Just days after leaving as head coach at Fujairah, Diego Maradona found himself with another job in a move that really came out from nowhere. On Tuesday night, the 1986 World Cup winner was officially unveiled to the media in Abu Dhabi as his new role as the club chairman of Dynamo Brest. Yes, you might be scratching your heads where that is but it’s a side that compete in the top-flight of the Belarusian league.
As strange as it may seem, Maradona isn’t the only one to have taken the decision that left the sporting world baffled by their move.
Here, we look at five bizarre appointments in sport.
SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON TO NOTTS COUNTY
With spells in the top-flight in Italy and the England and Mexico national teams, Sven Goran Eriksson ended up in lower league with Notts County in July 2009. The Swede had been attracted by the club consortium’s ambitions to take the world’s oldest club to the Premier League. Sol Campbell and Kasper Schmieichal arrived but large debts and unpaid tax bills meant Eriksson’s stay lasted just seven months.
New move: Sven Goran Eriksson
EDGAR DAVIDS TO BARNET
Barnet bosses wanted someone local and with plenty of experience to take charge and Edgar Davids was that man. After spells with Crystal Palace and Tottenham, the Dutchman continued to live in north London and although he had plenty of European experience under his belt, even that could not stop him saving the Bees from relegation on goal difference. Handed himself the ‘No.1 shirt’ before resigning in January 2014.
Unpopular: Edgar Davids
GARY NEVILLE TO VALENCIA
The football pundit swapped the television studios for the Mestalla in December 2015 in a move that stunned English and Spanish football. Neville’s only coaching experience came with England as an assistant but answered Peter Lim’s SOS call to step in the hot seat of the La Liga side. With a language barrier, his lack of coaching experienced showed as Los Che won 10 of 28 matches before being given the boot in March 2016.
Doomed: Gary Neville
CLIVE WOODWARD TO SOUTHAMPTON
When the name Clive Woodward springs to mind, you would think a 2003 World Cup-winning coach. Not the performance director of Southampton Football Club. That exactly what happened in 2005 when the ex-England rugby coach arrived at the south coast. Manager Harry Redknapp wasn’t happy and while he left, Woodward went on to become the club’s director of football before being shown the door eight months’ later.
Switching to football: Clive Woodward
CARLOS TEVEZ AND JAVIER MASCHERANO TO WEST HAM
In one of the Premier League’s most sensational deadline day transfers, Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez made the move from Corinthians to West Ham that left all fans scratching their hands on how it came about. Nobody was sure what the fee was at the time or whether Jia Joorabchian or Corinthians held their registration at the time. Carlos Tevez went on to save the Hammers before moving to Manchester United that summer.
Double act: Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano
