BOZIDAR MALJKOVIC, the former coach of Spanish basketball clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona, was named president of the Serbian Olympic Committee (OKS). He succeeds former NBA player VLADE DIVAC (MARCA, 5/9). ... Swiss Super League side Basel Marketing Dir MARTIN BLASER will become the new general director of sports marketing firm Infront Ringier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland. He will succeed GIAN GILLI. Gilli will “fully commit himself to directing the organizing of the 2020 World Ice Hockey Championships, to be held in Switzerland” (AWP, 5/8). ... PAT HOWARD will remain Cricket Australia's high-performance manager until '19, having signed a two-year contract extension. Howard was appointed to the post in '11, and "played a major role in reforming many elements" of CA, "including coaching pathways and talent identification at junior level" (AAP, 5/10). ... AZIM ABDUL ZABADI will replace NORZA ZAKARIA as the Malaysian National Sports Institute chair, "effective mid-May." This followed the announcement made by Olympic Council of Malaysia President TUNKU IMRAM TUANKU JA'AFAR on Azim's appointment as chef de mission for the 2018 Asian Games on Monday (NEW STRAITS TIMES, 5/9).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Poland national handball team coach TALANT DUJSHEBAEV resigned on Sunday from that position. He also coaches Polish club Vive Tauron Kielce, and "he will remain in that role." He was hired as coach of the Polish national team in Feb. '16 (MARCA, 5/8). ... Argentine first division side Aldosivi coach DARÍO FRANCO resigned on Monday after a meeting with the club's administrative council. Aldosivi lost its sixth consecutive game on Sunday (CLARÍN, 5/8). ... Barcelona women's football team coach XAVI LLORENS "announced that he is leaving the bench after 11 seasons." He said that it is the "ideal moment" to give way to "new people with more excitement" (AS, 5/9). ... Ligue 1 side St. Étienne Manager CHRISTOPHE GALTIER announced he will leave his position at the end of the season. Galtier joined the club in ’08 as assistant to ALAIN PERRIN, and took over as head coach in Nov. ’09 (St. Étienne). ... The Netherlands appointed DICK ADVOCAAT as national football team head coach "for a third time." Advocaat announced in March he would leave Turkish side Fenerbahçe at the end of this season. He will be assisted by former Chelsea Manager RUUD GULLIT and replaces the sacked DANNY BLIND (BBC, 5/9). ... A-League side Newcastle Jets named ERNIE MERRICK its head coach in a two-year deal through the '18-19 season. Merrick won two Premierships and two Championships with Melbourne Victory and has managed 241 A-League games (Newcastle Jets). ... League Two side Newport County confirmed MIKE FLYNN as its manager "on a permanent basis." Flynn, 36, has been "rewarded with a two-year deal after securing League Two survival in a 12-game caretaker spell." Coach WAYNE HATSWELL and advisor LENNIE LAWRENCE will also remain at the club (BBC, 5/9). ... Former Scotland midfielder BRIAN KERR has been named manager of Scottish League One side Albion Rovers, two days after DARREN YOUNG "took charge of his last match." The club said last month that Young would leave the club after failing to agree to a new contract. Kerr said that he "hopes to name his assistant manager later this week" (BBC, 5/9).
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