Former Real Madrid player RAÚL has become the Spanish Football League's (LFP) country manager for the U.S. He joins Spanish football's expansion project and will lead the LFP office in N.Y (LFP). ... MARTIN LING "resigned as the manager" of League One side Swindon Town due to health reasons. Ling, 49, "was appointed in early November on a two-and-a-half year contract, returning to the County Ground having made nearly 200 appearances in two difference spells for Swindon as a player."
Taking the reins at Swindon following the sacking of MARK COOPER, Ling’s appointment "was his first since leaving the Torquay job in April 2013, having stepped away from the club in January due to his battle with depression" (London GUARDIAN, 12/29). ... The Pakistan Hockey Federation appointed former Olympian ABDUL HANIF KHAN "as new head coach and manager of the national hockey team." Earlier, Olympian QAMAR IBRAHIM "had been appointed as head coach." YOUSUF BAIG and IRFAN SHEIKH "were named as team doctor and physical trainer, respectively" (DAILY TIMES, 12/29). ... Turkish top-tier club Genclerbirligi fired its fifth coach "since the start of the season after only one match in charge."
YILMAZ VURAL, 62, "managed the side for six days and one away league game" which it lost 2-0. ILHAN CAVCAV, president of the Ankara-based club, "has appointed 51 different coaches since taking over in 1981" (BBC, 12/29). ... Houston-based KXLN-Univision named Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo Senior Dir of Communications & Broadcasting LESTER GRETSCH sports anchor (THE DAILY).
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