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      Dean Smith’s bizarre MLS contract clauses including weekly mascot meeting and monthly TikTok after taking Charlotte job

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      DEAN SMITH may have gotten more than he bargained for after winning the race for the Charlotte FC job.The former Leicester and Aston Villa manager beat competition from Frank Lampard to become the new manager of Major League Soccer franchise Charlotte.
      Dean Smith has been announced as Charlotte FC’s managerCredit: https://twitter.com/CharlotteFC
      But eagle-eyed fans spotted some bizarre clauses in his contractCredit: https://twitter.com/CharlotteFC
      Charlotte, based in North Carolina, announced Smith by sharing some photos of him signing a contract and posing with a shirt on Tuesday.
      However, while his recent managerial jobs have seen him fighting relegation, he will now have to fight to fit a meeting with Charlotte’s mascot into his weekly schedule.
      That is according to some strange clauses inserted into his contract.
      Eagle-eyed fans spotted the bizarre detail under the heading: “With this contract you agree to the following.”
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      The first three bullet points were nothing to write home about, but the fourth point stipulated that: “Sir Minty is allowed to have a recurring weekly meeting with you”.
      The final bullet point revealed Smith would need to agree to do one TikTok a month under discretion of the social media team.
      Although, there was also a sentence which added: “Not really, it’s fine”.
      Below that it also showed that the so-called contract, described as the “sacred text”, could be won by a fan.
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      On his appointment, Smith said: “I’m honored to be appointed as the next head coach of Charlotte FC and cannot wait to start preparations for the 2024 season.
      “Throughout the interview process, it was clear that this is an ambitious club with the right ingredients for success and I’m delighted to begin a new chapter in Charlotte. 
      “This is a unique opportunity to be part of a project with so much potential to take to new heights in Major League Soccer.
      “I’d like to thank Mr. Tepper, Zoran, Joe and the rest of the Charlotte FC leadership for entrusting me to lead this team and I look forward to meeting everyone involved with Charlotte FC.”
      The club are owned by billionaire David Tepper, who sacked the club’s previous boss despite making the playoffs for the first time in the team’s history.
      His so-called contract stipulates that Smith must be in one TikTok a month
      The club’s mascot, Sir Minty, can also arrange a weekly interview with SmtihCredit: Charlotte FC More

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      Chelsea legend Frank Lampard beaten to new managerial job by ex-Premier League boss

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      FORMER Aston Villa boss Dean Smith looks to have beaten off competition from Frank Lampard and is set to be appointed as new manager of MLS side Charlotte FC. The 52-year-old has been out of work since failing to keep Leicester City in the Premier League last season.
      Dean Smith is set to be appointed MLS side Charlotte FC’s new managerCredit: Getty
      He has beaten Frank Lampard to the jobCredit: EPA
      Now the ex-Leicester City and Brentford man is reportedly on the verge of securing his return to the dug-out in America.
      It is widely-reported that he will be officially confirmed in his job by the MLS outfit within the next 24 hours.
      Smith flew from a family holiday in New York City today to thrash out the finer details of his deal and is expected to soon sign on the dotted line.
      And the news mean former England midfielder Lampard, 45., will remain out of work for now.
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      The Eastern Conference franchise, who are based in North Carolina, are owned by billionaire David Tepper.
      He has spoken to a host of high profile candidates about the role since sacking Christian Lattanzio in November, even though he led Charlotte to the play-offs.
      Lampard was one of those said to have been in talks with the chief, according to the Daily Mail.
      However, the Chelsea legend has missed out on the opportunity to resurrect his career Stateside, where he previously enjoyed a stint playing for New York City FC, after Smith impressed throughout the whole interview process.
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      It is not clear if Lampard himself pulled out of the race to take over, or was overlooked.
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      Smith only took over Leicester in April after Brendan Rodgers’ departure but he was unable to lift them out of the drop zone during his eight-game reign.
      He had previously had a year in charge at Norwich and enjoyed success at Villa, guiding them to promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.
      Meanwhile, Lampard returned to the Chelsea hotseat on an interim basis in April after Graham Potter was sacked.
      He had previously spent just short of a year at Everton, keeping them up in his first season there, only to be axed in January.
      Charlotte are looking ahead to their third season in the MLS next year.
      They finished ninth in the Eastern Conference last term and beat Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 1-0 on the final day of the regular season to reach the playoffs. More

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      Forgotten Chelsea flop handed huge fine and ban after storming into referee’s dressing room in ‘aggressive manner’

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      EX-CHELSEA star Matt Miazga has been punished for storming into the referee’s dressing room.The FC Cincinnati defender has been slapped with a three-match ban and an undisclosed fine.
      Matt Miazga acted ‘aggressively’ when confronting refs after a gameCredit: AP
      Miazga received a second booking during a penalty shootout against his former club New York Red Bulls for goading opposition fans after converting his spot-kick.
      Cincinnati won 8-7 on penalties – but the victory and spot in MLS Eastern Conference semi-finals were not enough to calm the hothead down.
      After the match finished, Miazga charged into the officials area and had to be removed by security.
      A statement from the PSRA, who look after referees in the United States, said that he “acted in an aggressive and hostile manner”.
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      Having picked up a three-game ban, Miazga will now be unavailable for the Eastern Conference final against Columbus Crew.
      He will also be suspended for the MLS Cup final against either Los Angeles FC or Houston Dynamo should Cincinnati win their match.
      Miazga was on the books of Chelsea from 2016 to 2022.
      He played just twice for the Blues and was loaned out to Vitesse, Nantes, Reading, Anderlecht and Alaves during his six-year stay.
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      The 28-year-old is now back in his homeland of America and has impressed this season, being named MLS Defender of the Year.
      Miazga will also be forced to undergo an assessment as part of the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioural Health initiative. More

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      David Beckham reveals fears Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi transfer would be HIJACKED as he names club that ‘worried’ him

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      DAVID BECKHAM has revealed the one club that had him “worried” when competing for the signature of Lionel Messi.Messi made his spectacular move to Inter Miami this summer after two seasons in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint Germain.
      David Beckham has revealed he was worried about one club hijacking his move to bring Lionel Messi to Inter MiamiCredit: Alamy
      And since joining Beckham’s MLS outfit he has excelled scoring scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in just 14 appearances.
      But it might not have been the fairy tale move that Becks had dreamed of had Barcelona got their way in the summer window.
      Speaking to The Times, the former Manchester United and England legend revealed he was worried that Barca would snatch Messi away from him.
      He said: “We always knew there would be competition. The time I got a bit worried was when Barcelona showed interest.
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      “The club obviously pulls on his heartstrings and he never really got to say the goodbye he deserved there.
      “That was the only time I started to worry he might go somewhere else. But we did everything possible — me, Jorge and Jose [Mas].”
      Messi rose through the ranks at the famous La Masia academy and spent 16 years in the Barcelona first team.
      He featured 778 times for the Catalan giants while amassing an astonishing 975 goal contributions.
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      Messi spent 16 years at Barcelona before leaving for PSG in 2021Credit: AFP
      And Barcelona were seemingly keen to reunite with the Argentine in the summer before he decided to head to the US to join Inter Miami.
      However after winning ten La Liga titles and four Champions League’s with the club, Messi decided to opt for a new challenge across the pond.
      And Beckham couldn’t have been happier to make the groundbreaking signing for his Florida side.
      He said: “Getting that phone call that he’s decided to come to us… It still gives me goose bumps.
      “I promised the fans and people of Miami that I wanted to bring some of the best players in the world. I am sure every owner says that but, from day one, he was the dream player I wanted to bring to Miami.
      “I see him in our kit, I watch him train and play, and I can’t believe that we have Lionel Messi in our club.”
      The eight time Ballon d’Or winner has already made a huge impact on Inter Miami after he helped them win their first ever piece of silverware, the Leagues Cup.
      Beckham recalled how special it was to sign Messi for Inter MiamiCredit: Getty
      Messi helped The Herons win the Leagues Cup when he first arrivedCredit: Getty More

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      Messi Surcharge: Red Bulls, Other M.L.S. Teams to Charge More for Miami Games

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      A Red Bulls promotion has some fine print: If Inter Miami is the opponent, you get a different game.A holiday deal offered by the Red Bulls soccer team includes some merchandise, like a travel mug, as well as tickets to two games, including its first home game.But there is some fine print. The Major League Soccer schedule will not be announced until the end of the year, and if it turns out that the home opener is against Inter Miami, fans who buy the package will get tickets for the second home game instead.The reason is Lionel Messi.Miami is the team of Messi, the global superstar, and a chance to see him is a lot more appealing than a random game against, say, Toronto F.C. Any time he comes to town will be an event, and teams don’t want to just throw such a golden ticket into a package deal.Some Red Bulls fans who noticed the fine print were annoyed and expressed that on social media — words like “gouge” were common. But at least a few others shrugged it off as a smart business move. “It’s purely naïve to expect the league not to try to capitalize on this at all costs,” said Dan Rodriguez, a Red Bulls fan from Westchester County, N.Y.The Red Bulls did not respond to a question about the ticket offer. Even if fans lose the Messi game, the deal still includes a game against the team’s regional rival, N.Y.C.F.C. And because there are 29 M.L.S. teams, the chance that the first game will actually be against Miami and Messi is slim.Around the league, though, teams are seeing a gold mine in Messi. Not every team has set its full pricing yet, especially since the schedule has not been announced. But the Columbus Crew is charging at least $382 for its home game against Miami and $421 and $679 for better seats. In contrast, tickets for ordinary Crew games this year could be had for as little as $40, or less as part of a season ticket package.Dynamic pricing is not unusual in M.L.S. or other sports. A big game against a rival might cost slightly more, but not several hundred dollars more.Miami itself is charging between 46 percent and 82 percent more for standard season tickets than it did this year, when Messi joined midseason. Less expensive packages are now about $800 for 17 games, and other season tickets are $4,000, $7,000 or even $10,000 for seats with club access.That puts Miami as one of the priciest season tickets in the world. The most expensive season ticket to Tottenham, in the English Premier League, costs $2,498, and it is $1,021 for Barcelona, World Soccer Talk reported.Messi signed for Miami in July, when many tickets were already sold. That meant fans already in possession of tickets to his games were able to cash in on a resale, while no extra money flowed to the teams. For next year, teams have time to plan and get some of that markup for themselves.Buying a season ticket to see another team that is scheduled to play Miami is one way to see Messi. Fans who do so will enjoy seeing Messi when he comes to town, or flip their tickets on the secondary market for a big payday.Of course that’s assuming Messi plays. He will turn 37 during the M.L.S. season and missed some games this year with a scar tissue ailment. When he did not play, many fans, some of whom had forked over top dollar, grumbled.After he missed a game in Chicago in October, for which 61,000 tickets had been sold, the Chicago Fire offered $250 credit for season ticket holders and $50 to single-game buyers as recompense.M.L.S. teams around the country will have visions of full houses of fans in expensive seats, and not of refunds, for 2024. More

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      Former Man Utd coach who players cruelly branded ‘Ted Lasso’ lands first manager job in two years

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      FORMER Manchester United coach Chris Armas is set for his first managerial job in two years, according to reports.The Athletic claim that the Colorado Rapids are on the verge of hiring the former United man.
      Armas was regularly spotted with a pair of AirPods in his earsCredit: PA
      The American coach was cruelly dubbed ‘Ted Lasso’ during his stint as the assistant manager to Ralf Rangnick in the 2021-22 season.
      Manchester United’s stars were left frustrated by Rangnick’s apparently “old fashioned” approach to managing and the fact that he left most of the coaching to Armas.
      The coach cut a distinctive figure thanks to the fact he always had a pair of Apple AirPods in his ears while on the bench – something he used to communicate with fellow coach Ewan Sharp.
      After leaving Manchester United along with Rangnick in 2022, Armas had a brief stint at Leeds under Jesse Marsch’s stewardship.
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      Armas took over from Marsch at the New York Red Bulls in 2018 in his job in football as a manager.
      He won the MLS supporters shield trophy with the team and had a record of 33 wins, 27 draws and 11 defeats.
      His only other job as a manager came when he was coach of Toronto FC in 2021 – but he was let go after just 11 matches.
      His new side, The Colorado Rapids finished bottom of the MLS Western Conference last season.
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      The Rapids parted ways with former coach Robin Fraser in September.
      Armas had a successful MLS career as a player, being named in the MLS best XI five times.
      He won an MLS Cup and four US Open Cups with the Chicago Fire.
      Armas also made 66 appearances for the US national team between 1998 and 2005. More

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      Lionel Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo opens door to Luis Suarez’s Inter Miami transfer with cheeky message to his wife

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      LIONEL MESSI’S wife Antonela Roccuzzo has opened the door again for Luis Suarez to make the move to the MLS and join up with her husband at Inter Miami.The forward has been linked with the David Beckham-owned club extensively over the past year.
      Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez formed one of the most potent strike forces in world footballCredit: EPA
      Antonela Rocuzzo called on Balbi Suarez for the two to ‘renew their photos’ – hinting at a reunion in MiamiCredit: instagram @antonelaroccuzzo
      Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino even said that he had drawn up plans for if the Miami club signed the Uruguay striker next season.
      He told the American press going into the closing stages of Miami’s season: “Within our analysis of the upcoming season, and the needs we may have, we have an analysis with Luis and an analysis without Luis.”
      And Messi’s wife, Antonela, has now poured petrol on the fire of the rumours.
      She posted a collage of her and Suarez’s wife, Balbi, on her Instagram story to celebrate her 34th birthday.
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      Her caption read: “Happy birthday. For more laughter, more stories, and more sunsets together. I adore you and miss you.”
      And then the kicker: “PS: we have to renew our photos friend.”
      Rumours of Suarez, 36, joining up with Messi in Miami are now at fever-pitch – with the club even releasing Josef Martinez to help make room for the former Premier League golden boot winner.
      There is a definite ex-Barcelona feel at Inter Miami and the club are keen to maximise whatever Messi nostalgia they can generate.
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      Messi already plays alongside former Barca team-mates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at the Florida side.
      Manager Gerardo Martino also previously managed Barcelona for the 2013-14 season, a year before Suarez arrived at the club.
      He resigned following a disappointing campaign after the star-studded team failed to win a trophy.
      Messi and Suarez are close friends off the pitch and formed a lethal partnership on it.
      Suarez has provided the most assists of any player for Lionel Messi in his career, with his tally standing at 47.
      The pair spent six seasons together at the Nou Camp – and will look to add to that tally should they be reunited in Miami. More

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      Forgotten one-cap England international became Inter Miami coach but missed working with Messi to join Championship side

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      A FORMER England international missed out on working with Lionel Messi after returning to the Championship.The one-cap Three Lions star had been coaching Inter Miami II after hanging up his boots in 2022.
      Lionel Messi missed out on playing with a forgotten England star at Inter MiamiCredit: Reuters
      Ryan Shawcross’ only England cap came against Sweden in 2012Credit: PA
      However, he had left the club by the time Messi headed stateside this summer.
      The World Cup winner has scored 11 goals in 14 appearances for Miami since then, claiming the golden boot as his side lifted the Leagues Cup.
      He could have worked with a Manchester United academy graduate had he made the move a year earlier, though.
      The ex-England defender in question is Stoke legend Ryan Shawcross.
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      His one and only senior international cap came in a friendly defeat to Sweden in November 2012.
      Despite failing to return to the England fold, Shawcross went on to make over 300 Premier League appearances for Stoke.
      He retired aged 34 at the start of 2022 following 11 months playing for Miami.
      Shawcross remained in Florida, working as an assistant manager for the club’s reserve side as he launched his coaching career.
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      Shawcross ended his career with Inter Miami before spending a year on their coaching staffCredit: Getty
      Come Messi’s arrival, though, he had already returned to England after leaving the MLS club at the end of last year.
      He is now back with Stoke, serving as assistant manager for the Potters’ under-18 side.
      During his playing days with the Championship outfit, Shawcross made 453 appearances.
      The defender was also the club’s captain for 11 years as well as winning promotion to the Premier League and appearing in their 2011/12 Europa League campaign. More