The Arena & Convention Centre Liverpool Group appointed former Liverpool CEO IAN AYRE as chair. Ayre departed Liverpool at the end of February after "10 years at the club" to take over as managing director of Second Bundesliga side 1860 Munich. Now ACC Liverpool Group, "home to BT Convention Centre, Echo Arena, Exhibition Centre Liverpool and ticketing agency TicketQuarter, have confirmed he will take over" from current Chair DAVID MCDONNELL (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 3/22). ... Promote PR appointed NASIMA HUSSAIN as managing partner of the agency, which "specializes in sport, fitness, wellbeing and technology." Hussain will report to agency Founder & Managing Dir SUE ANSTISS. She will be responsible for the "future strategic direction" of the agency (THE SPORT FEED, 3/20). ... The Algerian Football Federation announced on Monday that KHEIREDDINE ZETCHI was elected president after running "unopposed," because incumbent, MOHAMED RAOURAOUA, "refused to stand for a third consecutive term." Zetchi wants to get the national team "back on track and develop the local game" (BBC, 3/22).
COACHES/MANAGERS: The Ivory Coast men's national football team hired former Belgium Manager MARC WILMOTS as its new coach. Wilmots "led Belgium for four years," reaching the quarterfinals at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016 (ESPN.com, 3/21). ... Rwanda Rugby Federation Secretary General THARCISSE KAMANDA announced former Uganda int'l HUBERT WAFULA has been appointed as the coach of the Rwanda national rugby team on a "short-term contract." Kamanda said, "We have hired him initially for two months to prepare the team for the forthcoming African Rugby Cup 1C Competition in Zambia" (NEW TIMES, 3/21). ... Premiership rugby side Leicester Tigers announced former Australia int'l MATT O'CONNOR is "returning to the club in the role of head coach," replacing AARON MAUGER. Mauger, a former New Zealand back, will "leave the role following Saturday's Premiership game against Northampton." O'Connor, who won three Premierships as a Tigers coach, "will take over in early April, subject to being issued a visa" (BBC, 3/20).
