Latest news with #StadedeReims
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Karel Geraerts tops Reims' shortlist for new head coach
According to a report from L'Équipe, Karel Geraerts tops Stade de Reims's shortlist for their new head coach following the departure of Samba Diawara. The Champagne club reportedly interviewed Geraerts and were convinced by the Belgian's profile. However, Geraerts, a free agent since September, after he was sacked from Schalke 04, has not yet given Reims a definitive answer. The club are faced with certain issues that could detract from the attractiveness of the role; they will likely have to sell this summer, while the budget will also be tightened after suffering a relegation to Ligue 2 via the playoffs. Advertisement Reims had been linked with Philippe Montanier, who has not had a head coaching role since leaving Toulouse FC in 2023 after leading the club to their first-ever Coupe de France title. However, Mohamed Toubache-Ter reported that conversations had cooled between the two parties. L'Équipe points to Olivier Dall'Oglio as another option if Geraerts cannot be convinced. He had led AS Saint-Étienne to promotion in the 2023/24 season, but was sacked in the past campaign following a poor set of results. GFFN | Nick Hartland
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘I'm a Mayo man' – John Joe Patrick opens up on roots and dream of more caps after Republic of Ireland debut
IRELAND fans are still getting to know John Joe Patrick Finn Benoa and even what to call him. Some fans call him Finn, others John Joe, while he is known at French club 2 John Joe Patrick Finn is honoured to play for Ireland as his late father was from Mayo 2 The Stade de Reims ace is excited to create a legacy with Ireland The back of his shirt when he came on for his Ireland debut against Advertisement So what does he prefer to be called? He said: 'I prefer John but there are a lot of Johns in the squad, it's more easy.' The 6ft 4in 21-year-old is a player that naturally excites fans when he bursts onto the international scene given his impressive CV that is like no other in the Ireland squad. Born in Madrid, his mother Odetta is French with Cameroon heritage while his late father - also John - hailed from Galway but had Mayo roots. Advertisement READ MORE ON GAA Spanish is his mother tongue and he told Luxembourgish journalists he did not feel comfortable being interviewed in French yet, but spoke happily to Irish journalists in English. The midfielder said: 'My dad is from Ireland, also my grandfather and when I was young every summer I went to Ballyhaunis. 'So I had that connection when I was young, it really mattered. I am a Mayo man. 'It was nice, growing up it was so different from Madrid, where I lived. Those summers were really great, with my family, we had a great time, great days.' Advertisement Most read in Football He actually played for Salthill Devon for a while though he was first noticed by Irish fans when he joined Real Madrid as a nine-year-old. It was at Getafe he made his breakthrough making ten La Liga appearances as a teenager even as he finished school and progressed into the Ireland Under-19 squad. He earned Ireland Under-21 call-ups too and was also eligible for Spain, France and Cameroon. But while that was a focus in Ireland and led Advertisement ALWAYS IRELAND He said: 'Cameroon no, France no, Spain no, always Ireland. It's always good that the coach makes the effort to go and see you, to speak with me.' His debut came in the last minute as a replacement for Jason Knight on Tuesday night, though the midfielder admitted that it was not quite the debut of his dreams. He said: 'I feel good, I am a bit disappointed with the result, it was not the way I wanted to make my debut but I will just keep working and continue on this way. 'I feel ok but the last minute, it's not the way that everybody wants to make their debut, it's high intensity, into the game and it's not easy.' Advertisement But the 21-year-old hopes that his debut can be the first of many caps having quickly got up to speed with what Hallgrímsson expects from his midfielders. He said: 'He just told me I had to get the tactics, how the team works and I think I am catching the way the team play. We still have a bit of work to do but I am happy. 'The experience was good, the group has a lot of quality, I think if we can continue this way we can do good things. 'We are hungry, we are conscious that we are in a top World Cup group but with the work we are doing we can do it.' Advertisement Ireland's next games come in September with the beginning of the World Cup qualification campaign at home to Hungary and away to Armenia. And the midfielder hopes that a good start to the season with Stade Reims, who were relegated last season, can keep him in Hallgrímsson's plans. He also believes that next year is a big year for him when he expects to play regularly for Reims after a difficult settling in period in France. He added: 'At the beginning it was not easy, I was alone, my family stayed in Madrid but in the end the club made things really easy so the time I adapted was quick and the culture is nice. Advertisement 'It was a difficult moment to end the season like this (with relegation), but to come here is a bit of a distraction from the club, I had great days, now I can rest a bit and come back.'
Irish Examiner
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'He will be really proud' - John Patrick Finn fulfills late dad's wish for him to play for Ireland
'I prefer to be called John,' says Ireland's latest debutant, whose full name is John Joe Patrick Finn Benoa. He's 21 but various versions of his name have formed part of the Irish football discourse since before he reached 10. His distinctive hairstyle caught attention but giddiness abounded when it was discovered this nine-year-old namechecked on the Ryan Tubridy Show was eligible for Ireland. Meritocracy knows no age in the footballing industry and the stylish midfielder emerged from a competitive trial of 200 boys to be recruited by Real Madrid. Born to a Cameroonian mother and English father, whose parents lived in Ballyhaunis Co Mayo, the name was a giveaway about his lineage. Yet this wasn't a case of a player possessing tenuous Irish connections seeking a ticket to the international football circuit. Finn spent his summers in the west of Ireland, lining out for Galway side Salthill Devon on occasion. Then his name began to morph. John Patrick was the primary moniker but John Joe was used within an Irish context. Read More Three bright sparks from a frustrating Irish night in Luxembourg Being the only John in the Irish camp, apart from assistant manager O'Shea, played into his preference for the one name title. He was raised in Spain, now operates in France for Stade de Reims but is unequivocal about his identity. 'I am a Mayo man,' he affirmed in his broken English after appearing as a late substitute against Luxembourg on Tuesday. 'My Dad is from Ireland, also my grandfather, and when I was young every summer I went to Ballyhaunis. 'Mayo was different to Madrid where I lived. Those summers were really great with my family - we had a great time and days together. 'So, I had that connection from when I was young and it really matters.' The one pang of disappointment about his bow was his Dad not being around. He passed away in recent years but held a lifelong wish for his son to represent Ireland. 'I know he will be really proud,' said his son. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson with John Joe Patrick Finn after the game. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne. His club career entailed a move from Real to Getafe and last season onto Ligue 1 in a seven-figure move. Making his debut against PSG and figuring in the French Cup final were his highlights but Reims suffered relegation. That might widen the latitude for the newcomer to string games together and he realises that's necessary to be in the equation for the Ireland squad that embarks on the World Cup qualifiers. Heimir Hallgrimsson recently made a two-hour drive to meet Finn to ascertain his international commitment. The player insisted Ireland was the only country for him and rival countries didn't pose a dilemma. 'It's not the way that everybody wants to make their debut – playing the last few minutes,' he confessed. 'Being a high intensity match, it wasn't easy getting into the game. 'The manager just told me I had to get the tactics, how the team works and I think I am catching the way the team plays. 'The experience was good. This squad has a lot of quality. I know we have a difficult qualifying group but I think we can do good things.'
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'I wouldn't mind losing both friendlies if we won both qualifiers' - Hallgrímsson sets out his stall
Performance indicators for the World Cup campaign rather than results are what Heimir Hallgrímsson is aiming for from the two upcoming friendlies. The Icelander has won four and lost the other four of his eight games at the helm but his contract is wedded to the qualifiers kicking off with the visit of Hungary on September 6. African aristocrats Senegal, ranked 19th in the world, present the next test for Ireland at Lansdowne Road on Friday, followed by a trip to Luxembourg on Tuesday. Hallgrímsson has ordered his weary Championship players Josh Cullen, Finn Azaz and Mikey Johnston to skip this camp with the thinking of being conditioned for the competitive sprint later in the year. Ireland's group is completed by Portugal and Armenia, from which the winner will book a direct ticket to USA, Canada and Mexico next year. Second guarantees entry into the playoffs. 'It's important to keep the momentum,' he said about the pair of 2-1 Nations League playoff victories over Bulgaria in March. 'I wouldn't mind losing both these games if we won both games in September. 'Obviously we want to win all of our matches and we go to every match to win it. We have a good squad now and we are going to go for it, for sure. "This preparation is mixed with what is going to happen in September. 'We began the camp by talking about what is coming up, why it is important to play games like Senegal, taking what we can to transfer into the September games against Hungary and Armenia. 'It is important that we have more than 11 players ready to play, knowing everything about how we want to play. 'We wanted to have a training camp in May to add knowledge to more players, see new faces and rock the boat, but that didn't happen. 'We've been more or less picking a similar squad so when we lost out on the May camp we still opened spots for new players to come in." Troy Parrott was the only midweek concern due to a bug but trained with the rest of the squad in their final session before Friday night's game at Lansdowne Road. It would seem the second part of the double-header has been circled as the opportunity to blood newcomers. Uncapped John Patrick Finn (Stade de Reims), Killian Phillips (Crystal Palace) and Josh Honohan (Shamrock Rovers) are potential debutants over the 180 minutes but more likely are the likes of Jack Taylor and Will Smallbone stepping up from fringe status. 'The purpose of having a look at them is to see if they are ready to play,' he said of the new wave. 'Whether it will be tomorrow or against Luxembourg or not at all, we will wait and see. 'We have been happy with the players coming in, how they have coped with the environment and getting on board the messages and wanting to learn. That is the most important thing.' They'll certainly be exposed to a stellar international outfit in Senegal. Captained by Idrissa Gueye, they have quality throughout, from Pape Gueye and Pape Matar Sarr in midfield to his namesake in attack, Crystal Palace's FA Cup winner Ismaila Sarr along with Nicolas Jackson. Hallgrímsson said: 'Senegal not only have physique, speed and running power but they look for the space behind you. 'Looking at the African Cup of Nations, opponents of Senegal always need to play against a low block. 'So they are specialists in finding pockets to play into for the third man running in. Senegal are unbeaten in 22 games, which is amazing for a national team. Before that Algeria defeat in 2023, they hadn't lost in nine. 'They are a massive team. The first goal is important. Similar to when we play Portugal, they have players who can hurt you. Everything happens a little bit quicker, so we'll need to defend.' Read More Tommy Martin: Heimir Hallgrimsson is on a hot streak of off the pitch victories
Sinar Daily
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Sinar Daily
In Luis Enrique's new-look PSG, the coach is the superstar
Now 55, Luis Enrique was appointed in July 2023, just after Lionel Messi left the French side following an underwhelming two-year spell. Neymar then departed later that summer. 29 May 2025 09:32am Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish head coach Luis Enrique waves during a press conference in Poissy, west of Paris, on May 23, 2025, the day before the French Cup final football match against Stade de Reims. PSG will play the French Cup final football match against Stade de Reims on May 24, 2025 and Champions League's against Inter Milan on May 31, 2025. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) PARIS - In the new-look Paris Saint-Germain side which has made it to this weekend's Champions League final, the superstar is no longer on the pitch but instead in the dugout. In transforming a team not always taken seriously by their rivals into arguably the most feared side on the continent, PSG coach Luis Enrique has also revived his own reputation after being sacked from his previous job. Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Luis Enrique leads a training session in Poissy, west of Paris, on May 23, 2025, on the eve of French Cup final football match against Stade de Reims. (Photo by Franck FIFE / AFP) Now 55, Luis Enrique was appointed in July 2023, just after Lionel Messi left the French side following an underwhelming two-year spell. Neymar then departed later that summer. The former Barcelona boss was dismissed by Spain six months earlier after their disappointing exit from the 2022 World Cup to Morocco in the last 16. The PSG job appeared something of a poisoned chalice, with his predecessors unable to deliver the success in the Champions League that the club's Qatari owners desired. The team was handicapped by the presence of Neymar, Messi and Kylian Mbappe all together, three great forwards who naturally did not much care for defending. With the first two gone and Mbappe's eventual departure inevitable, Luis Enrique understood he would be allowed time to mould a team in his shape. "We are in the middle of building a new identity, our own style and way of playing, and a new culture," PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said early last season, adding that winning the Champions League was no longer "something we are obsessed with". Last year they still reached the semi-finals in Europe before losing to Borussia Dortmund -- with a domestic league and cup double also in the bag, it was a promising start for the new coach. The problem was that Mbappe, with his contract expiring, was on the way out. Yet the manager kept insisting PSG would be better without their all-time top scorer. "If everything goes well I'm convinced we'll have a much better team than this year," Luis Enrique said in February 2024. It was hard to believe at the time, even less so after PSG opted last summer not to sign a new striker. Luis Enrique insists on playing a style of football characterised by dominating possession as well as high-octane pressing. But his critics have accused him of being stubborn and rigidly sticking to one way of playing, even when it is not working. "Luis Enrique had a very clear game plan, and when plan A didn't work, there was no plan B," Spain's Iago Aspas said of his former coach. Better without Mbappe Earlier this season PSG were dominating games but not scoring, and Luis Enrique's refusal to play with a traditional centre-forward appeared mistaken. When one interviewer questioned his tactics following a defeat to Arsenal, the coach's response seemed arrogant and unpleasant. "I have no intention of explaining my tactics to you. You wouldn't understand," he said. A defeat against Bayern Munich in November left PSG in danger of going out of the Champions League early, but the turnaround since has been remarkable. His energetic young side suffocated Manchester City before they saw off Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in a triumphant tour of England. The decision to play without a recognised number nine? No problem. Instead he turned winger Ousmane Dembele into a lethal finisher with 33 goals this season. PSG really are better without Mbappe, and Luis Enrique deserves huge credit for that. Now he is one game away from joining an elite group of coaches to have won the Champions League twice. His last success was in 2015 when he led a Barcelona side spearheaded by Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez to the title. "Getting to a Champions League final is always difficult. All players and coaches dream of it, but not everyone gets there," said the Asturian. "The job I did at Barca was extraordinary. Even if people said it was easy to win the Champions League with that team, it wasn't." After three years at Barcelona he had two spells in charge of Spain, taking a time out in 2019 when his daughter Xana died of bone cancer. Now he believes the experience of those years has helped him become a better coach in Paris. "I have more experience now. I remember before my first final I was really stressed," he said. "This time I hope to transmit a message of calm. Otherwise I think I have learnt from my mistakes and that has helped me get where I am now." - AFP
