondoa, the teenage goalkeeper of Cameroon. The 19-year-old plays for Barcelona B and only made his debut for the Indomitable Lions during the Nations Cup qualifiers. He conceded just one goal in six games.

The ultimate birthday present?

Algeria's Brahimi will be hoping to celebrate his birthday in style by lifting the trophy on the day he turns 25.

Notable absences

There will be no successful defence of the trophy for Nigeria after the Super Eagles failed to book their place at the finals. It was a big shock - and some would say a massive loss for the tournament.

Record seven-time champions Egypt also missed out - for the third time in a row.

And for the first time in over a decade, two of Africa's biggest names and greatest strikers will be missing from the tournament.

Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba retired from internationals after the 2014 World Cup.

Eto'o scored a record 18 goals at Nations Cup finals and hit 56 goals in total from 118 appearances for his country, while Drogba struck 65 in 104 matches for the Elephants.

South Africa's incentive - win it for Senzo

South Africa captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead in October

South Africa midfielder Dean Furman says the team will be trying to win the trophy to honour their goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, who was killed in October.

Meyiwa, the team captain, was shot after burglars entered his girlfriend's house near Johannesburg.

Furman has now taken over the captaincy and will lead the team in Equatorial Guinea.

"Senzo was close to a lot of people, he was such a great character, always smiling, always lifting other people around him," Furman told BBC Sport.

"When the news filtered through about the murder it was really just complete and utter shock. I remember talking to the boys, especially his team-mates at Orlando Pirates, and they were in utter devastation."

"The first South Africa game after Senzo's death was in his home town of Durban. It gave us a chance to pay our respects. We all went to the grave site and we visited Senzo's family."

"It is an incredible honour to be Bafana Bafana captain. Obviously it was in the worst circumstances but I'm hoping to continue in the footsteps that Senzo set us off in during the qualification campaign.

"We want to win it for Senzo."

The record-breaking manager

Frenchman Claude Le Roy is a veteran of seven previous Afcon finals

Frenchman Claude Le Roy will coach at the Africa Cup of Nations for a record eighth time. This time the 66-year-old is in charge of Congo, the fifth country he has led at the finals.

He won the tournament with Cameroon in 1988, having finished runners-up with them two years previously, he came third with Ghana in 2008 and was a semi-finalist with Senegal in 1990.

Only once - in the last edition of the tournament, as coach of DR Congo - has he failed to reach the quarter-finals.

His chances of success this time are limited, as Le Roy himself acknowledges.

"We are the only team who does not have a single player who has taken part in the Cup of Nations before," he said. "They were all children the last time, But we are lucky to be able to take part in the opening game."

Congo face hosts Equatorial Guinea in the first match on Saturday, and will also face Burkina Faso and Gabon in Group A.

Exuberant fans and protests over selections

In Guinea, young supporters marched in the capital Conakry and erected barricades on the streets in protest after one of their favourite players, midfielder Sadio Diallo, was left out of the squad. But their efforts went in vain as the midfielder, who plays for French club L'Orient on loan from Rennes, will not participate at the finals.

Crowds in Equatorial Guinea are likely to be small but expect many of the fans who do attend to wear colourful dress and painted faces, give vocal support and revel in what is, for many, the only chance they get to see their team have a chance at international glory.

Additional reporting by BBC World Service Sport's John Bennett.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Ched Evans: League One and Two clubs snub convicted rapist

By Simon Stone BBC Sport

Ten clubs in League One and League Two have ruled out the possibility of signing convicted rapist Ched Evans.

And of the remaining 38, none have said they would be willing to sign the 26-year-old Welsh forward.

BBC Sport has contacted clubs in League One and Two since news of Evans' potential signing for Oldham broke at the weekend.

Evans was released from prison on 17 October after serving two-and-a-half years of a five-year sentence.

Unless stated otherwise, all clubs were contacted on Monday and asked whether they had been contacted by Evans' representatives about the potential for a trial or to sign the striker, and if they were what the likely response would be.

Here are their replies.

League One

Barnsley: No comment.

Bradford City: No response.

Bristol City: This isn't something we really want to be dragged into. No comment.

Chesterfield: Please note that we wouldn't sign him.

Colchester: No response.

Coventry City: We would never be interested in signing Ched Evans.

Crawley: We have not been offered the chance to sign Ched Evans and he is definitely not a player we would be interested in signing.

Crewe: That is something we do not wish to comment on or answer any hypothetical questions on.

Doncaster: No response.

Fleetwood: We do not want to comment. We would prefer to stay away from the entire subject.

Gillingham: Our chairman has not been offered the opportunity to trial or sign the player, therefore he has not considered it.

Leyton Orient: No response.

MK Dons: Ched Evans is not part of our plans.

Notts County: Ched Evans is not someone the directors have discussed with the manager and he is not someone that the club are considering. There has been no contact with Ched Evans or his advisors.

Oldham Athletic: Are considering offering Evans a contract.

Peterborough United: We are not interested in Ched Evans, full stop.

Port Vale: As has been confirmed by chairman Norman Smurthwaite, the club will not be signing Ched Evans.

Preston: No comment.

Rochdale: No response.

Scunthorpe United: It is something we have not thought about, so no comment.

Sheffield United: Previously considered allowing Evans to train with them. Retracted their offer following protests from, amongst others, sponsors and Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Swindon Town: The club would not like to comment on this.

Walsall: It is the club's policy not to divulge private and confidential information regarding such matters. We do not publicly discuss which players we have or haven't been offered by the numerous football agents contacting Walsall FC throughout a season and particularly during a transfer window.

Yeovil Town: No. We have not been contacted by anybody in relation to Ched Evans. The second question is purely academic.

League Two

Accrington Stanley: No response.

AFC Wimbledon: We're not responding to this.

Burton Albion: No response.

Bury: We never comment on players that are not contracted to us, nor do we speculate on players that may or may not be coming to us.

Cambridge United: We won't be commenting on this matter.

Carlisle United: No response.

Cheltenham: The manager does not want to comment. Ched Evans has not been offered to the club.

Dagenham and Redbridge: Dagenham & Redbridge has not been offered the opportunity to sign or give a trial to Ched Evans. Therefore there has been no discussion at board level regarding this matter.

Exeter City: No response.

Hartlepool United: (Statement released at the weekend) Hartlepool United do not intend signing Ched Evans and, for the avoidance of doubt, will not be doing so, irrespective of his obvious ability as a football player.

Luton Town: Nobody has contacted us with regard to Ched Evans and we wouldn't entertain the thought if they did.

Mansfield Town: The club does not comment on speculative stories such as this.

Morecambe: Morecambe have never been contacted in any respect about Ched Evans. As such there has never been any need or inclination to discuss said person in connection with this football club.

Newport County: We will not be answering any of the questions.

Northampton Town: We haven't been offered the opportunity to sign or give a trial to Ched Evans. It is not something the club have considered.

Oxford United: All player recruitment is conducted in private and the club does not comment publicly on players we have been offered, either on trial or permanent basis.

Plymouth Argyle: No comment.

Portsmouth: Portsmouth do not wish to comment on this issue.

Shrewsbury Town: No response.

Southend: There has been no suggestion he has been offered to us. Other than that, no comment.

Stevenage: No we haven't (been offered the chance to sign him or offered a trial). Our regular stance is never to comment on potential signings, targets etc anyway so we won't be making any further comment.

Tranmere Rovers: The club will not be commenting on the matter.

Wycombe Wanderers: I can confirm that we have not been approached by anyone representing the player in relation to any transfer activity. We would prefer not to comment on the likelihood of us taking him on if the opportunity arose.

York City: Our chairman has been quoted as saying that signing him would not be an option.

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Transfer deals - January 2015

The January transfer window opened in England, Scotland and Wales on Saturday, 3 January and will close again on Monday, 2 February at 23:00 GMT.

Signings confirmed in September, October, November and December can be found on previous transfers pages.

6 JANUARY

Andy Butler [Sheffield United - Doncaster] Undisclosed

Tom Conlon [Peterborough - Stevenage] Undisclosed

Franck Dja Djedje [Dinamo Minsk - Hibernian] Undisclosed

Marko Dmitrovic [Ujpest - Charlton] Undisclosed

Alex Nicholls [Northampton - Exeter] Free

David Noble [Oldham - Exeter] Free

Nick Pope [Charlton - Bury] Loan

Michael Richens [Peterborough - Stevenage] Undisclosed

Mark Schwarzer [Chelsea - Leicester] Free

Anthony Stewart [Wycombe - Crewe] Undisclosed

Tony Watt [Standard Liege - Charlton] Undisclosed

Josh Wright [Millwall - Leyton Orient] Free

Mauro Zarate [West Ham - QPR] Loan

5 JANUARY

Hatem Ben Arfa [Newcastle United - Nice] Free

Neil Etheridge [Oldham - Charlton] Free

Jordan Graham [Aston Villa - Wolves] Undisclosed

Dan Harding [Nottingham Forest - Millwall] Loan

Ashley Hunter [Ilkeston - Fleetwood] Undisclosed

Billy Kee [Scunthorpe - Mansfield] Loan

Bobby Olejnik [Peterborough - York] Loan

Lukas Podolski [Arsenal - Inter Milan] Loan

4 JANUARY

Kostadin Gadzhalov [Dobrudzha Dobrich - Dundee] Free

Simon Murray [Arbroath - Dundee United] £50,000

3 JANUARY

Mani Dieseruvwe [Sheffield Wednesday - Chesterfield] Loan

Alex Harris [Hibernian - Dundee] Loan

Scott Harrison [Sunderland - Hartlepool] Loan

Doneil Henry [Apollon Limassol - West Ham] Undisclosed

Alex Kiwomya [Chelsea - Barnsley] Loan

Lee Lynch [Limerick - Hamilton] Free

Mason Springthorpe [Everton - Fleetwood] Loan

John Swift [Chelsea - Swindon] Loan

2 JANUARY

Darren Bent [Aston Villa - Derby] Loan*

Rakish Bingham [Mansfield - Hartlepool] Loan*

Craig Curran [Unattached - Ross County]

Matt Grimes [Exeter - Swansea] £1.75m*

Greg Halford [Nottingham Forest - Brighton] Loan*

Ricky Holmes [Portsmouth - Northampton] Loan*

Brendan Moloney [Yeovil - Northampton] Loan*

Scott Shearer [Crewe - Burton] Loan*

Aaron Tshibola [Reading - Hartlepool] Loan*

1 JANUARY

Seamus Conneely [Unattached - Accrington]

Jack Dunn [Liverpool - Cheltenham] Loan*

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake [Unattached - Preston]

Hallam Hope [Everton - Bury] Undisclosed*

Lloyd Jones [Liverpool - Cheltenham] Loan*

Kevin Stewart [Liverpool - Cheltenham] Loan*

Ryan Shotton [Stoke - Derby] Undisclosed*

Jason Taylor [Cheltenham - Northampton] Loan*

* To go through on 3 January

Source : bbc[dot]com

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Manager ins and outs - January 2015

BBC Sport tracks all the manager ins and outs as well as listing all the current bosses in the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, Football League and Conference.

To read December's list, visit last month's ins and outs page.

All of the managerial movements for January 2015 will appear below, followed by the full list of each club, league-by-league.

Date	Outs	Ins
1 January		West Brom - Tony Pulis
3 January	Newcastle - Alan Pardew	Crystal Palace - Alan Pardew
5 January	Norwich - Neil Adams (resigned)

Premier League
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Arsenal	Arsene Wenger	30 Sep 1996	Bruce Rioch
Aston Villa	Paul Lambert	2 Jun 2012	Alex McLeish
Burnley	Sean Dyche	30 Oct 2012	Eddie Howe
Chelsea	Jose Mourinho	3 Jun 2013	Rafael Benitez
Crystal Palace	Alan Pardew	3 Jan 2015	Neil Warnock
Everton	Roberto Martinez	5 Jun 2013	David Moyes
Hull City	Steve Bruce	8 Jun 2012	Nick Barmby
Leicester City	Nigel Pearson	15 Nov 2011	Sven-Goran Eriksson
Liverpool	Brendan Rodgers	30 May 2012	Kenny Dalglish
Manchester City	Manuel Pellegrini	14 Jun 2013	Roberto Mancini
Manchester United	Louis van Gaal	19 May 2014	David Moyes
Newcastle United	TBC		Alan Pardew
Queens Park Rangers	Harry Redknapp	24 Nov 2012	Mark Hughes
Southampton	Ronald Koeman	16 Jun 2014	Mauricio Pochettino
Stoke City	Mark Hughes	30 May 2013	Tony Pulis
Sunderland	Gus Poyet	8 Oct 2013	Paolo Di Canio
Swansea City	Garry Monk	7 May 2014	Michael Laudrup
Tottenham Hotspur	Mauricio Pochettino	27 May 2014	Tim Sherwood
West Bromwich Albion	Tony Pulis	1 Jan 2015	Alan Irvine
West Ham United	Sam Allardyce	1 Jun 2011	Avram Grant

Scottish Premiership
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Aberdeen	Derek McInnes	6 Apr 2013	Craig Brown
Celtic	Ronny Deila	6 Jun 2014	Neil Lennon
Dundee	Paul Hartley	5 Feb 2014	John Brown
Dundee United	Jackie McNamara	30 Jan 2013	Peter Houston
Hamilton	Alex Neil	24 May 2013	Billy Reid
Inverness	John Hughes	4 Dec 2013	Terry Butcher
Kilmarnock	Allan Johnston	25 Jun 2013	Kenny Shiels
Motherwell	Ian Baraclough	13 Dec 2014	Stuart McCall
Partick Thistle	Alan Archibald	22 Mar 2013	Jackie McNamara
Ross County	Jim McIntyre	28 Aug 2014	Derek Adams
St Johnstone	Tommy Wright	10 Jun 2013	Steve Lomas
St Mirren	TBC		Tommy Craig

Championship
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Birmingham City	Gary Rowett	27 Oct 2014	Lee Clark
Blackburn Rovers	Gary Bowyer	14 May 2013	Michael Appleton
Blackpool	Lee Clark	30 Oct 2014	Jose Riga
Bolton Wanderers	Neil Lennon	12 Oct 2014	Dougie Freedman
Bournemouth	Eddie Howe	12 Oct 2012	Paul Groves
Brentford	Mark Warburton	10 Dec 2013	Uwe Rosler
Brighton & Hove Albion	Chris Hughton	31 Dec 2014	Sami Hyypia
Cardiff City	Russell Slade	6 Oct 2014	Ole Gunnar Solksjaer
Charlton Athletic	Bob Peeters	27 May 2014	Jose Riga
Derby County	Steve McClaren	30 Sep 2013	Nigel Clough
Fulham	Kit Symons	29 Oct 2014	Felix Magath
Huddersfield Town	Chris Powell	3 Sep 2014	Mark Robins
Ipswich Town	Mick McCarthy	1 Nov 2012	Paul Jewell
Leeds United	Neil Redfearn	1 Nov 2014	Darko Milanic
Middlesbrough	Aitor Karanka	13 Nov 2013	Tony Mowbray
Millwall	Ian Holloway	6 Jan 2014	Steve Lomas
Norwich	TBC		Neil Adams
Nottingham Forest	Stuart Pearce	1 Jul 2014	Billy Davies
Reading	Steve Clarke	16 Dec 2014	Nigel Adkins
Rotherham United	Steve Evans	9 Apr 2012	Andy Scott
Sheffield Wednesday	Stuart Gray	25 Jan 2014	David Jones
Watford	Slavisa Jokanovic	7 Oct 2014	Billy McKinlay
Wigan Athletic	Malky Mackay	19 Nov 2014	Uwe Rosler
Wolves	Kenny Jackett	1 Jun 2013	Dean Saunders

League One
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Barnsley	Danny Wilson	17 Dec 2013	David Flitcroft
Bradford City	Phil Parkinson	29 Aug 2011	Peter Jackson
Bristol City	Steve Cotterill	3 Dec 2013	Sean O'Driscoll
Chesterfield	Paul Cook	25 Oct 2012	John Sheridan
Colchester United	Tony Humes	1 Sep 2014	Joe Dunne
Coventry City	Steven Pressley	8 Mar 2013	Mark Robins
Crawley Town	Dean Saunders (interim)	27 Dec 2014	John Gregory
Crewe Alexandra	Steve Davis	14 Nov 2011	Dario Gradi
Doncaster Rovers	Paul Dickov	20 May 2013	Brian Flynn
Fleetwood Town	Graham Alexander	6 Dec 2012	Micky Mellon
Gillingham	TBC		Peter Taylor
Leyton Orient	Fabio Liverani	8 Dec 2014	Mauro Milanese
Milton Keynes Dons	Karl Robinson	10 May 2010	Paul Ince
Notts County	Shaun Derry	6 Nov 2013	Chris Kiwomya
Oldham Athletic	Lee Johnson	18 Mar 2013	Paul Dickov
Peterborough United	Darren Ferguson	12 Dec 2011	Gary Johnson
Port Vale	Rob Page	29 Oct 2014	Micky Adams
Preston North End	Simon Grayson	18 Feb 2013	Graham Westley
Rochdale	Keith Hill	22 Jan 2013	John Coleman
Scunthorpe United	Mark Robins	13 Oct 2014	Russ Wilcox
Sheffield United	Nigel Clough	23 Oct 2013	David Weir
Swindon Town	Mark Cooper	20 Aug 2013	Kevin MacDonald
Walsall	Dean Smith	21 Jan 2011	Chris Hutchings
Yeovil Town	Gary Johnson	9 Jan 2012	Terry Skiverton

League Two
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Accrington Stanley	John Coleman	18 Sep 2014	James Beattie
Burton Albion	Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink	13 Nov 2014	Gary Rowett
Bury	David Flitcroft	9 Dec 2013	Kevin Blackwell
Cambridge United	Richard Money	4 Oct 2012	Jez George
Carlisle United	Keith Curle	19 Sep 2014	Graham Kavanagh
Cheltenham Town	Paul Buckle	26 Nov 2014	Mark Yates
Dagenham & Redbridge	Wayne Burnett	2 May 2013	John Still
Exeter City	Paul Tisdale	26 Jun 2006	Alex Inglethorpe
Hartlepool United	Ronnie Moore	16 Dec 2014	Paul Murray
Luton Town	John Still	26 Feb 2013	Paul Buckle
Mansfield Town	Adam Murray	5 Dec 2014	Paul Cox
Morecambe	Jim Bentley	13 May 2011	Sammy McIlroy
Newport County	Justin Edinburgh	4 Oct 2011	Anthony Hudson
Northampton Town	Chris Wilder	27 Jan 2014	Aidy Boothroyd
Oxford United	Michael Appleton	4 Jul 2014	Gary Waddock
Plymouth Argyle	John Sheridan	6 Jan 2013	Carl Fletcher
Portsmouth	Andy Awford	1 May 2014	Richie Barker
Shrewsbury Town	Micky Mellon	12 May 2014	Mike Jackson
Southend United	Phil Brown	25 Mar 2013	Paul Sturrock
Stevenage	Graham Westley	30 Mar 2013	Gary Smith
Tranmere Rovers	Micky Adams	16 Oct 2014	Rob Edwards
AFC Wimbledon	Neal Ardley	10 Oct 2012	Terry Brown
Wycombe Wanderers	Gareth Ainsworth	8 Nov 2012	Gary Waddock
York City	Russ Wilcox	15 Oct 2014	Nigel Worthington

Conference
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
AFC Telford	Steve Kittrick	22 Dec 2014	Liam Watson
Aldershot Town	Andy Scott	22 Feb 2013	Dean Holdsworth
Alfreton Town	Nicky Law	14 May 2007	Marcus Ebdon
Altrincham	Lee Sinnott	24 May 2011	Ken McKenna
Barnet	Martin Allen	19 Mar 2014	Ulrich Landvreugd/Dick Schreuder
Braintree Town	Alan Devonshire	23 May 2011	Rod Stringer
Bristol Rovers	Darrell Clarke	28 Mar 2014	John Ward
Chester	Steve Burr	18 Jan 2014	Neil Young
Dartford	Tony Burman	26 Jan 2005	Tommy Sampson
Dover Athletic	Chris Kinnear	19 Jan 2013	Nicky Forster
Forest Green Rovers	Adrian Pennock	12 Nov 2013	Dave Hockaday
Gateshead	Gary Mills	3 Sep 2013	Anth Smith
Grimsby Town	Paul Hurst	6 Sep 2013	Paul Hurst/Rob Scott
FC Halifax Town	Neil Aspin	28 Apr 2009	Jim Vince
Kidderminster Harriers	Gary Whild	5 Mar 2014	Andy Thorn
Lincoln City	Chris Moyses	8 Dec 2014	Gary Simpson
Macclesfield Town	John Askey	4 Jun 2013	Steve King
Nuneaton Town	Liam Daish	22 Sep 2014	Brian Reid
Southport	Gary Brabin	6 Oct 2014	Martin Foyle
Torquay United	Chris Hargreaves	6 Jan 2014	Alan Knill
Welling United	Jody Brown	20 Dec 2014	Jamie Day
Woking	Garry Hill	20 Jan 2011	Graham Baker
Wrexham	Kevin Wilkin	20 Mar 2014	Andy Morrell

Source : bbc[dot]com

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