EPL side Queens Park Rangers have given CHRIS RAMSEY the job as caretaker manager until the end of the season "after some of their managerial options made clear that they would be available only in the summer." Ramsey "led the west London club to a first away victory of the season, against Sunderland on Tuesday, and has impressed the players and club." Contenders for permanent replacement include the likes of MICHAEL LAUDRUP, who is in charge of Lekhwiya in Qatar, Cagliari coach GIANFRANCO ZOLA, Derby County Manager STEVE MCCLAREN and Real Madrid Assistant Manager PAUL CLEMENT. The agents of Laudrup and Zola "have confirmed their clients could not move until the summer" (LONDON TIMES, 2/12). ... France football coach DIDIER DESCHAMPS “has signed a new contract which will keep him at the helm of the national team until the 2018 World Cup” (PA, 2/12). ... Uruguayan SERGIO MARKARIAN will coach the Greek national team through the UEFA Euro 2016 qualification stage. Markarian, 70, is expected in Greece over the weekend and his debut will be in Budapest on March 29 when the Greeks play Hungary in Euro 2016 Group F action (FIFA).
CHANNEL 4 RESTRUCTURE: Channel 4 has handed ED HAVARD its head of sport role and promoted IAN MACKENZIE to nations and regions manager following the departure of STUART COSGROVE. Havard will also retain his head of live events role. C4’s “original plan had been to recruit a sports boss who would report to him,” but it said it had “reappraised the commissioning structure during its recruitment process, and opted to expand Havard’s role.” As a result of Havard’s promotion, Match Of The Day 2 series editor and Match Of The Day program editor STEPHEN LYLE will “join C4 as a sport commissioner in March.” C4 has further “bolstered its sports team with the appointment” of Exec Producer CLYDE HOLCROFT as creative director of the 2016 Paralympic Games coverage (BROADCAST NOW, 2/12).
IN BARCELONA: Barcelona announced it has appointed former AC Milan Sporting Dir ARIEDO BRAIDA to a "new technical committee to help oversee planning for the first team." Braida, who worked at Milan from '86-13, will join former Barcelona player and coach CARLES REXACH, VP JORDI MESTRE and Dir JAVIER BORDAS on the committee. The club is creating the new body, which will "work closely" with Manager LUIS ENRIQUE, following the sacking last month of ANDONI ZUBIZARRETA from his post as director of football (REUTERS, 2/12). ... Barcelona President JOSEP MARIA BARTOMEU is scheduled to appear in court on Friday to face charges of tax fraud in the signing of NEYMAR (EFE, 2/12).
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