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Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ex-SPFL star quits manager job after two months as historic club faces first EVER relegation two years after title win
The club have won titles under two Old Firm heroes in recent years NOR WAY BACK Ex-SPFL star quits manager job after two months as historic club faces first EVER relegation two years after title win Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A former Celtic manager and an ex-Rangers star have both led the club to championship glory in recent years. But now, a historic club are facing up to the possibility of what would be a first EVER relegation. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Patrick Kisnorbo was a key player during two years at Hearts Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow 3 He was capped 18 times by Australia Credit: Reuters 3 He's left his most recent managerial role Credit: Getty Yokohama F. Marinos reached the top level of Japanese football in 1982 and they've been there ever since. They've won the five times, most recently just over two years ago. That title triumph came under the management of former Rangers defender Kevin Muscat. Three years before that, they were also crowned champions under Ange Postecoglou who would move on to Celtic a matter of months later. They fell short of retaining the title under Muscat in 2023 as the finished second behind Vissel Kobe. Last season saw a disappointing eighth placed finish, with former Celtic coach Harry Kewell being sacked mid-season after just seven months in charge. Unfortunately for the club, this season is verging on disaster. Former Chelsea and England assistant manager Steve Holland was appointed manager ahead of the new campaign in December but was sacked in April. His assistant - former Hearts defender Patrick Kisnorbo - took over on an interim basis initially before being handed the reins permanently. However, the ex-Australia international has failed to oversee any kind of major turnaround. Derek McInnes spotted leaving Rugby Park for last time as Kilmarnock fans thank ex-manager Kisnorbo lost his first five matches as interim boss, before recording back-to-back wins over Kashima Antlers - the league leaders - and Machida Zelvia. It was a brief reprieve, however, with Yokohama losing 1-0 at Albirex Niigata on Sunday. With half of the season gone, Yokohama incredibly sit BOTTOM of the table. With just three wins from 19 games, they're rock bottom at that and find themselves six points adrift of safety. The dire situation has led to yet another change of manager. The club have confirmed Kisnorbo has decided to QUIT the role after just two months. He's left with immediate effect. Kisnorbo, 44, spent two years with Hearts between 2003 and 2005. Signed from hometown club South Melbourne, he became a key man for the Jambos playing in both defence and midfield. He played 48 times for Hearts and scored once - a strike in a 2-1 derby win over Edinburgh rivals Hibs. Kisnorbo was one of the Scottish-based players taken to Leicester by his former Jambos boss Craig Levein in 2005 and he enjoyed four years with the foxes. He had a four-year stint at Leeds United too before returning to Australia with Melbourne City in 2013. Kisnorbo quickly moved into coaching after hanging up his boots in 2016, taking charge of Melbourne City Women between 2017 and 2018 and then becoming boss of the men's team in 2020. Kisnorbo led the club to their first A-League Championship in his first season as boss. He moved within the City Football Group in 2022, leaving Melbourne City to take over at French club Troyes. He couldn't continue his success, however, with the club relegated to Ligue 2. Kisnorbo departed after just over a year in charge in December 2023. Last summer, he took over at Melbourne Victory - former club City's big rivals - but was sacked just seven games into a three-year contract. That was despite winning five of those matches. Kisnorbo became Holland's assistant in Yokohama at the end of last year before becoming manager in April. However, exactly two months on, he's now exited the role. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Ex-Rangers man to land new role at promotion chasing EFL club following 200-day exile
The ex-Rangers coach is expected to join the EFL Championship promotion chasers. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Former Rangers first team coach Harry Watling is set to return to football following a 200-day absence after reports claimed he was close to being named as the new assistant boss of EFL Championship promotion chasers Middlesbrough. The Teesside outfit are close to naming former Luton Town head coach Rob Edwards as their new manager following the departure of Michael Carrick last month, and the 42-year-old is expected to to link up with the former Rangers man at the Riverside Stadium as he begins to build his backroom team. Watling will likely be joined by Richie Kyle and Paul Trollope, with the pair having worked with Edwards previously at Luton. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 35-year-old English coach spent almost one year as first team coach at Rangers, joining the Glasgow giants as part of Michael Beale's backroom team in October 2023, but departed the club alongside the ex-Ibrox boss following a dismal 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership. 'You understand the demands before you take the job,' commented Watling, following his departure from Govan. 'You understand the jeopardy of what it looks like to work at a club as big as Rangers. You understand the demands before you take the job. You have to win. Harry Watling watches on from the Rangers dugout, alongside ex-boss Michael Beale and his coaching staff. 'When you have the turnover of players that we did in that pre-season, it's going to take time to click and we did everything on and off the pitch to try and make that happen. It was a case of introducing a lot of international players to Glasgow. Making sure that they're happy with their accommodation, they're happy with the timing of their partners coming over.' Following his departure from Ibrox, Watling was appointed as manager of English non-league outfit Ebbsfleet United in September 2024. During his time in charge of the club, he signed 10 new players, but was unable to change the team's fortunes, with his time at Stonebridge Road far from successful. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The ex-Ibrox man left the club via mutual consent after less than three months in the role, following a poor run of results that saw the Northfleet side win just three of his 18 games in charge of the club. With the club bottom of the National League table and 11 points from safety, Watling was replaced by Josh Wright, though he was unable to halt the club's relegation to the sixth tier of English football.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Celtic striker condition set, Rangers duo to stay, Hearts complete medical, Hibs in 'advanced talks'
Your Thursday morning transfer bulletin involving Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Here are the latest transfer rumours surrounding Scottish football on Thursday morning, including Rangers, Celtic and more. Celtic fee 'agreed' for 3-cap international Celtic are closing in on their second signing of the summer after agreeing a fee with Nordsjaelland for winger Benjamin Nygren. The 23-year-old has caught the eye of Brendan Rodgers after scoring 16 goals in 30 appearances for the Danish Superliga side, and the club have now struck up a deal of £1.7million in order to bring him to Celtic Park, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Parkhead club have already confirmed the return of Scotland international left-back Kieran Tierney, and will now 'look to finalize' a deal for Nygren, who is reported to have already agreed terms on a contract with the champions. Expected to offer competition on the wings, Celtic are said to have beaten off several clubs to the signing of the Swedish international, whose contract expires in six months. The player has garnered interest from across Europe after scoring two goals in his first three international games for Sweden, while he also landed a place in the Superliga Team of the Year. Celtic also remain in talks with Royal Antwerp over a deal for Michel-Ange Balikwisha, with 24-year-old winger 'keen' on a move, according to transfer guru Sacha Tavolieri. Sweden's Benjamin Nygren is close to finalising a summer move to Celtic. | TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Ima Trio circle for ex-Rangers ace Former Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence is being chased by a trio of EFL Championship clubs following his Ibrox release last month, according to several reports. The Welsh midfielder spent three years at Rangers, but struggled with injury throughout his time in Glasgow. Lawrence left the club this summer after scoring 21 goals in 130 appearances for the club after arriving from Derby County in July 2022. The ex-Manchester United academy product had spent the bulk of his career in the English second tier prior to his move to Rangers, and now looks set to return to the league, with West Bromwich Albion, Wrexham and Coventry City all mulling over a deal for Lawrence. It appears Wrexham have the strongest interest though, with the newly promoted side offered him an emotional move to his hometown club, alongside a competitive salary. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Lawrence left Rangers last month following the expiry of his contract. | Getty Images Hibs in 'advanced talks' over exit Hibs are ready to allow striker Dylan Vente leave the club on a permanent basis this summer, with talks over a move to Heerenveen believed to be an 'advanced stage'. The 26-year-old striker cost the Leith outfit around £700,000 upon his arrival from Dutch outfit Roda JC in 2023, but struggled to make his mark at Easter Road, finding the net just 10 times in two seasons. The Suriname international rediscovered his goal scoring touch last season after making a loan move to PEC Zwolle though, bagging 13 goals in 30 Eredivisie games, leading Heerenveen to pounce for the forward this summer. Reports claims Hibs will make a profit on the striker, though no fee has been confirmed as yet. On-loan Hibs striker Dylan Vente rediscovered his form at Zwolle. | SNS Group Hearts 'complete medical' Hearts boss Derek McInnes is expected to complete the signing of former Scotland international Stuart Findlay, with the centre-back reported to have completed his medical on Tynecastle ahead of a loan move from Oxford United. As per Sky Sports, the ex-Kilmarnock defender is due to link up with his former boss McInnes in Gorgie on a deal until the end of the season, before agreeing a permanent transfer next summer when his contract expires at the Kassam Stadium. The transfer will be the Jambos sixth signing of the summer, having already completed deals for Christian Borchgrevink, Alexandros Kyziridis, Elton Kabangu, Oisin McEntee and Cláudio Braga. Hearts have also confirmed that goalkeeper Ryan Fulton has signed a one-year contract extension with the club, subject to Scottish FA approval. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Derek McInnes chats with Stuart Findlay during the pair's time at Kilmarnock. | SNS Group Rangers want duo to stay following Russell Martin decision Rangers head coach Russell Martin is keen to hang onto Hamza Igamane and Nicolas Raskin next season, with the ex-Southampton boss hoping he can build his new Ibrox team around the duo amid reported interest in their services from the English Premier League. According to a report from Pete O'Rouke, Martin has identified the pair as a vital cog in his Rangers starting XI, though the club are 'susceptible to big offers' despite their recent takeover from Andrew Cavenagh's consortium. Igamane has been linked with Everton in recent weeks, though it has been reported that Rangers would ask for a 'huge price' in order to allow him to leave this summer, with fellow forward Cyriel Dessers in talks over a move to AEK Athens. Belgian international Raskin has also been linked to the English top flight, with a report from Flemish site Het Nieuwsblad claiming Aston Villa had opened talks with the 24-year-old over a move to the Midlands. They claim Villa boss Unai Emery is keen to reunite Raskin with his international teammates Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana and that the deal will be dependant on 'negotiations between the clubs and the ambitions of Raskin himself." Reports claims Nicolas Raskin is in talks with Aston Villa - though Russell Martin wants the midfielder to stay at Ibrox. | Getty Images Celtic condition set for striking target Celtic have been told there is a realistic chance they could complete an ambitious transfer for Republic Of Ireland international striker Evan Ferguson - but only if other clubs opt against making an offer for the 20-year-old this summer. The young striker, who was valued at around £100million when he burst onto the scene just two seasons ago, has fallen down the pecking order at Brighton, and struggled to make an impact on loan to West Ham United in the second-half of last season, failing to score in eight appearances at the London Stadium. It is understood that the Seagulls are open to offloading the young striker on a permanent basis this summer. A boyhood Celtic fan, Ferguson has been loosely linked with the Hoops over the last 12 months as he looks to reignite his stuttering career, but a permanent move would likely prove difficult to complete due to the high price Brighton are expected demand for his services. However, according to a new report from Record Sport's Keith Jackson, Celtic could swoop in for a loan deal should Ferguson remain available during the final moments of the summer transfer window. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
STV News
2 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
Little: Rangers need new players in quickly ahead of 'tough' qualifier
Andy Little says Rangers need to start getting new players in quickly or risk not being ready for a 'tough' Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos. Russell Martin's men were drawn against the Greek giants in what will be a first competitive game for the new head coach. The ex-Rangers forward admits his former side will need to be 'right at it' from day one if they want to keep their hopes of qualifying for the continent's top tournament alive. Speaking after the draw on Wednesday, Little, who made 89 appearances for the club between 2009 and 2014, said: 'I think it's very tough, it could have been easier, but you've got to start fast. This will be the first competitive game of the season, so they are going to have to be right at it from day one. 'They are at home first as well, so it's not like you can look at the away fixture and grind out a 0-0, as Rangers have done very well in Europe in recent years. 'So let's see how they get on, but right now we are worried about who is going to be on the pitch, never mind how they will get on. 'As players, you want to know who you are playing with, you want to get to know each other in training and I would say that with just under five weeks to that game, you are getting dangerously close to not being ready for it.' Rangers will be at home for the first leg, meaning they face a daunting task in the summer heat of Athens for the decisive second leg. But while Little admits they would rather it being the other way around, he insists that their recent record away from home in Europe means they shouldn't be ruled out. He said: 'The fact that the game in Athens comes second as well, Rangers would much rather go out there and grind out a horrible 0-0 then take it back to Ibrox and turn up and perform. 'They aren't afforded that, so let's see what happens in the first leg. But to go there and have to win, for example, I think would be a seriously difficult task in 40C+ and a sticky pitch, the players aren't going to be used to that. 'It is certainly going to be a tough task, but Rangers have risen to tough tasks in Europe over the last few years, so they will always have a chance.' Little was in Glasgow promoting Gallus Letting agency. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers and Celtic heroes to lead teams into stunning all-Ireland Champions League shoot-out after box office Euro draw
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE 2025-26 campaign officially got under way today with the first round draws for all the European competitions - and already there's been some major box office. That's because the first round qualifying tie for the Champions League pits Northern Irish champions Linfield against Republic of Ireland champions Shelbourne. 3 Shelbourne manager Damien Duff after his side's victory Credit: Sportsfile 3 Neil Lennon with John Kennedy and Damien Duff Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow 3 David Healy, ex-Rangers and Northern Ireland player, Linfield manager Credit: Willie Vass And just happening to take charge of the two teams are Rangers hero David Healy, now of Linfield, and former Celtic first team coach Damien Duff at Shelbourne. They're two massive characters and there was excitement to prior to the draw as everyone knew there was a twenty percent chance of the two teams meeting. Linfield were seeded in Group 2 of the draw, while Shelbourne were unseeded. And the Uefa draw has duly obliged. The first leg in Dublin on 8/9 July and the second in Belfast on 15/16 July. The two teams met in the final of inaugural Setanta Cup competition between the teams from the north and the south, with Linfield running out 2-0 winners. A league and league cup double winner in his time with the Gers, Healy has been linked with various managers jobs in Scotland - most recently Dundee. The Dark Blues were granted permission from Linfield to speak to the ex-Rangers and Northern Ireland striker. But that role went to Steven Pressley instead - leaving the four-time Northern Irish manager of the year at Windsor Park. Former Chelsea, Newcastle and Republic of Ireland winger Duff has been a breath of fresh air since leaving a first team coaching job with the Hoops to embark on his first manager's job at Shelbourne. Celtic transfer special - Nygren in and Kyogo to return They clinched the FAI Premier League title in 2024 and are desperate to emulate or better the European acheivements of Shamrock Rovers, who performed with credit in the Conference League phase last season. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
