Former Croatia captain ZVONIMIR BOBAN "was given a high-ranking role at FIFA on Monday" when the global football ruling body named him as one of its two new deputy secretary generals. Boban, 47, will oversee the "football pillar" of FIFA's new administration, focusing on developing the game and the organization of competitions. FIFA Legal Dir MARCO VILLIGER "was named as the other deputy secretary general and will be in charge of commercial and administrative operations" (REUTERS, 5/30). ... Former Zimbabwe Rugby captain CLEOPAS MAKOTOSE has been appointed African continental agent for rugby apparel and equipment manufacturer Rhino. Makotose was "unveiled last weekend by Rhino partner ALBERT PESTANA." Pestana is "responsible for the South African and Namibian markets while Makotose comes in to take care for the rest of Africa" (Zimbabwe DAILY NEWS, 5/31). ... Goals Soccer Centre, a five-a-side football pitch operator, appointed Serie A side Inter Milan CEO MICHAEL BOLINGBROKE "as a senior non-executive director." Bolingbroke, 50, served as CEO of ManU before joining Inter in '14. He "previously also served as vice president of Cirque du Soleil." His appointment comes after Goals Soccer Centre named MARK VINCENT as its new CEO earlier this month (FINANCIAL TIMES, 5/31). ... Lagardère Sports announced it has reached a new long-term agreement with NFL agent and President of Football JOEL SEGAL that includes an expanded role at the agency. Segal will serve as the agency's president of team sports and will lead all team sports practices in the U.S., including the hugely successful football business he has built over the last 25 years. Segal will continue as president of Lagardère Sports' football division, leading a team comprised of agents and partners CHAFIE FIELDS and GREG BARNETT and execs GEOFF GARMHOUSEN and AILEEN GINGOLD. As part of his new role, Lagardère Sports' baseball division, led by RYAN WARE and MIKE SEAL, will be folded into the new team sports division being overseen by Segal (Lagardère).
MANAGERS/COACHES: Primeira Liga side Porto fired coach JOSE PESEIRO after "less than five months." Porto said that it had "reached an agreement for the end of the contractual agreement" with Peseiro, who replaced JULEN LOPETEGUI, who was sacked after only one-and-a-half seasons." Peseiro arrived with Porto in third place "and was unable to improve on that" (London DAILY MAIL, 5/31). ... Irish Premiership club Ballinamallard United named former Derry City boss GAVIN DYKES its new manager. He replaces WHITEY ANDERSON “who quit the Ferney Park hot seat after 10 years in charge.” Dykes managed Derry in ‘03-04 “and later went to Sligo Rovers as head of youth development” (BBC, 5/31). ... Leeds United parted company with Manager STEVE EVANS "after he spent just seven months in the Elland Road hot seat," with the Championship club looking for a "different approach." Chair MASSIMO CELLINO said in a statement on Tuesday, "Steve completed the job he was brought in to carry out, to keep the team in the Championship, and his hard work here has been greatly appreciated." Cellino has now "gone through six managers since he bought Leeds in April 2014." Cellino was nicknamed "coach eater" after going through 36 of them in 22 years while he was owner of Italian club Cagliari (REUTERS, 5/31).
