Football Briefs: Japan forward Muto set to join Newcastle

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Japan forward Yoshinori Muto is set to join Newcastle United from Mainz after the clubs struck a deal and the player agreed terms and had a medical, the Premier League team said on Friday.

Muto, who was part of Japan's World Cup squad in Russia where he featured in the defeat by Poland, has been on Tyneside ahead the proposed move, which is subject to a work permit.

The English FA is due to hear the case next week to decide if Muto, who has not recently been a regular starter for Japan, should be granted permission to join the Magpies.

"The transfer is now subject to the player being issued with a Governing Body Endorsement, which will be determined at a hearing to take place later next week," Newcastle said.

Muto started out at FC Tokyo where he played 51 league games, scoring 23 goals, before joining Bundesliga side Mainz in 2015 (66 games, 20 goals). He has played 25 times for Japan.

The transfer fee is expected to be 9.5 million pounds ($12.45 million) according to British media reports.

 ($1 = 0.7628 pounds)

FC Goa launch women's team

Indian Super League side FC Goa on Saturday launched its official women's team, ahead of the second Vedanta Goa Women's Football League.

The club, which was a part of the draft that took place at the Goa Football Association office in Panjim on July 25, is only the second ISL club, after FC Pune City, to field a women's team.

The tournament is slated to begin on August 14 with eight teams expected to participate. Grassroots coach, Naresh Virnodkar has been handed the role as coach of the team as training for the league has begun at the Chowgule Sports Centre in Margao.

"The women's team will be built in the same image and with the same principles as the men's team. The club will work extremely hard towards developing and producing talented women footballers and hope to emulate the successful women that represented the national team from Goa in the 1970's," FC Goa Technical Director, Derrick Pereira, said.

The club has been focused towards promoting the sport for both men and women along with their sister organisation, the Forca Goa Foundation.

Together they conducted an under-12 junior girls league last season in which 19 schools participated. The winners of the league were felicitated by club co-owner, Virat Kohli during half time at one of FC Goa's matches.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Josline Dsouza, Crisma Javaji

Defenders: Rhea Pires, Sneha Fernandes, Cifa Lima, Laveena Pires, Samartha Shirodkar, Seema Fernandes, Dezmina D'Costa

Midfielders: Velanie Ferandes, Jeroine Colaco, Chetna Tirodker, Joyvi Fernandes, Jolinda Ferrao, Jesma Baptista, Alisha Tavares, Chelsea Fernandes, Alicia Fernandes

Forwards: Namita Govekar, Ashriya Rodrigues. 

Chennaiyin FC appoints Hitchcock as goalkeeping coach

Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC has appointed Englishman Kevin Hitchcock as goalkeeping coach ahead of the 2018-19 season.

The 55-year-old Hitchcock, who was at Birmingham City as goalkeeping coach last season, replaces compatriot Tony Warner, said a CFC press release.

Hitchcock joins new assistant coach Paul Groves in the Chennaiyin coaching staff, having worked with him at Birmingham last season, where the latter was the first-team coach.

"I had a great working experience in Qatar and I have heard very positive things about Indian football and ISL, so I am looking forward to it," he said.

The Englishman said he was excited to work with head coach John Gregory and his staff which also includes Groves.

"Chennaiyin FC has three top-class goalkeepers with two of them fresh signings. I can't wait for the start of pre-season and help the club defend the ISL title," Hitchcock said.

Gregory said Hitchcock is a highly reputed goalkeeping coach in England who also enjoyed a long and successful career in goal.

"I am looking forward to working with him and further improving our already able goalkeeping department," he added.

Having started out in Chelsea's youth ranks, Hitchcock began his professional career at non-league English club Barking.

He had spells at Nottingham Forest and Mansfield Town before returning to Chelsea. Hitchcock went on to be a part of Chelsea for more than a decade before retiring in 2001.

Osorio bows out as Mexico coach

Juan Carlos Osorio, the Colombian coach who led Mexico to the last 16 of the World Cup , is to leave his post, he said on Friday.

Osorio, who took over El Tri in October 2015, was expected to depart after the finals in Russia, having rejected previous offers from the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) to extend his contract.

"In my own name and in that of my backroom staff, many thanks to everyone for this unique and unparalleled professional and life experience," Osorio said in a statement on the FMF website.

The Colombian-born coach was often treated with suspicion by Mexican fans and pundits, and supporters frequently chanted 'Osorio Out' at Mexico matches, even when they were winning.

However, that changed in Russia after Mexico beat reigning world champions Germany 1-0 in their opening match.

The Mexicans qualified second in Group F ahead of the Germans and South Korea but lost 2-0 to Brazil in the last 16, the seventh consecutive time they had gone out in the first knockout round.

Osorio, who has extensive experience across the Americas and in Europe, speaks English fluently and has expressed an interest in coaching in Europe.