La Liga side Málaga "is expected to sign" JAVI GRACIA as its new coach on a two-year contract. The club's intention is to "officially present him as its coach before Tuesday, and if possible, to do so on Friday." Gracia spent the past season coaching La Liga side Osasuna, which was relegated to the Spanish second division for next season (MARCA, 5/29). ... La Liga side Levante has reached an agreement for JOSÉ LUIS MENDILIBAR to coach the club next season. The "contract covers the '14-15 season and includes the option to extend it through the following season" (SUPERDEPORTE, 5/29). ... Bayern Munich has appointed former player and coach FRANZ BECKENBAUER as its new int'l ambassador. Bayern Exec Chair KARL-HEINZ RUMMENIGGE said, "Franz is the most popular figure that Bayern Munch has ever had. He is very highly regarded in the world of football. I'm very happy that he supports us in this way." The club, which opened an office in N.Y. on April 1, "will play a U.S. tour from June 30-Aug. 6." Beckenbauer "will join the team on the tour." He said, "It should have been done 10 years ago, just like other nations did. It's about time! Let's do it! I'm glad that I can help" (BILD, 5/28). ... Lagardère Unlimited, the sports and entertainment division of media group Lagardère, has named ARNAUD LAGARDÈRE as chairman and CEO. SEAMUS O'BRIEN, ANDREW GEORGIOU, ANDY PIERCE and LAURENT CAROZZIA will oversee the business on a day-to-day basis as well as manage the transition to a globally integrated organization. O'Brien will serve as the deputy chairman of the exec committee. Georgiou will serve as Lagardère Unlimited COO (Lagardère). ... National Rugby League Parramatta Eels Dir MARIO LIBERTINI resigned from the board of the Parramatta Leagues Club on Thursday night. The exit of Libertini "came on the eve of Friday’s PLC board meeting, which will discuss the club’s fresh internal investigation into tampering of memberships as well as this month’s farcical annual general meeting." A Parramatta statement said that Libertini "had advised directors of an intention to resign at the end of last month" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5/29). ... BRENT IMPEY "has been appointed" the New Zealand Rugby Union chairman "following the recent retirement" of MIKE EAGLE. Impey, a former businessman, broadcaster and independent NZRU board member, "was elected to the role was chief executive of MediaWorks" from '00-09 and a former radio broadcaster. He "has also been" chair and exec director of the Fred Hollows Foundation (STUFF, 5/29).
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