Indian Super League: NorthEast United terminate Warner’s contract

The 41-year-old had joined the coaching staff of Bolton Wanderers after penning a deal with John Abraham owned franchise…

Tony Warner’s stint in the Indian Super League (ISL) was terminated even before he could step on the field.

Goal had revealed that the 41-year-old, who had a stint at Bolton as a coach last season, had emerged as a frontrunner to be their next goalkeeping coach after Lee Turner parted ways with the club to join Charlton Athletic.

“NorthEast United FC has exercised the team’s right to terminate the contract of Anthony Rudolph Warner for material breach of his Standard Player’s Agreement. We are not prepared to provide any more detail or to discuss the underlying grounds for the contract termination at this time,” read a press release issued by the north eastern club.

NorthEast United are now on the lookout for a replacement who could don the dual role of a player-cum-goalkeeping coach.

Pires fires back at Zico's criticism and Wenger jibes: 'I 

wasn't Zico's Player'

The former ISL marquee with the Goan franchise has opined that Zico's questioning of Wenger is uncalled for, claims the board was happy with his form...

Robert Pires, the French and Arsenal legend who was the marquee player for the Indian Super League's (ISL) Goan franchise FC Goa, has issued a firm rebuttal against coach Zico's outburst centred on him and Arsene Wenger, calling the Brazilian gaffer's statements a huge disappointment as the Frenchman believes he had given 100 per cent on the field and was of the opinion his form improved as the tournament progressed.      

Zico, now in charge of the franchise for the second edition of the ISL as well, accussed the Arsenal manager of misleading the franchise on Pires' fitness and form, stating, "Last year Wenger said Pires was in good condition to play the ISL but we all know what happened on the field. Wenger's words don't hold any weight." 

Now Pires has brandished his sword as well, and in an exclusive chat with Goal, believes he was never given Zico's  backing.

"I was hugely disappointed to read recent comments by Zico. It became apparent after I signed for FC Goa that as I wasn't Zico's player and although I was targeted heavily by the opposition, I felt my performances were improving and my influence was increasing. I always gave 100 per cent on and off the field making the most of a great football and emotional experience in such a great country," revealed a clearly miffed Pires.  

"To be highlighted in this way by someone that I always showed the utmost respect to is hugely disappointing," angrily added the 40-year-old. 

The former Premier League winner and 'Invincible' also explained that the management of the franchise, which constituted of Dempo's Shrinivas Dempo, Dattaraj Salgaocar, Venugopal Dhoot and Virat Kohli, were quite happy with his performances. 

"The ownership group were and continue to be hugely positive about my performances and the value I delivered for their franchise. I am sure they are as surprised as me by this unwarranted outburst," he claimed. 

Finally, he also felt offended by Zico's outburst against Arsene Wenger, who believes is a modern day great, concluding, "To question Arsene Wenger is also very surprising, as he is without doubt one of the great global coaches of this era."  

Indian Super League: Anelka - I know how to get the best 

out of players

The former Chelsea forward hopes that the Ranbir Kapoor co-owned outfit at least make it through to the knockout stages of the competition…

Mumbai City FC shall see Nicolas Anelka don the dual role of marquee player-manager for the second edition of the Indian Super League (ISL). The Frenchman and Elano Blumer are the only two big name signings, who have been retained by their franchises.

“I'm happy to be back. Last season, we had a good team and were little bit unlucky with injuries and everything. This year we have a bigger squad and better players and our desire is to do better than last year. My personal desire is to at least make it to the semi-finals,” said Anelka when asked to explain what went wrong last term where his side finished seventh on the table.

It must be noted that Anelka was probably the only marquee signing last season who never turned up for media interaction. The Mumbai City officials mentioned that the former Arsenal striker had intimated the club in advance that he wouldn’t speak to the press during his stint with the Mumbai club.

However this season having donned the role of a manager as well, Anelka in what was his first interaction with the press in Mumbai, he stated that he would restrict to the bare minimum.

“I'm not looking forward to it, for sure. I'm very quiet. For me the most important is on the pitch, I don't like too much speaking in the press. I will do the minimum. I will do it because I have to do it. 

“I think I will stay the same. I'm quiet but I've worked with a lot of managers and I know how to speak to players. I know how to get the best out of the players. We have a big squad so we'll be able to rotate this year,” he explained.

Anelka revealed that he didn’t have much say on the signings of Indian players and the onus was on assistant coach Oscar Bruzon and technical director Nishant Mehra to take the call.

“Not too much because I don't know a lot about the Indian players. I was in France and England so I think the support staff were the ones scouting for the local players. They gave me a lot of reports about them and what we were looking for and I said, if this is a right choice, go for them,” he mentioned.

“I'm very happy with the signing because everyone told me Sunil Chhetri is a very good player. He can score goals and give assists as well. I don't know him personally but I will be see his quality when he joins the team,” he added when asked his opinion on Chhetri.

Anelka acknowledged that being manager is a difficult task for him to fulfill the dual role of player-manager but he is very much up for it.

“As a player you just concentrate on your game. I did it before (managing) and you have a lot of work as a manager. You need to look at the players and videos. So, it is going to be more work for me. It’s going to be tough, of course. But I’ll try to give my best as a player first and also as the manager,” he reasoned.

On asked what he would do if he failed to score for four consecutive matches, Anelka said, “I will be putting myself straight on the bench as simple as that. We have a better squad this season so we'll be able rotate players.”

Anelka hinted that his side might head to Dubai for their pre-season preparations.

“I know the weather. I've been in Dubai just before where it's 47 degrees or something. I've been training outside to prepare for the ISL. The new players will have to be ready as well. That's why we are looking for a country where it's hot for the pre-season,” he signed off.