Gian Piero Ventura has been sacked as coach of Italy after failing to guide them to next summer’s World Cup. A 1-0 aggregate defeat to Sweden in a World Cup qualifying playoff saw  the team miss out on a World Cup berth for the first time in 60 years, and Ventura has paid the price.

The former Torino coach has had his contract terminated following a meeting of Italian FA (FIGC) bosses and Italy will now begin their search for a successor, with a friendly match against England at Wembley on March 27 their next fixture. ” Ventura’s record as Italy coach was 10 wins, four draws and three defeats in 17 matches, crucially losing 1-0 to Sweden.  The other two defeats were to Spain — 3-0 during the World Cup qualifying campaign — and 3-1 to France in his first game in charge, a friendly on Sept. 1, 2016.

 “I want another go at coaching Argentina,” Maradona

Diego Maradona criticised the Argentina team and appealed for another chance at managing the national side. A day after they lost 4-2 to Nigeria, Maradona, who last managed Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, wrote in a short Instagram message: “I am angry because they have thrown away our prestige, but it’s not the fault of the lads. “I WANT TO COME BACK!!!” Maradona, who is coach of UAE side Al Fujairah, posted stats of 11 recent Argentina managers that showed his success rate was 75 per cent. The 57-year-old legend also lamented Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Rookie Nathan Peterman to get start at QB

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has announced that rookie Nathan Peterman will start on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles when the Bills take on the Chargers in a game they can ill-afford to lose. That sends three-year starter Tyrod Taylor to the bench at a critical time in the season, and speaks to the power McDermott wields in his rookie season as an NFL head coach. “First and foremost, it was a decision made by myself,” McDermott said. “The coaches were not involved with this decision, it was a decision that I made. “I spoke with Brandon Beane, the general manager  like I do about every decision, but really, it’s about becoming a better team and the quarterback position is not different. I understand the headline part about it. I do.”

Argentina official commits suicide

A former Argentine football official has reportedly committed suicide after he was accused of bribe-taking in testimony to a trial of top former FIFA figures in New York. Jorge Delhon threw himself under a train in a Buenos Aires suburb,media from Argentina reported.

A sports marketing executive, Alejandro Burzaco, had testified in the trialthat Delhon and another man, Pablo Paladino, took millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for rights to broadcast football games. Burzaco, the first witness in the trial, painted a damning picture of corruption in South American soccer, saying millions of dollars in bribes were paid for TV rights to major tournaments.

Burzaco, the former chairman of an Argentine sports marketing company, pleaded guilty in November 2015 to racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies and agreed to pay $21.6 million in restitution.

Keeper Watling in doubt for Wellington Test

New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling is in doubt for the first Test against West Indies as he battles to recover from a hip injury but has been named in a 12-man squad for the Wellington match starting on December 1. The squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling