Swiss Ski Dir ROLAND IMBODEN "will reportedly resign from his position" on Monday. Imboden took over as director in '13 after ANDREAS WENGER stepped down. Imboden had close to zero connections in the sport. Before joining Swiss Ski, he "worked as the director of Zermatt Tourism and later on as head of the Porsche Center Zug." His private sector experience "could not compensate for his lack of knowledge in the sport" (NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG, 10/20). ... AB InBev appointed Coca-Cola Marketing Dir NICK ROBINSON "to the role of marketing director" for its U.K. and Ireland business. Robinson, who was most recently Coke’s marketing director for Germany, "will oversee AB InBev’s portfolio of drinks brands, including Stella Artois and Budweiser." Robinson "has experience in the alcoholic drinks business, having also worked at Diageo, as marketing director of Guinness." He replaces JEAN-JACQUES VELKENIERS, who has been made AB InBev’s vice-president of marketing for Europe (MARKETING MAGAZINE, 10/20).
COACHES/MANAGERS: La Liga side Cordoba has sacked ALBERT FERRER as coach and appointed former Valencia Manager MIROSLAV DJUKIC. The club has "yet to win a game this season" and Ferrer "has paid the price" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 10/20). ... League Championship side Birmingham City "parted company" with Manager LEE CLARK and Assistant Manager STEVE WATSON. A statement said, "The search for a successor has already begun and the board will look to make an appointment in the very near future." Clark, "who was appointed to the St Andrews' hotseat in June 2012, has overseen just one home win since October 1, 2013, but vowed to carry on with the fight prior to his exit" (PA, 10/20). ... MICHAEL CHEIKA "accepted a three-year offer to take on the Wallabies coaching job" left vacant by the resignation of EWEN MCKENZIE. A source close to Cheika confirmed that "he would take up the deal and was keen to bring in" STEPHEN LARKHAM as an assistant coach and MICHAEL FOLEY to work with the forwards. Cheika "confirmed the offer when he spoke to the media out the front of Waratahs headquarters at Moore Park." Cheika said, "It's a pretty humbling experience to be asked to be involved in something like that, but we'll see what happens." Cheika "is planning to remain in charge of the Waratahs next season" and would like Larkham (Brumbies) and Foley (Force) to also stay at the helm of their respective provinces as he tries to build unity throughout the states for Australia's 2015 World Cup campaign (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/20). ... Super League champions St. Helens named former player KEIRON CUNNINGHAM as its new head coach "after the departure" of NATHAN BROWN. Its 14-6 win over Wigan Warriors in the Grand Final "was Brown's last match with Saints after two seasons." The club allowed the 41-year-old ex-Huddersfield boss "to leave a year early to return to his native Australia." Cunningham, 37, "spent his whole playing career at St Helens before joining the coaching staff after his retirement" (BBC, 10/20). ... Former Israeli footballer GUY LUZON is "no longer the coach of Belgium Pro League side Standard Liege," the club announced, adding that his assistant IVAN VUKOMANOVIC will temporarily take over as the team’s manager. The departure of Luzon, who arrived in Liege at the beginning of last season, "came a day after a home defeat against last-place team Zulte-Waregem," the fifth defeat in 11 league games this season (SPORT 24, 10/20). ... La Liga side Levante fired coach JOSÉ LUIS MENDILIBAR after the team's 5-0 loss to Real Madrid on Saturday. The team "only has won one match and tied two this season," losing the others (EL PAIS, 10/20).
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