Dynamo Kiev have sacked head coach Oleg Blokhin after a run of one win in four matches saw the club lose pace in the Ukrainian title race.

The 61-year-old was appointed at Olimpiyskiy in September 2012 and led the club to a third-placed finish in his debut season in charge.

However, a 2-0 home defeat to league leaders Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday prompted Dynamo s hierarchy to dispense of Blokhin s services.

A statement on the club s official website confirmed president Ihor Surkis had taken the decision to fire Blokhin for unsatisfactory results demonstrated by the team .

The Shakhtar setback left Dynamo seven points adrift of the leaders and second-placed Dnipro.

Blokhin enjoyed a 19-year spell at Dynamo during his playing career before moving into manag…

Two of Algeria s 2010 World Cup qualification heroes, Nadir Belhadj and Karim Matmour, have joined Antar Yahia in retiring.

Two days after Yahia s retired from international football, Belhadj and Matmour have also put an end to their time representing Algeria.

According to Echorouk, Belhadj had made his choice known to coach Vahid Halilhodzic before Algeria’s most recent 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia but the Franco-Bosnian told him to consider his decision further before making it official.

While the former Portsmouth s player choice did not come as a major surprise considering his declining number of appearances at international level as of late, Matmour s departure was relatively unexpected.

Matmour is only 26-year-old and many …

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has rejected a Monaco bid of 12 million pounds (15 million euros) for Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar.

Kranjcar, 23, is one of Europe s most promising playmakers and had a key role in Portsmouth s FA Cup success last season, as well as helping Croatia reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

Redknapp has no intention of selling one of his prize assets as he prepares to lead Portsmouth into the UEFA Cup for the first time and was scathing about Monaco s interest.

Monaco have come in for Niko and offered around 12 million pounds for him, he told The News. We wouldn t sell him and he didn t want to go anyway so that was the end of that one.

No disrespect, but why would he want to go there anyway? They get 6,000 people wa…

Kelechi Iheanacho extended his fine FA Cup record as Leicester City eased to a 5-1 victory over League One Peterborough United in round four.

Iheanacho scored a brace as the Foxes overcame Fleetwood Town in round three and did likewise at London Road after debutant Fousseni Diabate opened the scoring.

Former Manchester City striker Iheanacho netted his only senior hat-trick against Aston Villa in this round two years ago and his nine goals overall is more than any other player has managed since he made his January 2016 bow in the competition.

Diabate, a reported £2million signing from Ligue 2 club Gazelec Ajaccio earlier this month, also shone and cut a lovely finish across Peterborough goalkeeper Jonathan Bond in the ninth minute.

Iheanacho arrowed a fi…

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan believes it is unlikely Tottenham Hostpur will approach Roberto Martinez to replace Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp was sacked by Spurs on Wednesday after four years in charge, prompting speculation linking Everton s David Moyes and Wigan manager Martinez with the vacancy at White Hart Lane.

Martinez had been among the favourites to take over at Liverpool before the Anfield club opted to prise Brendan Rodgers from Swansea City.

Whelan said no formal contact had been made from Spurs and said he trusts Martinez to alert him if he receives an unofficial approach.

I have not been approached, and Roberto has not been approached, Whelan told ESPN.

He is so honest that he would tell me the minute that he has.

I t…

Olivier Giroud s evergreen form has made a big impression upon Kai Havertz at Chelsea.

Germany international Havertz joined a star-studded squad at Stamford Bridge for the 2020-21 season after a busy and productive transfer window for head coach Frank Lampard.

But it is one of the existing, experienced stars who has made the 21-year-old sit up and take note.

Unperturbed by the arrival of Havertz s international colleague Timo Werner and the ongoing development of England youngster Tammy Abraham, Giroud has proved he is still hugely valuable to the Chelsea cause.

The 34-year-old, who is second on France s list of all-time top scorers with 44, had to bide his time waiting for a Premier League start this season, but Lampard could no longer ignore his claims…

Gerardo Martino has lifted the lid on his time in charge at Barcelona, revealing he could not be happy in the role.

Former Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino has revealed he could not be happy during his time in charge at Camp Nou.

Martino led the Catalan giants from July 2013 to May 2014, failing to win any silverware other than the Supercopa de Espana.

And the Argentine says he struggled to cope with the magnitude of the job, which is now held by Luis Enrique.

These are the feelings one has after 10 months of work and analysing everything,  he told AS. I felt I couldn t improve this fantastic team and I could not happy at reaching one of the best clubs in the world.

[The current Barca] is a much improved version. They don t create as much as a …

Former Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce told The Sun yesterday (Thursday) that he would be interested in managing Sunderland.

Sunderland are without a manager following the resignation of Roy Keane who had earlier stated that he felt that he was unable to take the club any further.

The fifty four year old Allardyce had already spent a year at the club (1980-1981) as a player. He has also managed Limerick (1991-1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007) and Newcastle United (2007-2008).

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Gareth Southgate praised England for coming through a good test against Ronald Koeman s Netherlands, but insists there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Jesse Lingard s first international goal secured a 1-0 victory for the visitors in Amsterdam, the Manchester United player finding the net with a first-time strike in the 59th minute.

England comfortably retained their slender lead through to the final whistle to secure a first win over their opponents since a 4-1 triumph at Euro 96.

I think that was a good test for us, England boss Southgate told ITV Sport.

We came away from home and controlled the game. We used the ball really well, especially in the first 60-65 minutes.

Maybe a little more quality in the final third was required, b…

Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has come in for criticism this season from both media and fans alike

There seems to be a growing feeling that Gareth Bale’s stay at Real Madrid is becoming an increasingly uncomfortable one.

The Welshman joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2013 from Tottenham in a world-record £86million move.

His first campaign in the Spanish capital was deemed a success by many, as he helped the club capture ‘La Decima’ (tenth European Cup).

Shadow

However, there was always the thought that the former-Southampton star was in the shadow of Ballon D’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, as most players are, but it seems that Bale has not been able to shine because of Ronaldo’s ego and character.

Bale was always going to fa…