Latest news with #Schalke
Metro
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Arsenal hero Jack Wilshere named favourite to take Wayne Rooney's old job
Jack Wilshere has emerged as favourite to be the next Plymouth Argyle manager, following the departure of Miron Muslic. The Pilgrims were relegated from the Championship this season, finishing 23rd in the second tier, three points adrift of safety. Muslic could not save them from the drop but he did lead them to an unforgettable FA Cup win over Liverpool in one of the club's great days. The 42-year-old only joined Plymouth in January but he has now left the club, moving to Germany to take over Schalke. That has left a vacancy at Plymouth as they prepare for a return to League One and Wilshere has been installed as the favourite to fill it. Bet Victor are offering odds of just 1/3 (at the time of writing) that the 33-year-old will be Plymouth's next permanent manager, with the likes of David Wagner and Ian Evatt next in the betting at 4/1. Wilshere's coaching career so far has seen him take charge of Arsenal's Under-18 team, before moving to Norwich City in October 2024 as a first team coach. After the dismissal of Johannes Hoff Thorup in April, Wilshere stepped up to interim manager for the final two games of the Championship season, winning one and drawing the other. However, on May 24 it was announced that the England international midfielder would be leaving the Canaries by mutual agreement, with Bristol City boss Liam Manning expected to take over at Carrow Road. Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper said of Wilshere's exit: 'Jack made a big impact here in the time he was with us. He built great connections with our players and staff, and we're all sad to see him move on. 'We were all very grateful for him stepping in as our interim head coach for the final two games of the season, but we understand and respect his desire to further explore opportunities elsewhere. 'He leaves with our very best wishes and we'll follow his progress closely. I've no doubt he'll go on to have a very successful coaching career in the senior game.' Plymouth were promoted to the Championship in 2023 when they won League One and narrowly stayed up in 2024, finishing 21st. More Trending Wayne Rooney was given the job in May 2024 but lasted just 25 games in charge, winning only five of them. Muslic improved on that record, winning nine of his 23 matches at the helm, but ultimately fought a losing battle in trying to keep the Pilgrims up. On his departure for Schalke, Muslic said: 'My thanks go first to Plymouth Argyle, who made it possible for me to hold talks with FC Schalke 04, I'm very grateful to all those at Schalke for placing their trust in me. From the very first contact, we had open and honest discussions. 'Together with Frank Baumann, Youri Mulder, Ben Manga and Matthias Tillmann, we discussed in detail what Schalke are looking for and how I can contribute. We're determined to put that plan into action, and I'm ready to get to work with full conviction and passion.' MORE: Jack Wilshere picks the team he 'can't see losing' in the Champions League final MORE: Gerwyn Price is dreaming of a Premier League Darts and Greyhound Derby double success MORE: Championship title, play-off and relegation permutations: Who needs what on the final day?
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jack Wilshere set to follow in Wayne Rooney's footsteps with ex-Arsenal star on shortlist to land Plymouth job
The former England star is likely to take the job if offered JACK'S PILGRIMAGE Jack Wilshere set to follow in Wayne Rooney's footsteps with ex-Arsenal star on shortlist to land Plymouth job Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JACK WILSHERE is a frontrunner to land the Plymouth job. The former England midfielder, who was caretaker boss at Norwich for the final two games of the season, is set to have talks with the club this summer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Jack Wilshere is a frontrunner to take on the Plymouth manager's job Credit: Getty 3 Plymouth are hunting for a replacement for Schalke-bound Miron Muslic Credit: PA The Pilgrims are looking for a new boss after Miron Muslic left to join Schalke. Former Huddersfield manager David Wagner and ex-Bolton manager Ian Evatt are also in the frame. Wilshere, 32, is likely to take the job if it is offered by Plymouth, who suffered relegation to League One despite an upturn in results under Muslic. But the club could not recover after a poor run under Wilshere's former England team-mate Wayne Rooney who endured a torrid seven months in the south-west before being axed on December 31. READ MORE SPORT STORIES FRENCH CONNECTION Utd star Rashford spotted with mystery woman on St Tropez break Ex-midfielder Wilshere was Under-18s boss at Arsenal before being appointed as Norwich's first team coach in October. He took over as interim manager at Carrow Road after the sacking of Johannes Hoff Thorup. Wilshere wanted the job on a permanent basis but left the club after being told he would not get it. The Canaries are due to announce Bristol City's Liam Manning as their new manager this week. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Plymouth were left angry after Muslic "broke promises" in quitting to join Schalke. Shortly prior to his exit, a bitter club statement read: "Argyle can confirm that we have reluctantly allowed Head Coach Miron Muslic to open talks with a 2. Bundesliga side after he expressed his desire to speak with the German team and not return to England. Footballers are great role models… but they need to be able to go partying, like I did, says Jack Wilshere "Despite regular communication since the end of the season, and no mention of any issues, Miron has now made it clear that, after extended periods away from his family, this opportunity provides him the chance to be closer to them after four years on the road. "We are frustrated by this decision, having implemented clear structures, processes and personnel to aid Miron and his coaching staff as we look to return to the Sky Bet Championship at the earliest opportunity. "Not only that, the club have also moved quickly to bring in new signings and received repeated verbal promises from Miron that he was committed to Argyle and would do everything to help the club bounce back to the second tier. "Muslic joined the Greens in January 2025, on a three-and-a-half-year contract, after a period out of the game having departed Cercle Brugge. "He will now leave Argyle just four months into that long-term commitment."
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Celtic target addresses transfer links as Telstar exit confirmed
He's out of contract and has been linked with a move to the Hoops, Schalke and NEC Nijmegen, with Parkhead spies reportedly having watched him in recent matches. And the 25-year-old made it clear he will have plenty of offers. He said: "I knew this would be my last match in the Telstar shirt, so I gave it my all and didn't want to get knocked out this time. Read more: "I'm completely exhausted. Even if they have to take me off the field on a stretcher, I just wanted to go to the Eredivisie with these guys so badly. "NEC would really like to have me, that's true. That's one of the clubs I can go to, but there are more clubs in the running. "I'm going to enjoy the celebration and then I'll slowly make a decision together with my agent. "This is really deserved, we fought so hard for each other."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kehrer replaces Bisseck in Germany's Nations League squad
It was a horror final for Yann Aurel Bisseck and Inter. The young center-back was substituted on early in the second-half, but he only stayed on the pitch for about ten minutes because of a muscle pain in the back of his thigh. Bisseck is now ruled out of the final phase of the UEFA Nations League. The 24-year-old made his international debut in the second leg of the quarter-final tie against Italy. Advertisement Thilo Kehrer will be the man coming in his place for Germany's two matches. The former Schalke defender enjoyed a decent season with AS Monaco in both the Champions League and Ligue 1. However, his last competitive game for Germany was in the 2022 World Cup. Die Nationalmannschaft will face Portugal at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday to determine whether they will play the final or the third-placed game on Sunday.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Plymouth confirm exit of Wayne Rooney replacement in blunt 13-word statement as chairman sends surprise message
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE announced the departure of manager Miron Muslic with a blunt statement on social media after some turbulent negotiations. Muslic, 42, took over at Plymouth in January following the Advertisement 2 Plymouth Argyle confirmed manager Miron Muslic's departure with a blunt statement 2 Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett shared a lengthy statement reacting to Muslic's dramatic exit However, the Austrian-Bosnian tactician couldn't steer The Pilgrims wanted to maintain the ex-Cercle Brugge boss within their ranks but he dramatically opted for a move to Schalke, who will be playing in Germany's second tier this coming term. The Greens went on to confirm Muslic's departure to the German outfit with a very short tweet following Plymouth Advertisement Read More on Football The club shared a longer announcement on their official website where they praised some of his work, such as his Plymouth "Muslic joined Argyle in January, overseeing 23 matches, including the memorable victory against Liverpool in the Emirates FA Cup. "Despite his best efforts, he could not stave off relegation with Argyle dropping to Sky Bet League One on the final day of the season. Advertisement Most read in EFL Exclusive HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON HORSE RACING "We wish Miron all the best for his future endeavours." That led to a lengthy statement from Argyle chairman Simon Hallett who insists he didn't want Muslic to leave and wanted him to lead next season's bid to return to the Championship, but was left without a choice as the head coach decided to move on. Wayne Rooney starts new job in Middle East as Man Utd legend touches down for first day after leaving Plymouth Hallett Advertisement "As a result, Miron continued to take part in all recruitment meetings and was involved with interviewing and recruiting players until just last week. His colleagues had no indication that he wanted to leave. "Last Saturday, Miron informed the club that he wished to speak with Schalke with a view to joining them. Under his contract, a club wishing to speak with him needs Argyle's prior permission. "We were unwilling to give such permission, but Miron informed us that under no circumstances was he going to return to Plymouth. Thus, we reluctantly gave the necessary permission. "By making clear his intention never to return, Miron gave us no choice but to move on. Advertisement "We could have insisted on the full compensation and gone to court to enforce his contract but would not have had his services as head coach, and progress on recruiting a replacement would have been blocked. Chairman addresses Muslic exit "Rather than get mired in a protracted, and highly disruptive, process we settled for an amount of compensation that, while below the contracted sum, is a strong financial outcome for a League One head coach, enabling us to move on positively." Hallett also had an important message for Plymouth fans admitting there will be no new investors coming in to the club any time soon. However, the owner promised he and existing shareholders will provide the necessary funds that will help the team and Muslic's replacement meet their goals this coming season. Advertisement Hallett added: "As you know, we have been in talks with a prospective new investor in our club for over a year. Those talks led to an application for approval of that investment being lodged with the EFL in February. "Unfortunately, negotiations have taken too long and the key information that both we and the EFL required to complete the deal has not been forthcoming. I no longer believe that news of the new investor is imminent. "As a result, existing shareholders (I, Argyle Green and the Holliday family) will provide the funds to ensure that we stay on course with our plans. "This means making funds available to ensure we have a competitive football budget to aim to return us to the Championship as soon as possible, as well as continued investment in Foulston Park. Our budget next season will be twice that we had the last time we were in League One. Advertisement "These additional funds equate to the same level of financial support that was written into the investor plan for year one." Plymouth Argyle Chairman Simon Hallett's message Dear Green Army, I am sorry to have not written earlier after relegation was confirmed, earlier this month. Jane and I had personal issues in the US that forced us to cut short our visit to the UK, and we have been occupied taking care of them for a few weeks. Our thanks to those who sent best wishes, and all is ok now. We are making plans for a return to the UK later this summer. We are disappointed at Miron Muslic's departure – not at his joining a club with a profile such as Schalke, but in the timing and manner of his leaving. We hired Miron in January, giving him a three-and-a-half-year contract. Shortly after his joining us, we also hired the staff he requested, in an assistant head coach, head of elite performance, performance analysis and, a little later, a set-piece coach. A recruitment team was in place for the season, augmented by our securing the services of Stuart Webber, a very experienced and well-regarded Sporting Director, to assist with the post-season rebuild of our squad, along with Tom Randle, who has subsequently joined us on a full-time basis as Head of Recruitment. After the season ended, and with rumours flying that Miron was attracting interest from other clubs, I called him personally and he assured me that he was 100% committed to Argyle. As a result, Miron continued to take part in all recruitment meetings and was involved with interviewing and recruiting players until just last week. His colleagues had no indication that he wanted to leave. Last Saturday, Miron informed the club that he wished to speak with Schalke with a view to joining them. Under his contract, a club wishing to speak with him needs Argyle's prior permission. We were unwilling to give such permission, but Miron informed us that under no circumstances was he going to return to Plymouth. Thus, we reluctantly gave the necessary permission. By making clear his intention never to return, Miron gave us no choice but to move on. We could have insisted on the full compensation and gone to court to enforce his contract but would not have had his services as head coach, and progress on recruiting a replacement would have been blocked. Rather than get mired in a protracted, and highly disruptive, process we settled for an amount of compensation that, while below the contracted sum, is a strong financial outcome for a League One head coach, enabling us to move on positively. As you know, we have been in talks with a prospective new investor in our club for over a year. Those talks led to an application for approval of that investment being lodged with the EFL in February. Unfortunately, negotiations have taken too long and the key information that both we and the EFL required to complete the deal has not been forthcoming. I no longer believe that news of the new investor is imminent. As a result, existing shareholders (I, Argyle Green and the Holliday family) will provide the funds to ensure that we stay on course with our plans. This means making funds available to ensure we have a competitive football budget to aim to return us to the Championship as soon as possible, as well as continued investment in Foulston Park. Our budget next season will be twice that we had the last time we were in League One. These additional funds equate to the same level of financial support that was written into the investor plan for year one. I completely understand that this will be very frustrating for fans, as it is extremely frustrating for me and the rest of the Argyle Board. I have said constantly that my resources can enable us to be a sustainable Championship club, but that if we wish to aspire beyond that we would need new investment. I can provide some of that new investment, with the Holliday family's and Argyle Green's help, but not all. While progress towards a transaction in its current form looks to have stalled, we will continue to explore alternative routes, including being open to revised terms with other investment groups. It is important that we get the right investor, not the quickest investor, and this may take some time. We are committed to this, but in the meantime, current shareholders can (and will) support the club through its next stage of development. This current situation is disappointing, obviously, but honesty and transparency are important to us. It's been a long, ponderous process, but one we thought would come to a successful conclusion. It has not, but we remain in a very strong financial position. Over the past five or six years, we have set out a clear pathway to achieving success at Argyle. In that time, we progressed from League Two to the Championship, where we spent two seasons, before suffering relegation. Our mission has been, and remains, to be a sustainable and competitive Championship club, but some of the decisions we have made in the last two seasons have not worked as we had hoped. Those decisions obviously contributed to our relegation, but were decisions made by the entire board, and it is entirely unfair to blame any individuals. Unfortunately, in sport, as in life, decisions made do not always work out. We are sorry and will do everything we can to put it right. Argyle's long-term strategy is set by the board and executed by Andrew Parkinson, our CEO, and his team. Away from the pitch, the club continues to make significant strides. Thanks to the efforts of all staff, we have seen remarkable off-pitch progress including record revenues this year. We've also been recognised with several industry awards - testament to the quality of work happening every day behind the scenes. This progress is a direct result of the hard work and commitment of staff across all departments. Our focus on sustainable growth has led to significant infrastructure investments that now generate substantial revenue which supports our football operations. The first and still the largest of those investments was the refurbishment of the Mayflower Grandstand. Today, that not only provides outstanding match-day hospitality to our fans, but a facility for businesses and other organisations in the area. The revenues generated now number in the millions, and go directly into the running of the football club, primarily the football budget. The Grandstand refurbishment was the first and remains the biggest investment, but has been followed by the acquisition of Higher Home Park, part of which is now used as the Biffa Fan Zone; by the Green Taverners' building, now the Far Post; by the acquisition of Goals, now Harpers; and by many smaller investments that have improved the experience for fans and sponsors. As a result, the stadium has been full for most home games. We have also invested in players, breaking the club transfer record several times and realising substantial surpluses on subsequent sales of players. The result is that your club is now financially stronger than it has ever been with a strong and diversified revenue base. Those revenues have, until last season, helped lead to our success on the pitch. We have consistently achieved more than would be suggested by what we are able to spend on the first-team squad alone. Sometimes, our results flattered our performances but, overall, the strategy to compete by outsmarting not outspending our competitors has been successful. Last season, it was not, and the board took the decision in January that our best hope of avoiding what by then was a very likely fate was to hire a Head Coach who could introduce a new playing style. We narrowly failed, despite the efforts of our staff and our players. I thank them all. We will play the coming season in League One, as we did three years ago. Our circumstances, though, are much changed, because of the investments we have made and the support you have given us. We will have the financial resources to compete strongly at the top end of the division. Relegation is always disappointing, but we are now in a position where we end up stronger than we began. In the long-term, this is not being a yo-yo club, this is being a club that invests for the long term and emerges stronger from any setbacks. You will know that former Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson has left Argyle after a successful six years. Jimmy has been a positive influence on the club, and we wish him well in the future. We also congratulate Ross Goodwin, our Head of Football Data, who will return home, and take on a senior role as Head of Recruitment at Dundee United. We are delighted to welcome David Fox back to Home Park in a senior management role as Head of Football Operations. He will be responsible for helping formulate and executing strategy on the football side of the club. Initially, he will be aided by Stuart Webber, whose experience and abilities as a Sporting Director will be hugely beneficial to Argyle. David and Stuart have been actively engaged in the process of recruiting a new head coach, and we hope to have an appointment in place as soon as possible. David will be provided with the support, resources and structure he needs. As I mentioned above, we also welcome Tom Randle as Head of Recruitment. He, David and Stuart have already been working behind the scenes to identify and recruit the players who will join us this summer. Recruitment is led by David and Tom, with other senior executive involvement. This structure means recruitment continues regardless of any changes in coaching staff, ensuring alignment with the club's long-term football strategy. We have already seen the fruits of this combined effort, and I'd like to welcome Jamie Paterson, Caleb Watts and Jack MacKenzie to Argyle. I'll be back in the UK over the summer, when we will host a Fans Forum ahead of the new season. I'll be very happy to address the questions I'm sure you will have on the investment setbacks and how we intend to take things forward to achieve our goals. Finally, to you, the fans - you have been outstanding. Week after week, match after match, home or away, your support never wavers, and all at your club are grateful to you. We've never been more determined to succeed and, alongside your unrivalled backing, through the highs and the lows, together we'll do this. See you soon, Simon
