Clarence Seedorf was disheartened by a lack of job offers in Italy after his stint in charge of Milan as he highlighted how few black coaches are working in professional football.
Netherlands great Seedorf spent 14 years of his playing career in Italy, representing Sampdoria, Inter and Milan, the latter of whom he enjoyed a decade with.
He ended his playing days in January 2014 and became Milan's new head coach but was dismissed less than five months later.
Between January 2014 and the end of the season, Milan collected 35 points – the fourth-most in Serie A – and Seedorf won exactly half of his 22 matches in charge across all competitions.
Prior to Seedorf's arrival that season, Milan's haul of 22 points from 19 games was only the 11th best in Serie A. Similarly, the only Milan coaches to better his win rate in a single season since then have been Vincenzo Montella and Stefano Pioli.
Seedorf did return to coaching two years later with Shenzhen, before also having spells with Deportivo La Coruna and Cameroon, but it still troubles him how few opportunities in Italy have come his way.
"I wondered why I have not had other opportunities in Italy, I have two children born here," he said at the Turin Sports Festival, according to Pianeta Milan.
"I don't think it's a racist country, I've always supported this and I think I understand how it is. There are racists, but [the country] isn't.
"If one looks at what happened, there is little basis to understand that those who arrived [as head coach] after me at Milan immediately found a team [after then leaving Milan], and I didn't even have one proposal. After 20 years in Italy... or they told me they didn't want to offend me with a proposal.
"Send me a proposal, then I decide whether to be offended or not. It's not only in Italy, there are few black coaches anywhere.
"I got my first serious proposal in China, I took it because I like to travel and I make every project an important thing.
"However, it is disappointing to see that after the experience at Milan, in which you do well, you do not receive a call.
"Football reflects society. I make it a life mission to create equality and inclusion. It should be the strength of the company.
"The world is now connected, there is no longer any way to keep people out. You are next to someone who does not resemble you, but who is more of your country than yourself, knows more... It was a difficult moment, I was aware of it, but I didn't think it would happen with me."
Barcelona dealt potential Clasico blow as Yamal suffers hamstring strain
Barcelona have confirmed Lamine Yamal suffered a left hamstring strain while on international duty with Spain.
The 17-year-old limped off in the 93rd minute of their Nations League clash against Denmark on Saturday before returning to Barcelona to undergo further tests.
He was one of La Roja's brightest players in the 1-0 victory, having five of their 25 shots, the most by a Spain player in the competition this season.
However, he is now set for an undetermined spell on the sidelines, though he is likely to miss their LaLiga match against Sevilla on Sunday.
Yamal has started 11 of Barca's 12 games in all competitions so far, and Hansi Flick will be hoping he is not set to endure a long layoff, with matches against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Real Madrid in the league also coming up next week.
If he is not involved, it would prove a huge blow for Barcelona. This season, Yamal and Robert Lewandowski have been involved in 21 Barcelona goals in LaLiga, the best goalscoring duo of any club in the big five European Leagues.
"Tests carried out this morning on first team player Lamine Yamal have confirmed that he has a left hamstring strain. His return to training will be determined by his recovery time," Barcelona said in a statement on social media.
Barcelona return to league action this weekend when they welcome Sevilla to the Camp Nou on Sunday.
Concacaf to introduce new formats for region’s U-17 Men’s and Women’s Qualifiers
Concacaf on Thursday announced new formats for the Confederation’s U-17 Men’s and Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.
The announcement follows FIFA’s confirmation earlier this year that it will increase the frequency of the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Both will become annual competitions with expanded participation to 48 and 24 teams, respectively.
The new Men’s Qualifiers will consist of a single round. The participating Concacaf Member Associations will be divided into eight groups, with the number of teams per group varying depending on the total number of participants.
After round-robin play, in which each team will play against each team in its group once, the group winners (eight teams in total) will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The first edition of the Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers under the new format will take place between February 7 and 16, 2025.
The 2025 Concacaf U-17 Men’s Qualifiers official draw will take place on October 24 at the Concacaf Headquarters in Miami, FL. Fans will be able to follow on the Confederation’s YouTube channel starting at 11 am ET.
The new Women’s Qualifiers will consist of two rounds, with the four highest-ranked participating Concacaf Member Associations (based on the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Rankings) receiving a bye to the Final Round.
For the Round One, the Member Associations ranked fifth and below will be split into six groups, with the number of teams per group varying depending on the total number of participants. After round-robin play, the six group winners and the two best second-place finishers (eight teams in total) will advance to the Final Round, joining the four top-ranked teams (twelve in total).
The Final Round will also be played in a group format, consisting of three groups of four teams each. After round-robin play, the three group winners and the best second-place finisher (four teams in total) will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The first edition of the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Qualifiers under the new format will take place between January 27 and February 1, 2025 (Round One) and March 31 and April 6, 2025 (Final Round).
The 2025 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Qualifiers Round One official draw will take place on October 16 at the Concacaf Headquarters in Miami, FL. Fans will be able to follow on the Confederation’s YouTube channel starting at 11 am ET.
Reggae Boyz call on fans for crucial CONCACAF Nations League clash against Honduras
Demarai Gray and Head Coach Steve McClaren have called on Jamaican fans to pack the National Stadium in Kingston on Monday night as the Reggae Boyz face Honduras in a critical CONCACAF Nations League Group B showdown. Jamaica needs at least a draw to secure a spot in the quarter-finals, but with Honduras' dangerous attacking form and the possibility of Nicaragua defeating French Guiana, a win is the safer route to qualification.
Monday’s clash set for 8:00 pm (Jamaica) will be the 30th meeting between the two nations, with both sides having won 12 games each, and five ending in draws. The Reggae Boyz are undefeated in their last seven encounters with Honduras, a streak that stretches back to 2013. However, Honduras remains a formidable opponent, leading the group in scoring with eight goals and looking to shake their recent defensive struggles.
Gray, who has been instrumental in Jamaica's recent back-to-back away wins against Honduras (2-1) and Nicaragua (2-0), emphasized the importance of fan support for Monday’s high-stakes encounter. "I think it's very important. Going to those countries and playing, I kind of like the hostile feeling about it. It kind of gives me a boost as well, but I think the stature of Jamaica...I've said it before, the Jamaican culture is popular all over the world, and I am honoured to represent the country," Gray said.
The Reggae Boyz winger urged fans to turn out in large numbers and create an atmosphere that will inspire the players and intimidate the opposition. "As a player, it's something I am always looking forward to—the stadium being full, a sellout, having that atmosphere. The 12th man behind you is massively important, and I've played football long enough to know it can intimidate teams as well. With the quality we have, a lot of teams will be intimidated already, so with the fans backing us, it’s just an extra bonus for us," Gray added.
Coach McClaren echoed Gray’s sentiments, highlighting the role of the fans in creating a powerful home advantage. "One of our goals, the vision that I have, is to fill the stadium, to have a full house, and for it to be rocking. With the music and everything going on around the game, it’s very different from Nicaragua, very different from Honduras, but just as intimidating," McClaren said.
He explained that the energy from the crowd could provide the team with the extra push needed to secure the win. "It's not about intimidation; it's about uplifting the home players. That's what a home advantage is—to lift you above the opponent, to give you an extra 10 to 20 percent to deliver the result. So, we need the fans," McClaren stressed.
With Jamaica ranked 61st in the latest FIFA rankings, 16 places above Honduras, and in good form heading into this decisive fixture, the support from the Jamaican crowd could be the key to securing a quarter-final berth in the CONCACAF Nations League.
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