Liga MX side Atlas named ALBERTO DE LA TORRE its VP. He will "take care of sporting matters" for the institution before the "complicated agenda" of club President GUSTAVO GUZMÁN (LA AFICIÓN, 1/12). ... Belgian top-flight football side Sporting Lokeren has ended its association with General Dir RUDY GEENS “with immediate effect.” With the club since June ’15, Geens was responsible for all non-sporting related activity at Sporting Lokeren (LA MEUSE, 1/13). ... DIRK HUYCK will succeed JOZEF VAN REMOORTEL as president of Belgian Pro League side Waasland-Beveren. Huyck was VP and will now immediately take over for Van Remoortel, who will stay with the club as administrative council member and new VP (LA MEUSE, 1/13). ... Atlético Madrid's women's team announced on Wednesday that it reached an agreement for coach MIGUEL ÁNGEL SOPUERTA to no longer coach the club. He will be replaced by ÁNGEL VILLACAMPA, until now one of the club's assistant coaches (EFE, 1/13). ... Former Portuguese side Porto striker EDGARAS JANKAUSKAS has been confirmed as Lithuania coach for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
Jankauskas, 40, takes charge following the departure of IGORIS PANKRATJEVAS after Lithuania's fifth-placed UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group E finish (UEFA). ... PAUL PUT "resigned from his role as Jordan's national football team coach due to health concerns."
The Jordan FA said that assistant coach ABDALLAH ABU ZEMA "had been appointed caretaker boss, adding that 59-year-old Put had stepped down following a health setback that would require him to seek constant medical care and supervision" (AFP, 1/13). ... The Congo Football Federation said that it has agreed a deal with PIERRE LECHANTRE "to become the country's next coach."
The Frenchman "is due to sign a contract next week, when further details will also be made public."
Lechantre "is set to replace his compatriot" CLAUDE LEROY, who stepped down in November (BBC, 1/13). ... La Liga side Valencia installed a sporting director alongside GARY NEVILLE "in an attempt to halt the club’s slide toward relegation." It has not won any of its last five La Liga games but insisted that it "would not be doing business in the winter transfer window.
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Now friend of JORGE MENDES, JESUS GARCIA PITARCH, "has been named as the new sporting director leading to speculation that they may make a U-turn on that decision and bring in January reinforcements" (London DAILY MAIL, 1/13). ... Serie A side AS Roma sacked Manager RUDI GARCIA, "after a run of poor results" left it off the pace in the title race.
The club is close to appointing LUCIANO SPALLETTI "for a second spell in the Italian capital." Spalletti, who coached Roma between '05 and '09, wrote on his Facebook page late on Tuesday, "I'll finish what I've started!" and posted a photo of himself with Roma captain FRANCESCO TOTTI (REUTERS, 1/13).
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