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Geregistreerd op: 24 Okt 2019
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 Geplaatst: 19-11-2019 02:40:38 Onderwerp: the Nets have that invaluable playoff experience |
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| SYDNEY, Australia -- Ange Postecoglou has been hired as head coach of the Socceroos in a five-year deal that could involve two World Cups. Stitched Athletics Jerseys . The 48-year-old Postecoglou, who led Brisbane Roar to two domestic A-League titles before moving to Melbourne Victory last year, is the first Australian head coach of the Socceroos since Frank Farina in 2005. Holger Osieck, a German, was fired earlier this month after back-to-back 6-0 defeats to Brazil and France, despite helping Australia qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy confirmed the widely expected appointment of Postecoglou on Wednesday, announcing a deal running through the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Asian Cup and qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. Postecoglou, who migrated to Australia from Greece with his family when he was five and played four times for the Socceroos, will be in charge for the international friendly against Costa Rica on Nov. 19. "I was proud to represent my country as a player and I have the same immense feeling of pride today," Postecoglou said. "The Socceroos belong to the people of this nation. Its my job to make sure we represent all thats good in Australian football." Australia narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2002 World Cup and then, with Dutchman Guus Hiddink at the helm, qualified for Germany 2006 and reached the second round before a contentious defeat to eventual champion Italy. Pim Verbeek was the next full-time coach, but his tenure ended with Australias disappointing first-round exit at South Africa 2010. Osieck got the Australians through qualifying for Brazil, but the Socceroos playing stocks and rankings have plummeted since the so-called "golden era" in 2006 and theres been constant criticism domestically about a lack of regeneration in the national team. Lowy made no secret of the fact an Australian candidate would be preferred to replace Osieck and drew up a shortlist including Postecoglou, who was national youth coach from 2000-2007, and Graham Arnold, who was interim Socceroos coach in 2007 between the contracts of Hiddink and Verbeek. "I have never taken the view that the coach should be an Australian for the sake of having an Australian," Lowy said Wednesday. "I have always believed we should get the best person we can for the job. "The fact that Ange is the best qualified, and an Australian, achieves our objective." Wholesale Athletics Jerseys . According to Tony Barrett of The Times, the Liverpool captain is set to announce that he will leave the club at the end of the 2014-15 season. Oakland Athletics Shirts . "I just think what it does for everybody in life is real simple," said Babcock early on Friday afternoon. "You dont give in. You just keep on keeping on. Is it going to go your way every time? No. But you choose your attitude and how you perform and how hard you dig in." Nearly four years to the day of the 2010 gold medal match in Vancouver, his team dug in with its best effort of these Olympics, snuffing out the high-powered Americans for another opportunity at gold. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ . Louis Blues, having added Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from Buffalo, remain the No.TORONTO -- If the Toronto Raptors have a preferable post-season opponent, theyre not saying. The Raptors wrap up their record-breaking regular season Wednesday night at New York, and wont know until post-game wholl theyll face in the playoffs. And they insist they dont care. "Were just worried about ourselves," Amir Johnson said after Mondays victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. "We just want to clean up on our mistakes. Whoevers in front of us, were going to play the same way weve been playing all season." The Raptors, who set a franchise record with their 48th win of the season Monday night, will face either the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards or Charlotte Bobcats when the opening round begins this weekend. The Raptors are tied with the Chicago Bulls for third in the Eastern Conference, but control their own destiny. Theyll clinch the No. 3 seed if they either beat the Knicks on Wednesday, or the Bulls lose at Charlotte. Theyll finish fourth if they lose and Chicago wins. "We havent thought about it or talked about it," guard Kyle Lowry said, about the ramifications of Wednesdays schedule. "Were just going to go out there and play our game." Raptors coach Dwane Casey has been resting his starters -- all-star DeMar DeRozan got the night off Monday. Casey said he would consider resting DeRozan again Wednesday, despite what outcome that might have on the game, and their conference seeding. "Im more worried about us moreso than who we play. Its about us. About our health,, rest, whatever we decide to do in that situation. Athletics Jerseys China. If we play Brooklyn, we play Brooklyn, if we play Washington, we play Washington, theres no easy teams left in the playoffs right now, all the teams are very capable," Casey said. "Brooklyn is probably more playoff-ready, but we cant control that and were not going into this game trying to control that. Im more worried about our guys health -- rest if we rest them -- and our rhythm. And its a fine line between the two." While the players might not have a stated preference, fans certainly do, and general consensus is Washington. The Raptors won the season series against the Wizards three games to one. The Raptors lost all three of their games to Charlotte this season, although only by a combined nine points. They split their four games with Brooklyn, but the Nets have that invaluable playoff experience. Five Nets players alone -- Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Joe Johnson -- have 432 playoff appearances combined. The Toronto Raptors: 147. Raptors starters DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross: Zero. The Raptors are making their first playoff appearance since 2007-08. They were beaten in five games by the Orlando Magic. This is the sixth time in the teams 19-year history theyve made the playoffs. Their only series win was in 2000-01 when they beat the New York Knicks three games to two, before losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the second round. ' ' ' |
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