RICARDO PELÁEZ was named sporting director of Liga MX side Cruz Azul, which "has gone more than 20 years without a championship." Peláez was previously sporting president at Liga MX side América (ESPN.com, 5/8). ... U.K.-based Perform Group appointed former ESPN President JOHN SKIPPER as its new exec chair. Skipper will be based in N.Y., overseeing all of Perform Group's strategy and reporting to its board. Perform Group Founder SIMON DENYER will continue as CEO, based in London (Perform Group). ... Nike promoted VP & GM of Field Sports & Specialty North America ROSEMARY ST. CLAIR to VP & GM/global women's. The company also promoted VP/Merchandising, Global Running CESAR GARCIA to VP & GM/global running. Both will report directly to VP & GM/Global Categories AMY MONTAGNE (Nike). ... Oldham Athletic Chair SIMON CORNEY was "removed from his position" on the club's board of directors after a shareholders' meeting. The club was relegated from League One on Saturday. Corney purchased Oldham in '04 and stayed on as chair after ABDALLAH LEMSAGAM's takeover in January (BBC, 5/8).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Russian Premier League side Zenit St. Petersburg Manager ROBERTO MANCINI reached an agreement to become the next Italy national team coach after "accepting a pay cut to take the job." Gazzetta dello Sport reported the 53-year-old Italian agreed to a two-year deal worth €2M ($2.4M) a year. The former Italian int'l joined the Russian club last year on a three-year deal thought to be worth €4.5M a year (AFP, 5/8). ... Former National Rugby League side South Sydney Rabbitohs coach MICHAEL MAGUIRE will reportedly "take the reins" of New Zealand's test team. Maguire will reportedly be announced as the new Kiwis coach at a press conference in Auckland on Thursday (AAP, 5/8). ... Superleague Greece side Panathinaikos Manager MARINOS OUZOUNIDIS resigned, although the Greek coach "made sure he asterisked his resignation announcement." Ouzounidis said that after a year-and-a-half, he has "had enough and is leaving the club, upon the expiry of his contract" (EKATHIMERINI, 5/7). ... La Liga side Leganés coach ASIER GARITANO "decided to leave at the end of his season when his contract expires." The 48-year-old has been in charge for five seasons, overseeing promotion from the third tier of Spanish football to La Liga, where the club has "remained for two campaigns" (REUTERS, 5/8). ... SIMON GRAYSON "left his position" as manager of League One side Bradford City after his short-term deal expired at the end of the season. Grayson, 48, took over in February after the sacking of STUART MCCALL but won just three games of his 14 in charge as the Bantams finished 11th. He was "offered the chance to extend his contract" but turned it down (BBC, 5/8). ... ANTONIO MOHAMED was released as coach of Liga MX club Monterrey on Monday "as the managerial merry-go-round and transfer market started to click into gear in Mexico." Mohamed's dismissal was not the only managerial change in Liga MX in recent days, with Uruguayan DIEGO ALONSO parting ways with Pachuca last Friday. Additionally, in Queretaro, LUIS FERNANDO TENA was "let go" on Sunday, with former Lobos BUAP coach RAFA PUENTE named the new head coach on Monday (ESPN.com, 5/8). ... La Liga side Levante announced interim coach PACO LÓPEZ will remain with the club next season, "with an option to extend his deal for another season." The club "has earned 22 of 27 possible points in the nine games it has played under López" (MARCA, 5/8).
