CELTIC coach Wim Jansen finally ended weeks of speculation over his future yesterday by publicly announcing his departure just one year into his three-year contract.
Jansen is expected to be in charge of the team for the last time today in a friendly against Sporting Lisbon. Speaking from the team’s hotel, he admitted he had fallen out with his Parkhead bosses.
“I don’t want to comment too much but you can say I have had different opinions than the management,” he said.
“I will return to Scotland after the match in Lisbon. I have a few things to sort out before going back to Holland.
“I will then try to figure out what I will do next. I haven’t spoken to any clubs so I don’t know what the future holds.”
But defiant Celtic supremo Fergus McCann last night insisted that Wim Jansen’s decision to quit as coach less than 48 hours after guiding the club to the league title will not diminish their appetite for success.
It was a hammer blow to the Parkhead club’s massive support which was relishing the prospect of seeing Jansen lead his newly-crowned team into the Champions’ League next season.
It is believed that a breakdown of communication with general manager Jock Brown, plus McCann’s reluctance to match Rangers’ buying power in the transfer market, prompted Jansen to exercise his get-out clause in his contract.
CLIFTONVILLE’S success in capturing their first league title in 88 years was toasted at the Northern Ireland Soccer Writers awards ceremony in the Europa Hotel last night, with the champions scooping two major honours.
Manager Marty Quinn lifted the prestigious Manager of the Year award, becoming the first Solitude boss to do so, after beating off strong competition from Glentoran’s Roy Coyle and David Jeffrey of Linfield.
Cliftonville’s veteran 39-year-old centre-half Marty Tabb was voted Player of the Year, ahead of team-mate Gerry Flynn and Linfield defender William ‘Winkie’ Murphy.
However the Reds missed out on a hat-trick of accolades, when Blues striker Lee Feeney won the Young Player of the Year award, fending off the challenge of Cliftonville’s sought after 19-year-old forward Jody Tolan.
Newry Town’s achievements in winning the first division championship were also recognised.
REPUBLIC of Ireland U21 boss Ian Evans has named four players already capped at senior level for next week’s triangular tournament involving Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Leeds duo Ian Harte and Alan Maybury are joined in the squad by Feyenoord striker David Connolly and West Brom winger Kevin Kilbane.
Evans also gives first run-outs to Irish-based players Alan Murphy (Drogheda), Brian Barry-Murphy (Cork City), Willie Byrne (Cobh Ramblers) and the St Patrick’s Athletic pair of Thomas Morgan and Colin Hawkins.
Republic of Ireland U21 squad: O’Connor (Huddersfield), Delaney (Everton), Worrell (Blackburn), Ryan (Millwall), Cummins (Middlesbrough), Morgan (St Patrick’s), Mahon (Tranmere), Fenn (Tottenham), Hawkins (St Patrick’s), Burns (Nottm Forest), Boxall (Crystal Palace), Grant (Stockport), Baker (Middlesbrough), Sheerin (Chelsea), Inman (Peterborough), Murphy (Drogheda), Barry-Murphy (Cork), Byrne (Cobh), Connolly (Feyenoord), Harte (Leeds), Maybury (Leeds), Kilbane (West Brom).
