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Milan hires Stefano Pioli as coach after sacking Giampaolo
AC Milan hired Stefano Pioli as coach on Wednesday to replace the fired Marco Giampaolo. Pioli, who has previously coached city rival Inter Milan, agreed to a two-year contract. Milan announced the news in a brief statement . Pioli, who is an Inter fan, coached the Nerazzurri during the 2016-17 season but was fired after losing 10 of 27 matches. He then went on to coach Fiorentina but left the club in April after a slew of poor results.
AC Milan fire coach Marco Giampaolo
AC Milan has fired coach Marco Giampaolo, making his tenure in charge the shortest of any manager in club history. Giampaolo was only hired in June as a replacement for Gennaro Gattuso, who stepped down as Milan coach after a fifth-place finish meant the Rossoneri missed out on the Champions League. However, Milan has lost four of his seven matches in charge. "AC Milan announces it has relieved Mr. Marco Giampaolo from his position as coach of the First Team, the club said in a statement on its website. ``The Club is grateful to Marco for the work carried out and wishes him all the best to come in his professional career. Italian media said Milan is expected to replace him with Stefano Pioli _ who has previously coached its city rival Inter Milan Pioli, a self-confessed Inter fan, coached the Nerazzurri during the 2016-17 season but was fired in May of that campaign after losing 10 out of 27 matches. It is the second coaching change in two days in Serie A after Eusebio Di Francesco left Sampdoria by mutual consent on Monday. Di Francesco replaced Giampaolo in the offseason.
A gamble by Zamalek s under-fire coach Micho to rest some regulars backfired as the Cairo giants were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by debutants FC Masr in the Egyptian Premier League on Sunday. Achraf Bencharki put Zamalek ahead on the quarter-hour mark but Omar Habashi scored FC Masr s first ever goal in the top flight to draw them level on the stroke of halftime. Zamalek were even lucky to escape a shock loss as FC Masr wasted some goalscoring chances, especially in the dying minutes when their fancied opponents poured forward in search of a precious winner. The result ends Zamalek s winning start and leaves them two points behind leaders and defending champions Ahly, who kicked off their campaign with three straight and convincing victories. Both sides meet in the Cairo derby in their next match on 19 October. Micho surprisingly opted to leave out several key players, including the regular defensive pair and influential Tunisian midfielder Ferjani Sassi. Zamalek took a 15th minute lead when Youssef Ibrahim s chipped pass found Bencharki at the far post and the Moroccan fired home from a tight angle, helped by the poor positioning of the keeper. Until this point, FC Masr looked unbalanced but Zamalek failed to make the most of that and the lowly side grew increasingly dangerous after falling behind. They wasted two clear-cut chances to equalize, with a header from Ahmed Abdel Mawgoud missing an open net after keeper Mohamed Awad mis-judged a cross and Mostafa Sultan volleying high over with the goal at his mercy after cross picked him out unmarked. FC Masr deservedly leveled the score just before the half-time whistle after taking advantage of some sloppy defending. Habashi sneaked between the two centre backs to fire into the roof of the net after meeting a cross from the right. Zamalek s lone striker Omar El-Saied could have restored Zamlek s advantage on two occasions early in the second half, heading just wide from close range and striking the legs of the keeper with a low shot from four yards out. The White Knights surged forward but hardly threatened their resolute opponents, who were also dangerous on breakaways in a lengthy stoppage time.
Key Ahly midfielder Amr El Sulaya to undergo scans miss Egypt team camp
midfielder Amr El-Sulaya will undergo medical scans to determine the seriousness of the injury he sustained during the Red Devils 5-1 win over newly promoted Aswan in the Egyptian Premier League on Saturday, the club has said. "The primary medical check proved that El-Sulaya is suffering from a torn ankle as a result of the injury he sustained during the Aswan game," Ahly s doctor Khaled Mahmoud told the club s official website on Sunday. "The player will give the report of the medical scans to the Egypt national team technical staff as he was called up to join the coming camp," he added. Ahly have had a blistering start to the new Egyptian Premier League season, crushing Aswan 5-1 on Saturday and cruising to the top of the league table with the maximum nine points from their opening three games. The team, who are eyeing a fifth straight league crown, are three points ahead of Zamalek and Pyramids, who could level with them if they win their matches. Under the helm of Egypt national team s newly-appointed coach Hossam El-Badry, the Pharaohs will start a new era next month when they launch the preparatory camp ahead of the friendly game against Botswana that will take place in Cairo on 14 October. On Saturday, before the Ahly-Aswan match, El-Badry had announced a 19-man squad of Egypt-based players, which had included El-Sulaya. Egypt are competing in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as well as the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Ramadan Sobhi shines again as Ahly claim 4-0 win in Egyptian league
Ramadan Sobhi continued his blistering start to the season to inspire Ahly to an easy 4-0 victory over El-Entag El-Harby as the defending champions made it two wins out of two in the Egyptian Premier League on Wednesday. The 22-year-old, who is on loan from English side Huddersfield Town, scored and provided an assist to build on the goal he scored in the opening 1-0 win over Smouha. Hussein El-Shahat, Junior Ajayi and substitute Walid Soliman were also on target as Ahly tore their hapless opponents to shreds. The Red Devils top the table with maximum six points from two matches, having secured their fifth straight win from as many matches under new Swiss coach Rene Weiler, whose attacking strategies are proving popular with the team s demanding supporters. Sobhi stole the show with a virtuoso display in the first half even though he spurned three clear-cut chances, linking up with playmaker Magdi Afsha and left-back Ali Maaloul to devastating effect. He struck the bar with a low shot from inside the area early on but made amends in the 25th minute after finishing off a flowing move. In-form Nigerian forward Ajayi flicked the ball over two challengers and fed Afsha, who slipped the ball through for Sobhi to fire home past the advancing keeper. Sobhi was also thwarted by the keeper in a one-on-one after a quickly-taken free kick and drilled just wide from the center of the penalty area. Ahly could have paid for their wastefulness as El-Entag wasted two goal-scoring chances either side of the interval. On the stroke of halftime, Mohamed Vieira fired over the bar with the goal at his mercy and, early in the second half, Mamadou Niass missed an open goal after a free header was superbly denied by a one-handed save from Ahly keeper Mohamed El-Shennawi. But that was as far as El-Entag got, with Ahly quickly reasserting their control and toying with their opponents to ensure their win. A threaded pass released Sobhi in the 56th minute and he rounded the keeper, dallied on the ball and cut it back to the unmarked El-Shahat, who made no mistake with a composed finish. Ajayi added the third 13 minutes later with a close-range finish after some fine work from Maaloul down the left and Soliman completed the rout three minutes from time after being fed by El-Shahat.
Al-Ahly takes crisis with Mortada Mansour to the Egyptian presidential staff
Egypt s Al-Ahly Sporting Club on Tuesday addressed the Chief of the Presidential Staff, the Public Prosecutor, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Interior Minister, calling on them to intervene to deter Zamalek president Mortada Mansour from "spreading lies" and defaming the family of Mahmoud El Khatib, chairman of Ahly. In a statement published on its official page on Facebook, Ahly said that its administration and fans have "reached their limit" regarding the offences of the President of Zamalek. Ahly said in a statement that Mansour is now defaming families and spreading lies through phone-ins with satellite channels. Ahly called on the House of Representatives to lift Mansour s immunity in order to hold him accountable before the law. Ahly said that the House of Representatives is supposed to defend the rights of the people, not of Mansour, who is a member of parliament. Ahly also sent a letter to the Interior Minister, warning him that the president of Zamalek is playing a dangerous game at a time when the country needs to join hands rather than dissent, noting that what Mansour is doing could lead to strife on Egyptian streets. For his part, head of the Saudi Entertainment Authority Turki Al-Sheikh, who is known to be an ally of Mansour, announced his support for Mahmoud El Khatib following the verbal attacks by Mansour. Al-Sheikh wrote on his official Facebook page: "Captain Khateeb … I do not accept, ever, outrageous words or defaming of family … I support him in that case." Al-Sheikh is known to have had a strong relationship with Mansour over the past season. He has confirmed on several occasions that he recruited a group of current Zamalek players with his own money and has also hinted that he paid the monthly salary of Swiss coach Christian Gross until he left at the end of May 2019. Conversely, Mansour said that no one can incite strife between him and Al-Sheikh. He added: "Ahly s complaints will not scare me." "Do you want me to shut up after Ahly insulted Zamalek club and said that it is not patriotic club?" Mansour said in a phone-in with AlHadath Alyoum satellite channel on Wednesday.
Preview Egypts Ahly seek to maintain 100% record under Weiler
Ahly will be looking to maintain their perfect start under Swiss coach Rene Weiler when they meet El-Entag El-Harby in their second Egyptian Premier League game on Wednesday. The Red Devils have claimed four wins out of four matches since Weiler arrived, including a superb 3-2 victory over Cairo rivals Zamalek in the Egyptian Super Cup. They also kicked off the defence of their league title with a 1-0 win over Smouha and defeated Equatorial Guinea s Cano Sport home and away in the African Champions League to reach the group stage. "Tomorrow s match is important because we want to continue our good start," Ahly s football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz said on the club s official website. "El-Entag is a very good team who knows well how to play against high-profile clubs. They earned a point against Ahly in our meeting in the first half of last season." Weiler has yet to settle on his ideal starting line-up, rotating his side too often due to a packed schedule of matches. But new recruit Aliou Dieng could force his way into the starting line-up after producing a superb display against Cano Sport as Ahly won 4-0 in the second leg of the Champions League second round. The burly Malian defensive midfielder impressed with his physical presence and accurate passes. He was also on target, opening the scoring with a close-range effort. El-Entag also opened their league campaign with a win, crushing promoted side FC Masr 3-0.
Zamalek s standing safe after Senegalese Generation Foot s withdrawal says EFA spokesman
Egyptian Football Association (EFA) s spokesman Osama Ismail revealed on Sunday that Zamalek s standing concerning their cancelled game against Senegal s Generation Foot is safe. The game between Zamalek and Generation Foot was cancelled yesterday after the Senegalese team failed to show up in protest against the Confederation of Africa Football s (CAF) decision to postpone the game for one day. "Zamalek s situation is safe. There re no problems at all and we will explain everything in our reply letter to the CAF," Ismail told MBC Masr TV channel. "We re committed to what the CAF stated concerning holding African competitions games with the presence of spectators, and we had to move the game to Borg El-Arab Stadium due to obligatory circumstances" "Thus, all the games in African competitions were moved to Borg El-Arab such as Ahly and Masry s matches. Domestic league games held in Cairo were between teams which don t have a wide fan base, unlike Zamalek," he concluded. The CAF issued a statement on Sunday evening saying it is examining the situation. "CAF has been closely following the situation regarding the second leg, of the second preliminary round of the Total CAF Champions League 2019/20 between Zamalek (Egypt) and Generation Foot (Senegal), which was due to take place over the weekend," the statement said. "The relevant CAF bodies and representatives are currently examining the situation and further information and updates will be issued in due time," the statement said.
Egypt s Masry through to Confed Cup playoff with easy win
A double from Ahmed Yasser gave Masry an easy 3-1 home victory over Zanzibar s Malindi and a place in the CAF Confederation Cup playoff on Sunday. Masry advanced with a comprehensive 7-2 aggregate victory over their lowly opponents. Yasser needed four minutes to put the aggregate result beyond doubt, volleying home at the far post following a superb cross. Ibrahim Aly brought Malindi level with a bullet header in the 33rd minute but Yasser struck again 10 minutes into the second half to make it 2-1. Nigerian forwar Austin Amutu put the icing on the cake with a 60th-minute goal. Masry will face one of the teams that exited the African Champions League in the next round for a place in the Confederation Cup group stage.
Liverpool s Klopp hails role model Milner after Dons display
Liverpool midfielder James Milner can be the ideal role model for the club s young players after the 33-year-old shepherded them to a 2-0 League Cup win at MK Dons on Wednesday, manager Juergen Klopp has said. Milner opened the scoring against the League One (third-tier) side for his first goal in the competition since 2010 and set up another for 17-year-old Dutchman Ki-Jana Hoever to draw praise from Klopp. "This man is on fire, that s how it is. It helps a lot. He s a real role model for young players. If he could play every day, Millie would be like this every day... absolutely brilliant," Klopp told a news conference. "The most experienced and the player with the most rhythm was the best player on the pitch -- Millie was pretty obvious... it s so important that we still do these games, that we are brave enough to use the boys. "We re not here with this line-up because we don t respect the competition, we are here to win the game, no other reason." Liverpool set up a clash with Arsenal in the fourth round and Klopp, who named four teenagers in his starting side, said youngsters would continue to get more opportunities. "They all have the right environment so we will improve that environment as well, we will bring in more manpower there that we can really take care of these boys more," Klopp added. Milner welcomed the competition for places. "When you look at how good our squad is, it s not easy for the youngsters to get to the level they need to be, but they ve shown they want to get better," Milner said. "Everyone is pushing and that s what the senior boys need: competition for places."
Azaro and Mahmoud return to Ahly training ahead of Cano Sport game
Ahly duo Walid Azaro, and Mohamed Mahmoud have recovered from injuries and are ready to participate in Wednesday s training, according to the club s official website. The 24-year-old Moroccan striker Azaro underwent a rehabilitation programme after suffering from a knee injury during his participation with his national team in a recent international break, and he will be compensating with Ahly for the absence of striker Marwan Mohsen due to injury. Mohamed Mahmoud suffered a critical ligament surgery on 8 January in Smouha s game in the 15th round of 2018-2019 Egyptian Premier League, where he was substituted in the 57th minute of the game. The 21-year-old midfielder joined Ahly in January from Wadi Degla, and played only two games before his injury. Ahly will continue their fight for the ninth CAF Champions League title on Saturday, as the Cairo giants will host Equatorial Guinea s Cano Sport in the second leg of the 32nd round of the African clubs tournament. The first leg match ended with Ahly s 2-0 victory. "Yes, we won in Equatorial Guinea, but this doesn t mean that we have already qualified. Ahly always respect their counterpart and play each game as if it s the most important game of the season," Ahly s assistant coach Samy Komsan told the club s official website. "Winning the Egypt Super Cup and gaining the first three points in the Egyptian Premier League after defeating Smouha gave the team a positive push ahead of the new season," Komsan said.
Lackluster Zamalek claim a narrow win over Ittihad of Alexandria
An early goal from promising striker Mostafa Mohamed was enough for nervy Zamalek to beat Ittihad of Alexandria 1-0 in Cairo on Monday to secure a winning start to their league campaign. Serbian coach Milutin Sredojevic "Micho" made six changes to the team that lost to Ahly at the weekend, leaving out several regular starters including captain Mahmoud "Shikabala" Abdel-Razeq, Achraf Bencharki, Youssef "Obama" Ibrahim and suspended Tarek Hamed Zamalek got off to a flying start when Mohamed latched onto a long pass from Ahmed "Zizo" El-Sayed to send a left-footed shot in off the far post in the fifth minute. A few minutes later Ittihad keeper was forced to make a superb stretch to deny Hamdi Nagguez s free kick. The Whites lost their rhythm after the opening 15 minutes allowing Ittihad to push forward seeking the equalizer. They had their best chances when Uganda striker Emmanuel Okwi slipped past his marker but his close range shot was denied by a fine tackle from Mahmoud Alaa before Khaled Kamar s free kick was easily held by keeper Mohamed Awad. The Alexandrian side upped their game after the interval and gained control of play but failed to create any real threat on the hosts keeper. Zamalek sat back on defence and relied on counter-attacks that became rare as the clock was ticking. Micho introduced Obama, Omar El-Said and Mohamed Abdel-Shafi in an attempt to turn around his fortunes but the team struggled to make an impact. Ittihad came close to an equalizer in the 80th minute as El-Sayed Salem s cross found Okwi unmarked in the area but his header went easily in the hands of the keeper. The visitors also claimed a late penalty as Alaa denied Kamar s powerful shot from inside the box but the referee waved play on.
Preview Ahly launch bid to maintain dominance of Egyptian league
Ahly, fresh from an impressive 3-2 Super Cup victory over Zamalek, launch their bid to win the Egyptian Premier League for the fifth straight season against Smouha in Alexandria on Monday. The Red Devils produced a brilliant attacking display in their second match under Swiss coach Rene Weiler to outclass their perennial challengers in the season curtain-raiser on Friday, sending an early statement of intent. Last season, they managed to bridge an eight-point gap to deprive Zamalek of their first league title since 2015 and maintain their dominance of the premier domestic competition, which they won a staggering 41 times. Ahly can take heart from the superb display of Nigerian forward Junior Ajayi against Zamalek as he scored twice and proved a handful with his moves, turns and unique ability to keep the ball under control. Hamdi Fathi is also coming across as a solid defensive midfielder, replacing ageing skipper Hossam Ashour who is way past his prime. With Ahly also signing another midfielder in Malian Aliou Dieng, playmaker Magdi Afsha and central defender Mahmoud Metwalli, they look well-equipped to defend their title. "We are now fully focused on the league campaign. The new technical staff arrived just two weeks ago but we are fully ready," Ashour, a long-serving midfielder, said following the win over Zamalek.
Ahly chairman El Khatib promises to meet fans expectations after Egyptian Super Cup trophy
Ahly chairman Mahmoud El-Khatib said on Saturday the team s management will do their best to achieve the fans domestic and continental ambitions this season. On Friday evening, Ahly downed Zamalek 3-2 following an exciting duel at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium, winning their 11th Egyptian Super Cup. "Winning a trophy ahead of the new season entails that a big responsibility will be shouldered by the club in the coming games to claim more victories and trophies," El-Khatib was quoted as saying on the Ahly website after the game. "We are working to please Ahly s fans and make their domestic and continental ambitions come true." On Monday, Ahly, last year s Egyptian League champions, will kick off their title-defending bid in the new season against Smouha. Ahly also moved closer to a place in the African Champions League group stage after second-half goals from two substitutes powered them to a 2-0 away win over Equatorial Guinea s Cano Sport. Ahly, the eight-times Africa champion, has failed to win any continental title since winning the Africa Confederation Cup in 2014.
German Felix Brych to referee Ahly Zamalek Super Cup game
German referee Felix Brych will officiate Friday s domestic Super Cup game between Cairo rivals Ahly and Zamalek in Alexandria, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said on Wednesday. Brych will be joined by assistants Mark Borsch and Stefan Lupp, the EFA said in a statement. The 44-year-old is no stranger to Egyptian football, having officiated Ahly s loss to Haras El-Hodoud in the 2010 Egypt Cup final and Zamalek s win over Al-Hilal in the Egyptian-Saudi Super Cup last year. He was in charge of some high-profile matches in European football, including the 2014 Europa League final between Sevilla and Benfica and the 2017 Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid. Brych was also the referee of Tuesday s Champions League game between Liverpool and Napoli, which the Italian side won 2-0 in the opening match of the group stage. Ahly are the record winners of the Super Cup with 10 titles, seven clear of Zamalek.
Napoli stun defending champions Liverpool
Liverpool opened its Champions League title defense with a 2-0 loss at Napoli on Tuesday _ the latest chapter in what is becoming an intense rivalry between the two attack-minded clubs after also meeting in last season s group phase. Dries Mertens converted a penalty eight minutes from the end of an entertaining match after a foul by Andy Robertson on Jose Callejon. Substitute Fernando Llorente then sealed it in stoppage time _ a measure of revenge after playing on the Tottenham side that lost last season s final to Liverpool. Last season, Napoli also beat Liverpool 1-0 at home before the English side won by the same score in England _ denying Napoli a place in the knockout rounds. Napoli and Salzburg, which routed Genk 6-2, took the early lead in Group E. The atmosphere inside the newly renovated Stadio San Paolo was electric from the start as both sides attacked relentlessly from the opening whistle. Napoli countered Liverpool s established attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane with a lineup featuring four forwards: Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon on the wings surrounding Dries Mertens and Hirving Lozano. Salah was on full sprint from kickoff but couldn t find a way past Napoli s center back Kalidou Koulibaly. Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian _ in his Champions League debut _ denied Fabian Ruiz twice in one action before Lozano headed the second rebound into the net only to be whistled offside. As dazzling as the offensive display was, the defense was just as impressive. Joel Matip lunged to head away a cross intended for Lozano that seemed a sure goal then Ruiz sprinted back at the other end to intercept what would have been a tap-in for Salah. The frantic pace continued, with Firmino heading just wide of the far post from a corner in the 44th. Possession in the first half was split exactly 50-50. The fireworks continued immediately after the break when Adrian hung in the air to deny a volley from Mertens with one hand at the far post. There was a rare defensive mistake when Kostas Manolas gifted the ball to Salah in a great position but Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret extended to glove the Egypt international s shot wide. It was only in the last 15 minutes that the pace slowed, with both teams visibly exhausted on a warm evening. Then Napoli found the breakthrough after Robertson was adjudged to have tripped Callejon in the area. Adrian lunged to his left and got a hand on Mertens penalty but couldn t stop it. In the final minutes, Napoli fans whistled so loud every time Liverpool had possession it was deafening, and it seemed to have an effect when Virgil van Dijk gifted the ball to Llorente, who rolled it past Adrian with ease.
Michael Owen tips English club to win Champions League again
Before Liverpool stormed to victory in the Champions League final in June, there was a spell where English football seemed off the pace of Europe s elite. Spanish teams, namely Real Madrid, dominated the world s most prestigious club competition with Los Blancos winning three consecutive titles and four in five years. Only rival Barcelona stopped them winning five on the bounce. However, former England international Michael Owen, who played for Real Madrid for a season, believes that after years of playing catch up, Premier League clubs -- Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea -- will be the teams to beat in this season s tournament. "I think the English game is just stepping ahead of the Spanish game," Owen told CNN Sport s Christina MacFarlane. "I would still be going with an English team to win the Champions League again this year." Owen s prediction comes off the back of one of the most tightly fought Premier League campaigns in the competition s history. Both Liverpool and eventual champion Manchester City set new standards during a quite remarkable campaign in which Jurgen Klopp s team finished second despite losing just one league game. Credit for the quality shown by both teams must lay at the feet of both Liverpool boss Klopp and Manchester City s manager Pep Guardiola. The 48-year-old Guardiola, in particular, has created a team capable of dominating any opponent around the world, reminiscent of his miraculous Barcelona side that dominated European football for so long. However, despite its Premier League domination over the last two seasons, City has its sights set firmly of European glory -- something that has avoided Guardiola since he left the Nou Camp in 2012. "If Manchester City and Liverpool could do a deal they would switch it around," said Owen, speaking about the trophies both clubs won respectively last season. "They are both craving what each other have got." Liverpool will open the defense of its title away to Napoli on Tuesday whilst Manchester City travel to Ukraine to take on Shakhtar Donetsk Wednesday. Meanwhile, last year s beaten finalist Tottenham will begin its campaign against Olympiacos and Chelsea hosts Valencia. Real Madrid s dominance over? Owen started his career at Liverpool, bursting onto the scene as a fresh-faced 17-year-old with speed to burn and an unrivaled eye for goal. Scoring 158 times in 297 appearances for the Reds, Owen established himself as one of the greatest players in the world and wrote his name in the history books by winning the Ballon d Or in 2003. It was an accolade that instigated a move to Real Madrid and an opportunity to play alongside the famed Galacticos -- joining the likes of Luís Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham at the Bernabeu. However, the current Real squad is a pale shadow of its former self, with boss Zinedine Zidane tasked with rebuilding an aging team without the talismanic Cristiano Ronaldo it had depended on for so long. "Real Madrid relied on him a lot when they won it," added Owen, referring to Ronaldo and Real s previous Champions League domination. Madrid faces an exciting tie against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a game which will see two of the most valuable soccer clubs in the world go head to head. Bankrolled by Qatari ownership, PSG is the dominant force in Ligue 1 but the project was always meant to reap rewards in Europe -- a feat that has no far looked beyond the Parisian club. To make matters worse, star man Neymar -- who seemed desperate for a move away from the French capital -- is now having to rebuild his relationship with the fans. "I expected more from PSG for many years," Owen said. "They ve got all the money, all the players. They don t tend to be able to gel together and go on a serious run." Magic happens at Anfield With both of his former teams known for their prowess in European competition -- Liverpool has six European titles while Real Madrid has a record 13 -- Owen thinks the Reds are most likely to add to its collection this season. In addition to a forward line which has blown away defenses for the last two seasons, and a defense marshaled by Virgil van Dijk -- Champions League defender of the season -- Liverpool possesses something which makes them a truly "great knockout side." "They ve got one thing that nobody else has got -- and that s their home ground," Owen said, referring to the 54,000 capacity Anfield Stadium. "Magic happens at that ground, something happens. I don t know why or how but it s ingrained in that ground. So no matter what the score is, if you go to Anfield as a second leg then you are in for it." There is a wealth of evidence to back up Owen s claim, not least last season s miracle match against Barcelona. Blown away by Lionel Messi et al in the first leg, Liverpool completed one of the great Champions League comebacks to win the match on its way to winning the trophy. Group of death It was the second consecutive year that the Catalan club threw away a seemingly unbeatable lead. In 2018, it was AS Roma who defied the odds at the quarterfinal stage. Barca now faces a tricky path to the knockout stages of this season s tournament after being drawn in the "Group of Death," alongside Borussia Dortmund, Slavia Prague and a resurgent Inter Milan. Despite its fragility on the European stage in recent years, Owen still believes Barca will be favorites to progress from the group by taking advantage of slipping standards in the Bundesliga. "I think Inter Milan can be quite a strong team this year," Owen said when asked who would miss out on qualification from Group F. [Dortmund] are a very good team, a lot of experience in the Champions League but German football is just not, I don t know ... Bayern Munich is wobbling a little bit at the moment and not doing so well in the Champions League. Of course, they are still winning the Bundesliga so it might be a reflection of the German league having a slight dip." Barcelona will face Dortmund in its first group game on Tuesday.
Ahly to train for Super Cup against Zamalek immediately after return from Equatorial Guinea
Ahly s assistant coach Samy Komsan has assured that the team will continue its training after returning to Egypt from Equatorial Guinea for the 2017/2018 Super Cup game scheduled for Friday against arch-rivals Zamalek. "The team will resume its trainings on Monday without resting due to the narrow timeframe, despite the exhausting flight," Komsan told Ahly s official website on Monday. On Saturday, the Red Devils defeated Equatorial Guinea s Kano Sport 2-0 in the first leg game of the 32nd round of the Confederation of African Football s (CAF) Champions League. "Defeating Kano Sport is a positive motivational push for the players ahead of the Egypt Super Cup. However, Ahly-Zamalek matches have their own calculations," Komsan revealed. "The domestic Super Cup final will definitely be a tough game, each side will play for the win and clinch a title at the beginning of the season. "All the players are focused. Everyone on the team knows the importance of the game as it is a title game," said the 43-year-old Ahly assistant coach and former player. Friday s Super Cup edition, with Ahly as league champions and Zamalek as Egypt Cup winners in 2018, was delayed by more than a year due to a packed season schedule last year. The derby will witness for the first time since 2013 up to 10,000 fans attending the Super Cup . The two sides will also meet in a 2018/2019 Super Cup at a yet-to-be-determined date. Ahly won the 2019 league title by bridging an eight-point gap with perennial rivals Zamalek, who claimed a consolation by winning the Egypt Cup after beating Pyramids FC 3-0 in the final. Ahly are the record winners of the Super Cup with 10 titles, seven clear of Zamalek.
Ahly to face easier mission in second champions league test with Cano Sport: Coach Weiler
After securing a precious first leg advantage, Ahly s Swiss coach Rene Weiler expects an easy mission for his team when they host Equatorial Guinea s Cano Sport in the return match of the African Champions League round of 32. The Reds moved to the brink of a place in the prestigious tournament s group stage after second half goals from two substitutes powered them to a 2-0 away win over their Guinean hosts on Saturday. "We managed to deliver a very good game in the first leg and that will make our mission easier in the return match in Cairo," Weiler was quoted as saying by the club s official website after the match. Record eight-time winners Ahly, who are chasing their first Champions League crown since 2013, will host Cano Sport in the second leg on 27 September. "We weren t lucky today as we wasted many chances against the goal," the Ahly coach explained. "I am happy to achieve my first win with Ahly. We face a difficult time as time is very limited so it is difficult to talk about any technicalities," he added. Ahead of the return match, League champions Ahly will be facing archrivals and cup holders Zamalek on Friday in the Egyptian Super Cup. "We are lucky to win through the substitutions which made a big difference, and beating Cano Sport is a good motivation for our players ahead of facing Zamalek," Weiler concluded.
Egyptian Premier League starts on 21 September Ahly Zamalek to clash in 4th and 21st rounds
The Egyptian Football Association s competitions committee announced on Thursday the new season s fixtures table, revealing that Ahly will start their journey by facing Smouha, while Zamalek is facing Ittihad of Alexandria. The derby between Ahly and Zamalek will not be played at the end of each half of the season, as the new draw system put the first leg match in the 4th round, while the second leg match will take place in the 21st round. Head of the competitions committee Hossam El-Zanaty revealed that the 2019-2020 Egyptian Premier League season will start on 21 September, and is scheduled to conclude by May, putting in consideration that Egyptian teams are participating in regional and continental competitions. "The teams that will play in African competitions and in Arab Club Championship abroad will take a four-day rest before and after the game," El-Zanaty said during the Egyptian Premier League s draw ceremony. "The teams playing in Egypt will be given three days before the game and three days after the game to rest. "If one of these teams reaches the semi final or final stage, the team will be given five days rest in the home match and six days in the away game," he said.
Egypt s Ahly flies to Equatorial Guinea to play Cano Sport in CAF Champions League
Ahly squad flew early on Wednesday to Equatorial Guinea to meet Cano Sport in the capital of Malabo in the first leg of round 32 of the CAF Champions League game on Saturday. Ahly s new Swiss coach Rene Weiler has called up 25 players to join the travelling squad; including veteran goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy after he recovered from his injury. Tunisian left-back Maaloul, Moroccan striker Walid Azaro, Angolan winger Geraldo and Malian midfielder Aliou Dieng will join their teammates directly in Equatorial Guinea after ending their commitments with their national teams. Last month, the eight-time African champions Ahly defeated South Sudanese Atlabara 13-0 on aggregate in the round of 64, while the Guinean side Cano Sport beat Ethiopia s Mekelle 3-2 on aggregate in the same preliminary stage. The Cairo giants will host Cano Sport in the second-leg match in Egypt two weeks later. Ahly are eyeing their ninth CAF Champions League title under the new coach Weiler, who took the helm last week.


BARBARA I GONGINI is a Nordic luxury Avant-Garde fashion design brand founded by designer Barbara í Gongini, who introduces a conceptual aesthetics, consisting of powerful geometric cuts and soft elliptical silhouettes. While beholding the garments, you imagine a strong fashion cocktail, mixed of Rick Owens' gothic-grunge of essentiality and Maison Margiela's androgynous architecture of tailoring, flavoured with vigorous artistic identity, genuine craftsmanship and raw authenticity of BARBARA I GONGINI. It is an intellectual celebration of cuts and shapes, encouraging a broad fashion discourse.
What is the inspiration behind this season's collection?
I think we all have that little place somewhere in our inner core that emanates very much of where we come from. I originate from the Faroe Islands. By living not just on the islands, but also outside - we have our Headquarters in Copenhagen - you get another perspective on that place. You start romanticizing, as it becomes very dear to your heart, making you longing for this peculiar place. I have been looking very much into that feeling and just compressed it in a visual way. I believe that it comes from this place within. The inspiration itself has never been questioned. We have selected the monochromatic shades, which mirror the natural elements such as sawing grass, mud and rough basalt cliffs. The choice of colors remains as a silent canvas, where on the contrary the cuts and shapes of the garments are set in the limelight.
While keeping your signature moody Nordic avant-garde construction, this season you bring in some lighter colors that haven't been so prominent in recent collections.
Even though, the Avant-Garde is not influenced by trends, you sometime slightly have to bend to adapt to market needs. Therefore we decided to implement a selection of styles in a variety of color. We are touching a new terrain with earthy shades, depending on which season; we either go in the darker or lighter realms of color. It broadens our selection but it still lies in symbiosis with our monochromatic designs.
Have you always incorporated used leather into your collections and production?
The process of reusing leftover fabrics as well as leather has always been incorporated into our design DNA. We get the leather scraps from the manufacturer and sew smaller items from those. Another approach is to create Showpieces from leftover material. Our Modular Human Showpieces were created from a carpet, which we found on the streets and are now traveling around the world for being displayed at well-known design museums.
Your collections have always captivated a broad audience in regards to gender and age. Do you see this becoming more prevalent in the fashion arena?
We at Barbara I Gongini, celebrate the male, the female and everything what lies within. We don't think exclusively in terms of gender. A lot of our female customers buy our Menswear and the other way round. We celebrate this fluidity!
Besides your current clients, what person would make you happy to see dressed in your SS18 collection?
I am personally not very impressed by the mechanism of fame. Don`t get me wrong, I really appreciate when people succeed with something that they really burn for! Personally, I love to see the different types of people on the street, the ones who made an effort and considered what to wear. This can be a form of pure art. Therefore what really inspires me is the people, not a particular person. Of course, I was happy when I got the opportunity to dress Lenny Kravitz's band, for instance, it filled my heart with joy. That was really cool, because I dig his art, too.


I have modified all the GTR 2 vehicle .cas files in order to optimize the LOD's (LOD values) for better performance on my own system.
Please be sure to backup your "\GTR 2\GameData\Teams" folder just in case you want to revert back to the original .cas files.
Drop the "GameData" folder contained in the .zip file into your GTR 2 installation directory. Select "Yes" when prompted to overwrite files.


This time of Walter. He died this January. Still miss the old man. And no, I didn't name him. This photo is from this time in 2017, during his prime. And with that, I have posted something every day for two weeks.
This is how streaks go for me. I sucker myself into going for a week. Then if I went for seven days, why not make it an even ten? If I can do a ten day streak of something, why not twenty? And it goes on from there.... I'm not real hung up about having … Continue reading sure why not?


text:
Q: How does Xamarin implement an iOS  and how can I find out the exact size of the header and color? I would like to implement a <TableView> using a <StackLayout>.  Is there a place that I can go to find the dimensions and size of the <TableView> elements. Also is the code that Xamarin uses to render this open source and where can I find it?

A: The whole Xamarin.Forms code is open-source and on GitHub: https://github.com/xamarin/Xamarin.Forms
The specific part you are looking for, rendering a TableView happens here for Android. I think on iOS it is part of the ListViewRenderer, which can be found here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The City Choir of Washington is committed to nurturing the next generation of performers and audience members. As part of our educational outreach programs each season, we include a talented high school choral group as featured performers in our annual Music for Christmas concert. They perform several selections on their own and also join our singers for part of the program. Our 2018-2019 Partner in Song is the West Springfield High School Madrigals, under the direction of Dustin Brandt.
Each season, The City Choir of Washington presents one or more emerging performers from the Washington metropolitan area as featured soloists in one of our concerts. These vocalists are selected through a comprehensive audition process for young singers from throughout the region. In addition to performing in our concert, each Young American Artist receives private coaching from Maestro Robert Shafer.
THE CITY SINGERS is the community outreach chamber choir of The City Choir of Washington. The ensemble brings quality choral music—light classical, popular, secular, patriotic, show tunes, folk songs—to organizations and audiences who may not be able to attend regular concerts of The City Choir of Washington.
The City Singers ensemble also serves as a goodwill ambassador, attracting new audiences and generating financial support for The City Choir of Washington.
The City Singers ensemble is conducted by Rachel Binger, who studied under Robert Shafer at Shenandoah University. Currently, she is in her fourteenth year as choral director at River Bend Middle with Loudoun County Public Schools in Sterling, Virginia.
For more information or to inquire about scheduling a performance, please call Lani Kanakry, City Singers Coordinator, at 703-866-1516.


An understated tale of life's changes, handled with a light, believable touch and an easy confidence. This would be a crowd-pleaser at any spoken word event.
At unexpected times, life throws darkness at us, and we cannot always explain our actions in those moments. This story captures that, and its lack of explanation is its greatest strength.
With all the tricks in the writer's toolbox, sometimes simplicity is the best way to tell a story. This one felt direct and touched something fundamental.
A knowing, charming piece, told with an assured rhythm and a twinkle in its eye. The author clearly understands poets.
years of savage faith are captured in less than 150 words.
This is a strange and lovely poem, weaving nursery rhyme, folkore and domesticity and studding it with colourful jewels. The last line hints that something isn't what it seems, and provides an unsettling end to a singular poem. I chose this poem as the winner because I felt the author had taken to heart what I had said on the website at the launch of the competition; I wanted to see poems that went to places other poems hadn't yet been, and that made me go 'Wow!'. This one did exactly that.
I love the playfulness of this poem, working as it does betwe en two variants of the language – on the one hand, the sterile language of official announcements and, on the other, the warped invention of misheard lines. It takes the banal and makes it beautiful, which is a noble aspiration for any poem. This kind of poem opens up the possibilities of the everyday as a source of inspiration. Poems are all around us – this one just needed to be plucked out of the air of a rattling railway carriage and recorded with skill and style, which it was.
This poem sets out its intention in the title, and delivers a poem which conveys that sense of stillness and the gradual advance of the seasons with clarity and precision. It is shot through with memorable images and paints a vivid picture with subtle economy. Many poems focus on landscape/seascape and the changing of the seasons, but something in its description of how it all fits together inside the dome of an egg made it fresh for me.
A jangling, dramatic poem of land, sea and season, with a great variation of pace throughout. Of all the poems I selected, this is the poem I would most like to hear read aloud.
This is a little nugget of poetic insight into familiar themes of rebirth and death, made wiser but more sombre by its ending.
This is a dense and erudite poem marking a coastal span and reads like a scientific travelogue of one of Scotland's most beautiful areas. It is an ambitious interleaving of geology, history and emotion.
A neat exploration of a place through its history – more recent history (if I'm reading it right) with its references to Sassoon and Owen – but what makes this poem stand out is the expansive and wholly unexpected payoff.
This story is breathtakingly good. It contains writing which is both fresh and original – qualities I said I was looking for. I loved lines like 'Lexi was almost seven and taller than a table and not as tall as a door.' That is so good. The language is poetic and clear, and there are no unnecessary words in the story. The ending is a surprise, and it feels just right. Very impressive writing. I scored it 9 (out of 10).
This is so cleverly written. I like the way the characters shift from fairy tale to reality and back into fairy tale. It's very 'knowing', and full of jokes. It's also full of surprises, and a very good read. I scored it 8.
3rd: Marka Rifat for Spring journey.
This is a good story, well told. It contains good character development, and a strong structure, with a definite beginning, middle and end. I scored it 7.5.
This is a likeable portrait of a couple of characters I could believe in, and a story about how not everything in life is black and white. It lost me at a couple of points, and the dénouement was perhaps a little too hasty – some foreshadowing would have helped. But a good read. I scored it 7.


Home / News / CELEBS ARE MAD FOR TOLANI PLAIDS!!
CELEBS ARE MAD FOR TOLANI PLAIDS!!
Celebs have been rocking TOLANI plaids all over the place this season!! These original TOLANI pieces are super comfy, very stylish and come in amazing color options. Best part about this plaid collection is no one does them quite like TOLANI!! Get yours today on TOLANICOLLECTION.COM before they sell out!! SHOP NOW!!


I chose Karina's School Of Dance 5 1/2 years ago when Luisa was 3 years old. Ever since that day my daughter has been learning and growing into a great dancer. This has only been possible thanks to her outstanding dance teacher Ms Karina!!! She has had the patience and the love to teach her and all her students. I can only say that Karina's School Of Dance has become part of our family. Thank you Ms Karina, Mr Miguel, Ms Jennifer and all the KSOD team for always taking care of us!!! Great dance school!!
Our family wants to thank you for the kindness you have shown Jireh ; by giving her the gift of dancing. The great joy she found in herself through her wonderful dance teacher, and the love and kindness you have shown her, has made her a happy little girl!! Words just can't express how grateful we are with you !! And everyday we thank God for having you in our life !!!! You are the Best !!!


Home improvements often start and end with some type of complicated electrical work. And I know how complicated that stuff can be. I am well versed in electrical code. Having a masters certification as an electrician also gives you the peace of mind that your repair or addition is being done by a qualified individual. Plus, if you've got an emergency electrical need, you can count on our 24 hour emergency call service. I do not charge extra for after hours and weekend calls either. I am a handyman that can do it all.
I have over 30 years of experience, so I've seen it all. As a handyman. From small projects to big ones, I've got your needs covered. I can help you out with just a simple stucco or drywall repair up to the most complex roof repairs. Flooring, Tile, and brick repointing. I use no subcontractors. Just one handyman.
I know what it's like to have to deal with a plumbing emergency or even just a simple remodel that includes switching out some of your plumbing. And I have all of your needs covered. Plus, if you've got an emergency plumbing need, you can count on my 24 hour emergency call service. I do not charge extra for after hours and weekend calls either. I will be out there in a few hours, guaranteed. One handman that can do it all.
Copyright © Bastin Enterprises. All rights reserved.


Jharsuguda: Members of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) undertook separate inspections on the prospects of granting licence to Jharsuguda airport to operate Airbus-320 flights.
"The inspection was for granting license to operate 4C category aircraft, i.e. Airbus-320. The Jharsuguda airport will get the license to operate these aircraft on the basis of the report of BCAS and DGCA," said SK Chauhan, director, Jharsuguda airport.
Sources said the two-day inspection started Thursday. A deputy director from Mumbai DGCA and an assistant director from Delhi undertook the inspection. They checked the ATS tower, emergency health facility, runway, electrification at the runway, security post, terminal, tower and other facilities like water, electricity, road, etc.
A five-member team led by BCAS regional director DP Sharma also checked all facilities related to the security of the airport.
DGCA will submit a detailed report within a week, Chauhan said. While the airport already received category 2B license in May, and the director is hopeful of getting the 4C type license soon.


These luxury slim folding glasses are ideal for the stylish traveller. Folding at the temples and bridge the glasses fold flat, sliding neatly into a slender, Italian crafted case. They also feature high quality lenses with folding temples and bridge.


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Q: cpp - Implement a merge sort function without using void return type (recursively) I intend to create a recursive merge sort function that returns a pointer to the sorted array. Below is my implementation of the program.
The output produced by the code mostly consists of garbage memory locations. Since it is a recursive function, I'm having trouble debugging it. What scares me is whether I have understood pointers, arrays and their interconversion incorrectly. It would be really helpful if someone could take a look at the code and tell me my mistake.
Function that prints an array given a pointer to its first element
void printArr(int *arr, int n){
    int *ptr = arr;
    for(int i = 0; i < n; i++){
        cout << *ptr << " ";
        ptr++;
    }
    cout << endl;
}

Merge Sort function
Here p is the pointer to the given array, n is the length of the array. l and r are the indices of the first and last element of the array respectively.
// returns pointer to the sorted array
int* mergeSort(int *p, int n, int l, int r){
    if(l >= r){
        return &p[l];
    }
    int mid = l + (r-l)/2;
    int *leftArray = mergeSort(p, n, l, mid);
    int *rightArray = mergeSort(p, n, mid+1, r);
    int n1 = mid - l + 1;
    int n2 = r - mid;
    int sortedArray[n1+n2];
    int *ptr = sortedArray; // pointer to the sorted array

    int p1 = 0; // left array index pointer
    int p2 = 0; // right array index pointer
    int idx = 0; // sorted array index pointer
    int flag = 0; /* flag = 1 => all elements of left array have been placed into the sorted array ; flag = 2 => all elements of right array have been placed into the sorted array */

    // putting elements into the sorted array
    for(int i = 0; i < n1+n2; i++){

        if(p1 == n1){
            flag = 1;
            break;
        }
        if(p2 == n2){
            flag = 2;
            break;
        }

        if(*(leftArray+i) > *(rightArray+i)){
            sortedArray[i] = *(leftArray+p1);
            p1++;
            idx++;
        }
        else{
            sortedArray[i] = *(rightArray+p2);
            p2++;
            idx++;
        }
    }

    if(flag == 1){
        // put remaining elements of right array into the sorted array
        for(int i = idx; i < n1+n2; i++){
            sortedArray[i] = *(rightArray+p2);
            p2++;
        }
    }
    if(flag == 2){
        // put remaining elements of left array into the sorted array
        for(int i = idx; i < n1+n2; i++){
            sortedArray[i] = *(leftArray+p1);
            p1++;
        }
    }
    // return the sorted array
    return ptr;
}

Main function
    int main(){
        int arr[] = {7,2,1,5};
        int n = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(int);
        int *p = arr;
        cout << "Original array: ";
        printArr(arr, n);
        int *f = mergeSort(arr, n, 0, 3);
        cout << "New array: ";
        printArr(f, n);
    }

A: Your code have returned the local array's address, which is invalidated after function returned. Then gabarage data is printed:
    int sortedArray[n1+n2];
    int *ptr = sortedArray; // pointer to the sorted array

Change into
int *ptr = new int[n1 + n2];
auto sortedArray = ptr;

Then we get a non-garbage value, but we hit memory leak and it's hard to deal with memory deallocation since the retuned pointer may point to the array p under certain boundary conditions.
So return pointer is not a good design, and it just wastes the API call to allocate memory and deallocate memory. It's better to split the function into two: the first one allocates a temporary buffer, and the second one handles sorting with the buffer as a parameter and calls itself with a recursive. Or just sort in place, totally avoid the temporary buffer.


My eight years in general education taught me so much about gifted learners. Sadly, I spent most of those years teaching to the middle. I lived my days believing several myths about gifted learners. I would like to unpack a few of those myths for you, so you won't fall victim as well.
1. Gifted learners can challenge themselves and keep themselves entertained in the classroom.
WRONG. The truth is, when gifted learners are not learning and engaged, they will find other things to do. These things are not always good choices. As educators, we need to challenge them and ensure that they will learn something new each day.
2. All students need the same assignments.
WRONG. Sure, it's easiest for your grade book if you can enter the same assignment in for each student. That will keep things nice and tidy for you – the organized teacher. But, that's not what kids need. If a student can demonstrate understanding of a concept after two problems, then don't make him do more. This will only push him to work incorrectly or to stop being motivated. Don't worry about a "picture perfect" grade book. That's not what students need most.
WRONG. I deal with just as many behavior issues as the next teacher. And, if a student exhibits behavior problems that does NOT mean that he doesn't need an extra challenge. In fact, that could be an indicator for those behaviors. Bored children can lead to naughty children. One of the worst things you can do is write a child off as needing services because of his behavior.
WRONG. Receiving enrichment should never be a reward. It should never be taken away due to a poor choice. Enrichment should take the place of the learning that is happening in the classroom. They should not be expected to do "more" work just "different" work.
5. Gifted students get great grades.
WRONG. Many gifted learners do not get good grades. This is a reflection on the teachers and what has been asked of the student. This basically sums up the other myths I discussed. Students will not receive good grades if we as teachers fall victim to the first few myths.
These are just a few that I thought would be a good start. After thinking through these five myths, I have developed 5 mission statements for what we do believe about gifted learners.
1. It is our purpose to serve the needs of high ability and gifted children in the most developmentally appropriate manner.
2. All children have the right to learn something new in school every day.
3. Each child can grasp success. However, it is necessary to provide opportunities for children to reach beyond…to achieve excellence.
4. Students have specific and changing academic needs that demand a responsive and flexible educational plan.
5. Students should have structured opportunities to interact with peers of similar abilities and interests.


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Erie Faces Erie
Erie Faces Erie: January 4, 2017
Tara Tallman Sollman and Beverly K. Verbeke: TEDx speaker coaches/presentation designers
by Ed Bernik
Ed Bernik
"People want to connect to a human being – to hear something that makes them feel something."
Ed Bernik: You're both speaker coaches for TEDx. How did your careers go down that path?
Tara Tallman Sollman: I was a graphic designer/photographer who was always drawn to storytelling. I was a also huge fan of TED videos, and became a junkie for watching those online. So when there was a local TEDx event being organized in State College, I found out who was curating the event, stalked them on Twitter, and sent them a tweet that said, "Can I please help you? Can I design the slides for your speaker?" That person responded "yes," and that was the beginning of what became a career coaching speakers for TEDx events.
Beverly K. Verbeke: It was pretty much a fluke that I got involved. Tara is married to my nephew and we're great friends, and I accompanied her to one of her events. It was totally spontaneous – and serendipitous. Once I got involved, I was completely enamored of the whole thing. Tara mentored me, and then I went out on my own earlier this year.
EB: How far is your reach to coach for these TEDx events? Is it mostly in the U.S.?
BKV: As far as travel, about six to seven hours drive time. We also do international events in Spain, the Netherlands, and France.
TTS: We've coached all over the world, but I have two young children, ages four and two, and it takes a lot for me to want to leave the house for a number of days. The cool thing is that what we do can be done remotely.
Many clients I work with are located in the U.S. but based in London or Canada. People no longer have just one location, especially when working with global companies.
EB: As graphic designers, how did you make the transition from working visually to helping people with the spoken word?
TTS: Even as a young designer, I would always read the copy before I'd start designing. If it didn't make sense to me, I'd ask the client, "Do I have some free will here? Can I change some things?" If the content didn't work, I couldn't do my job. It's more than just pixels, it's about what the message is and what relates to an audience. It's not about artifice or making something look pretty or superficially glossing over it, it's about figuring out the best way to present the message to the person on the other end.
EB: How has TED change your lives?
TTS: TED espoused values that I hold dear: stories, openness, design. TED does work that I believe in and I want to be a part of that. These days, we can do anything with our time on the internet: look at cat videos, read listicles on BuzzFeed. Or, spend 18 minutes learning about something that changes the way we think – that makes us conversant with a topic so we can talk to other people about it. That touches me deeply. Those same elements can be used in corporate or business culture. Anytime someone has a high-stakes, hard-to-tell story or presentation, you can use elements from TED to make your ideas more resonant, memorable, and easily understood.
BKV: In all the ways Tara has described it, TED has changed my life, as well. I've become an avid podcast listener when I have spare time or I'm cleaning the house. Stories, history – there's so much, and I've become obsessed with learning. It has changed my relationship with my family, my nephew, Tara, and her kids. We're so much closer and I love it.
EB: How do you work with highly intelligent people, some with big egos? How do you tell them their message may be incoherent or won't resonate with an audience?
TTS: I've never been intimidated by rank. In every job I've had, I've been the person who's never afraid to speak up – especially if someone really important is at the meeting. You can't think that you're less-than because maybe you're not as intelligent as or successful. I'm not being paid to beat around the bush. I'm there to help them look good, and have to keep that in mind when I must say something pivotal to someone. Like, "Your message is crap and you need help," or "I don't understand what you're saying." I keep in the back of my mind that ultimately, they want their idea to be heard by a lot of people – to take shape in the world and do something. Speaking the truth is part of what I consider a deliverable in addition to the design element; that's what I hold in my head on every single call. Listen deeply, then reflect truth back to that person about what I heard and what was communicated to me.
BKV: And say it with love.
TTS: Always!
EB: What is the biggest flaw in most presentations?
BKV: Probably a presentation that's not augmented by clean, understandable visuals; a PowerPoint presentation with so many words and thoughts per slide, using all the bells and whistles, that it becomes muddied for the person watching. You can't read it, you can't conceive it, you can't simply understand it.
TTS: PowerPoint changed communication to more visuals, putting less importance on the spoken word. But people want to connect to a human being – to hear something that makes them feel something. The most important thing is to have a balance of emotional content, like personal stories or metaphors that support a piece of data, wrapping that emotional content around information so people remember the experience. Storytelling goes back as far as humans do, but we've sort of forgotten how to do it.
EB: How do you coach someone whose expertise is in a field you know nothing about, or who is so esoteric that the audience is lost from the get-go?
BKV: From the very beginning, we express to the speakers that it has to be knowledge that anybody can understand. I use myself as a barometer: If I don't understand it, chances are no one else will, either.
TTS: When speaking with someone who is very intelligent or specialized in a single knowledge area, you have to remind yourself you're the best person to coach them because you represent the general audience. Today, when everyone is looking for things to go viral and have millions of views, appealing to the masses is a commodity and they need people like us, who are not their peers.
EB: Any quick pointers for someone about to do their first speaking engagement?
TTS: People tend to start with what. There's a great TED talk by Simon Sinek called "How great leaders inspire action." He repeatedly says, "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." Once they care about that, they'll keep listening.
BKV: It's hard for people to realize how interesting their stories really are. We often hear, "Oh, no one cares about that," when really it's the most compelling thing to us.
Now I have a question for you, Ed. Would you ever consider doing a TED talk?
Tara Tallman Sollman: tarasollman.com
Beverly K. Verbeke: bkvdesign.com
Ed Bernik: bernikphotography.com
ed berniktedxtara tallman sollmangraphic designerphotographercoaching speakerscareerbeverly k verbeketedintelligentpresentation
The Jefferson Educational Society's Global Summit IX
by Jim Wertz, Matt Swanseger, and Nick Warren10/25/2017, 5:15 PM
World-class lecturers speak on the world we live in
Erie's 2017 "40 Under 40"
by Erie Reader Staff6/21/2017, 2:45 PM
Innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders shaping the future of Erie
Erie Faces Erie: March 15, 2017
by Ed Bernik3/15/2017, 2:00 PM
Tom Weber: filmmaker
Erie Faces Erie: March 1, 2017
by Ed Bernik3/1/2017, 1:00 PM
Mike Vickey: proprietor, Nickel Plate Press
Erie Faces Erie: February 15, 2017
Wei-Shin Lai and Jason Wolfe: founders of AcousticSheep
Erie Faces Erie: February 1, 2017
Brenda Costa, executive director of the French Creek Valley Conservancy (FCVC)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl