Olympique de Marseille new Owner FRANK MCCOURT will reportedly “name JACQUES-HENRI EYRAUD to be the club’s new president.” He will succeed GIOVANNI CICCOLUNGHI who was named president in July. Eyraud is currently the president of horseracing media group Paris-Turf’s administrative council (LE JOURNAL DU DIMANCHE, 9/9). ... Former Ireland rugby int'l DONNCHA O'CALLAGHAN has been "indulging in some unusual pre-season training -- filming a new children's series for RTE." Donncha was "busy over the summer filming the series for Swipe TV, which is on RTE Two." Filming took place in Dublin in the middle of July, "with the resulting show due to go out on Swipe TV at the end of this month" (Irish INDEPENDENT, 9/9). ... Chelsea player JOHN OBI MIKEL has "slammed the Nigeria Football Federation after he was forced to put up his own money" to help his country achieve its Bronze Medal at Rio 2016. The Nigeria captain organized travel, paid for meals and booked training pitches "while trying to physically and tactically prepare for games." Mikel said, "I think if we talk about the money that I put into the team I think it was more than [£30,000] ($39,800). But we just had to do it" (GOAL, 9/10).
RONALDO WANTS 10 YEARS: Real Madrid player CRISTIANO RONALDO has advised club President FLORENTINO PEREZ to "offer him a new 10-year contact extension," after the Portugal captain belatedly began hi '16-17 campaign with a goal in Madrid's 5-2 win at home against Osasuna. Ronaldo's current deal with Madrid runs until June '18, and planned talks between his agent JORGE MENDES and Perez have "reportedly begun over an extension with the player himself saying last June he could see himself playing at the Bernabeu until he was 40." Asked about the latest on the contract extension, Ronado said, "I don't know, you would have to talk with the president. ... If I were the Madrid president, I would give me 10 more years" (ESPN.com, 9/10).
