Football Briefs: Former CSKA Sofia winger Nelson joins Chennaiyin FC

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Chennaiyin FC have signed Dutch winger Gregory Nelson for the 2017-18 season of the Hero Indian Super League.

The 29-year-old joins the 2015 ISL champions on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract at Bahrain outfit Al Muharraq.

A product of the AZ Alkmaar youth system, Nelson represented Netherlands at U-17, U-18 and U-19 levels. Having made his professional debut at the age of 18 for Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivise, Nelson was then loaned to RBC Roosendaal in the Dutch Eerste Divisie.

After one season, Nelson’s loan move at Roosendaal became permanent. He then joined Bulgarian giants CSKA Sofia where he spent 18 months, played in the UEFA Europa League and won the Bulgarian domestic cup.

Nelson signed for Ukrainian giants Metalurh Donetsk in January 2012 and reached the final of the Ukraine domestic cup also. He spent three and a half seasons in Ukraine and featured for Metalurh also in the Europa League.

Nelson returned to the Bulgarian top division in 2015 when he joined Botev Plovdiv and spent one season there, scoring four goals in 14 domestic league starts.

In January 2017, Nelson signed for Bahrain powerhouse Al Muharraq and finished runners-up in the Bahrain King’s Cup. Nelson scored on his AFC Cup debut for Muharraq and featured in all six of their group stage games.

Chennaiyin FC head coach John Gregory said, “Nelson is a highly accomplished player with a fantastic CV. He will add plenty of quality and variety to our attack. After a very good career in Europe he recently had a very impressive season in Bahrain and looks very well equipped to flourish in the Indian Super League.”

“I would like to thank the club Chennaiyin FC and coach John Gregory for believing in me. Lot of my friends from Dutch football have played in the ISL and have given me positive feedback. Football in India is growing and I am really looking forward to be a part of it and of course help Chennaiyin win back the championship,” Nelson stated.

FC Pune City sign Argentinean Robertino Pugliara

FC Pune City have signed Robertino Pugliara of Argentina to bolster their midfield for the upcoming season of Indian Super League (ISL).

Robertino is no the fifth South American signing for FC Pune City after Emiliano Alfaro, Marcelinho, Diego Carlos and Jonatan Lucca.

The Argentine, who is all set to make his debut in the ISL, began his career with San Lorenzo. He then moved to Talleres de Cordoba for two years.

He spent most of his playing career with Indonesian clubs like Persija Jakarta, Persiba Balikpapan, PSM Makassar, Persib Bandung and Persipura Jayapura.

During his stint with Persija Jakarta, the team won the Trofeo Persija in 2011 and 2012.

While representing Persipura Jayapura, Robertino played against Bengaluru FC in AFC Cup. His brace against the Bengaluru side in the 2015 AFC Cup match had sealed the deal for his team.

After signing the dotted line, Robertino expressed his happiness, saying, "I am turning a new page in my career. Having played in Indonesia for most of my career, adapting to a new culture, new style will be a challenge I will relish. I have seen one of the top Indian players during my AFC matches and I was very impressed with the quality.

"I am looking forward to playing against some of the best Indian talents donning the Orange and Purple in 2017-18 Indian Super League."

FA to increase World Cup cyber security over hacking concerns

The English Football Association will increase cyber security for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after hacking attacks by a group suspected of links to a Russian spy agency, media reports said.

The FA has written a letter to soccer's governing body FIFA expressing its concerns about sensitive information such as injuries, strategies and tactics being leaked before matches during the World Cup, British newspapers said.

England players and staff have been advised not to use public Wi-Fi in Russia, including the connections provided at the team hotel.

According to media reports, the FA has also strengthened firewalls, introduced encrypted passwords and have strict guidelines for players regarding social media.

The FA could not immediately be reached for comment.

England, who lead Group F with 20 points, can seal their participation in the World Cup with a win over Slovenia in their penultimate qualifying match at Wembley on Oct. 5.

Hacking group Fancy Bears in August leaked anti-doping information regarding footballers and said more than 150 players failed drug tests in 2015. Athletics governing body the IAAF said in April it had suffered a cyber attack that it believed compromised information about athletes' medical records.

The group has been linked by Western governments and security experts to a Russian spy agency blamed for some of the cyber operations during the 2016 U.S. election. Russia has denied meddling in the election.

Chapecoense part ways with second coach in two months

Chapecoense parted company with their second coach in two months on Monday, releasing Vinicius Eutropio after a barren run that left them third from bottom of Brazil's Serie A table.

"Chapecoense, in agreement with coach Vinicius Eutropio, announce that he is no longer in charge of the team," the club said in a statement on Monday.

Eutropio took over in July, seven months after Vagner Mancini was hired to rebuild the club following the Medellin air disaster.

A plane carrying the team to Colombia to play Atletico Nacional in the final of the Copa Sudamericana crashed into a mountainside outside Medellin on Nov. 29. All but six of the 77 people on board perished.

Chapcoense won just three of their 12 league games under Eutropio and are in danger of relegation from the league in which the bottom four clubs go down.