German coach Juergen Klopp has been appointed head of global soccer for Red Bull, owners of several clubs including RB Leipzig and New York Red Bulls, the company said on Wednesday, in his first job since leaving Liverpool earlier this year.

Klopp, who ended his successful nine-year stint with Liverpool at the end of last season, will be starting on January 1, 2025.

“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” Klopp, who also coached Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund, said in a statement.

“The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.”

The 57-year-old joined Liverpool in October 2015 and won the Champions League, their first English League title since 1990, the Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup and Super Cup, as well as the Community Shield during his time in charge.

Klopp, who also led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League final in 2013, had announced in January he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Klopp will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany, United States, Brazil and Austria, the company said.

“He will provide strategic vision, supporting individual sporting directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy,” Red Bull said.

Klopp will also support the organisation’s global scouting operation, and contribute to the training and development of coaches.

“I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more,” Klopp said.

Some German media reported his Red Bull contract included an exit clause for the post of Germany national team coach.

Klopp has long been linked to that job, especially after his successful stint at Liverpool and with Germany struggling to make an impact on the international stage in the past decade.

-Reuters

The Turkish Football Federation have condemned an armed attack on former Turkey and Fenerbahce striker turned TV pundit Serhat Akin in Istanbul on Thursday.

Akin posted a message on social media saying he had been shot in the foot after he left a TV studio in the Beykoz district of the city following Fenerbahce’s 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League.

“We have learned with regret that former national team player Serhat Akin was injured in his foot as a result of an armed attack,” TFF said in a statement.

“We strongly condemn the heinous attack and wish Serhat Akin … a speedy recovery.”

The 43-year-old, who played 16 times for his country between 2002 and 2006, was taken to hospital for treatment.

Akin’s social media post included a picture of his bloodied ankle and foot, accompanied by the message: “They shot my feet after the programme, our last word is Fenerbahce.”

Fenerbahce, the club where Akin started his career and spent five years before moving on to Belgian side Anderlecht, also condemned the attack. “We expect the perpetrators to be brought to justice as soon as possible,” the club said.

-Reuters

Zamalek have issued a warning, stating that they may not participate in the remaining Egyptian Premier League games.

Their decision comes in light of their 2-1 defeat against Masry on Monday and their dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions made during the match.

In an official statement released after the game, the Cairo giants expressed their disappointment with the lack of equal opportunity in the league and raised concerns about the specific refereeing decisions that impacted their loss to Masry.

During the match, Zamalek experienced frustration when winger Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed missed a penalty kick in the 73rd minute.

Despite their appeals, a VAR review confirmed that the ball did not cross the goal-line, further adding to Zamalek’s grievances.

Zamalek’s statement called upon the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) to investigate the referee’s performance and demanded to be informed of the results of the investigation.

They also declared their refusal to continue participating in the Egyptian League until their opponents have played their postponed games from the first round, emphasizing the importance of fairness and equal treatment for all teams.

Zamalek further insisted on the appointment of a neutral committee, separate from the EFA and the Egyptian Premier League (EPL), to oversee the reorganization of the remaining league matches.

The statement also mentioned that Zamalek’s upcoming fixture against Pharco FC on Friday will be their final game until they receive a comprehensive schedule for the remaining matches in the tournament.

Zamalek find themselves in the 11th position in the league standings with 31 points from 19 games, still having four games in hand.

-Ahram