When Tottenham comes to the United States for their preseason tour next month, they could very well be led by Andre Villas-Boas.
According to reports from England, Villas-Boas could be named Spurs coach as soon as this weekend as the club finalizes plans to find Harry Redknapp's successor. Tottenham took another step in that direction Thursday by parting ways with Redknapp's assistants Joe Jordan and Kevin Bond, giving the incoming manager free reign to bring in his own staff.
Villas-Boas, 34, was ousted by Chelsea over the winter, halfway into his first season in the Premier League, but he has been a favorite for the Tottenham job ever since Redknapp was let go by the club.
Here are a few more stories to get your Friday going:
ENGLAND WANTS BECKHAM FOR OLYMPIC ROLE
David Beckham may not have been named to Stuart Pearce's Team Great Britain Olympic roster, but that does not mean he is not wanted for the Olympic festivities.
Lord Sebastian Coe will reportedly offer Beckham a role in some capacity for the Olympic Games despite his exclusion from Pearce's team. Beckham was integral in helping London secure the Olympics and he has been a part of the festivities leading up to the Olympics, helping bring the torch from Greece to England, but was looked over for an overage spot on Pearce's roster, reportedly getting snubbed for Ryan Giggs, Micah Richards and Craig Bellamy.
"Team selections are up to the coaches and managers of each sport," Coe told UK media. "But David has been an extraordinary supporter, probably our No. 1 supporter, of the Games from the very beginning and is keen to continue his enthusiastic support right to the end. He really gets this. He is from East London and knows how important the Games and sport are to young people. He is a great role model and we are lucky to have such an advocate. I will be talking to him about a Games role."
Whether the Galaxy feel compelled or agree to release Beckham for the Olympics in light of his exclusion from the team is another case altogether.
KLOSE AIMS TO PLAY ON FOR GERMANY
Euro 2012 won't be the final big stage for Miroslav Klose.
After Germany's ouster at the hands of Italy on Thursday, the 34-year-old striker reportedly said that he plans to play for Germany through the 2014 FIFA World Cup. With 64 career international goals, Klose is second all-time on Germany's scoring list behind Gerd Muller. Klose, reduced mostly to a reserve role at Euro 2012, scored one goal during the tournament, doing so in Germany's 4-2 win over Greece in the quarterfinals.
PROENCA TO REF EURO FINAL
Pedro Proenca will pull off the referee double this year.
After refereeing the Chelsea-Bayern Munich UEFA Champions League final, the Portuguese referee will have the honor of officiating the Euro 2012 final between Spain and Italy.
Proenca has worked one game for each team during the tournament, ruling over Spain's group-stage victory over the Republic of Ireland and Italy's quarterfinal triumph over England.
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Do you think Villas-Boas is the right man for Tottenham? Should Beckham be allowed to take part in the Olympics even though he was not named to the Team GB roster? Do you see Klose playing a major role for Germany over the next couple of years? Have any issue with Proenca being given the Euro 2012 final?
Share your thoughts below.