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PHILADELPHIA -- With Charlie Manuel seated to his left, Ruben Amaro Jr. Graham Zusi Jersey . broke down in tears after announcing he fired his manager. It was that emotional for the general manager and many associated with the Philadelphia Phillies. Manuel was let go Friday in the middle of a terrible second half, ending the most successful run in club history. Hall of Famer and former Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg, the Phillies third base coach, replaced Manuel for the start of a 10-game homestand. The Phillies didnt play any better for Sandberg and lost 4-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in his debut. They have lost 20 of 24. It wasnt an easy night, or day, for anyone in the organization. "You people may not know the relationship Ive had with Charlie. Hes a special person. This is difficult for me. I hope he stays in our organization," said Amaro, who took over as GM after Manuel led the Phillies to the World Series title in 2008. The managerial change didnt help Friday night. Zack Greinke (11-3) pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning and Hanley Ramirez homered to lead the streaking Dodgers to a victory over Sandberg and the slumping Phillies. "It was a roller coaster of a day emotionally," Sandberg said. "It affected me and I think it affects the players. ... Tomorrow hopefully well get back to work and the game goes on." The 69-year-old Manuel, the winningest manager in club history, was in the final year of his contract and wanted to manage another two or three seasons. "I never quit nothing and I didnt resign," Manuel said, making it clear he was pushed out the door. Manuel had been a folksy presence in the Phillies dugout since the beginning of the 2005 season. He wasnt a popular choice in Philadelphia when former GM Ed Wade hired him to replace Larry Bowa, but he became a beloved figure in a tough city. "I think were all a little upset, a little sad," second baseman Chase Utley said. "Its not easy to see the guy you play for, for nine years, not behind the batting cage right now watching batting practice. Its difficult. "Charlie brought out the most in his players. He was a man you could walk up to and he was the same every day. He was always going to give that positive energy and a lot of times that translated to the field." "I definitely enjoyed Charlie and liked playing for him," added left-hander Cliff Lee said. "I thought he did a good job. Its definitely our fault. We werent getting it done." Lee (10-6) pitched well on Friday night, but the Phillies couldnt provide any offence, finishing with three hits while getting shut out for the 11th time this season. Philadelphia hopes to turn things around under Sandberg. "Hes a quiet guy, but when he speaks everybody listens," All-Star slugger Domonic Brown said. "Guys definitely know he knows what hes talking about." Sandberg managed the Phillies Triple-A team at Lehigh Valley the previous two seasons. He was part of one the most lopsided trades in baseball history when the Phillies traded him and Bowa to the Cubs for shortstop Ivan DeJesus in 1982. "I must say that, for me, I recognize this day as Charlie Manuel Day," Sandberg said at his first news conference. "What hes meant to the Philadelphia Phillies organization, what hes meant to the fans, the championships, the World Series, hes tops in the organization for what he did here. I really enjoyed my nearly three years with him in spring training and being here in Septembers, and this year especially being with him on a daily basis. I wish Charlie the best with whatever he intends to do, and he left a big footprint here in Philadelphia." Amaro said Sandberg takes over on an interim basis and would be evaluated after the season. Sandberg inherits a team that dropped to 5-20 since the All-Star break and is 21 1/2 games out of first place. "These guys are professional players, theyre getting paid well," Sandberg said. "Sometimes players have to dig deeper, play with pride, play with heart and for the name on the front of the uniform." Manuel won his 1,000th game as manager on Monday in Atlanta. Two days later, he sat in the dugout knowing it would be his last game after Amaro informed him of the decision not to extend his contract. "I think sometimes people forget how much I love to win," Manuel said. "I think that goes unnoticed. I think sometimes I dont talk about it, because I push it to my team and how important it is. Every day, I say our No. 1 priority is to win the game. When we get away from that, we get into trouble. I love everything about managing, and I think for us, the last couple years to fall back, I get upset very much so. I want us to stay where we were at, I want to compete for a World Series every year." Manuel led Philadelphia to the franchises second World Series title in 2008 08 and brought the team back to the Series in 2009, when it lost to the Yankees in six games. Manuel was 780-636 with the Phillies and won five straight NL East titles from 2007-11. He also spent three years as manager with the Cleveland Indians, winning the AL Central in 2001. Even with an aging roster, the Phillies were expected to contend in the NL East this season, but the team has fallen apart. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay has missed most of the season with an injury. First baseman Ryan Howard also has been out with an injury. High-priced reliever Jonathan Papelbon has struggled to close, and apart from Utley and Brown, the Phillies havent hit much. "We let down not only him, we let down the organization, we let down the fans," said lefty Cole Hamels, who is 5-13. "But I think ultimately, we let each other down. We really have to get back up and discover who we are, and what were playing for. And go out there and do it." Manuels abrupt dismissal angered many fans, who called into talk-radio stations to express their bitterness. Most blame Amaro for the Phillies decline. Amaro has made several questionable moves since replacing Pat Gillick. His decision to give Howard a $125 million contract nearly two years before he was set to become a free agent has handcuffed the team financially along with other big-money deals. "This isnt a blame game," Amaro said. "Im not here to blame Charlie for our issues. We all have a part in it." Joshua Kimmich Jersey . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Gyasi Zardes Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset.http://www.soccerpro.us.com/France/Mamadou-Sakho-Jersey/ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter.MONTREAL -- Pauline Marois came out kicking in defence of the Quebec Soccer Federations refusal to let turban-wearing kids play the sport, a position that has lobbed the controversial debate into the provinces political arena. The Canadian Soccer Association suspended the provincial association on Monday after the Quebec body showed no sign of overturning its decision to uphold a ban on Sikh religious headwear on the pitch. It says the suspension will remain in place until the Quebec organization lifts its restriction on turbans, patkas and keskis in organized soccer. The Quebec premier took issue Tuesday with the CSA move and called it "unacceptable" for the national organization to punish her provinces soccer federation. The suspension prompted Marois, and several other Quebec politicians, to make their first public remarks on a contentious dispute that has made international headlines. Virtually all lawmakers in the Quebec legislature had avoided the politically thorny topic, but the federal-provincial jurisdictional crossover had several of them talking Tuesday at the national assembly. "I believe the Quebec federation has the right to make its own rules, its autonomous, its not bound by the Canadian federation," Marois, leader of the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois, said in Quebec City. "In this regard, I support it in its orientations." The CSA, however, reports directly to the FIFA world soccer governing body and is responsible for granting or revoking the membership of provincial federations. Prominent PQ cabinet minister Bernard Drainville stuck to his partys stance despite the soccer hierarchy. "It is not up to the Canadian association to decide what is going on Quebec soccer fields -- this power belongs to the Quebec Soccer Federation," Drainville told reporters. "So, the Canadian association should respect the autonomy of the Quebec Soccer Federation to make its own rules on Quebec soccer fields. This is the principle we are defending and we do not understand why the Canadian association is interfering with this right that the Quebec Soccer Federation has." The Quebec body, which did not immediately return calls about the suspension, met late Tuesday to discuss the matter. A source told The Canadian Press a decision was made after the meeting and that it would be made public in 10 days. In the meanwhile, the Quebec Soccer Federation will continue to look at the controversy. It cites safety concerns for banning turbans and points to FIFA rules, which dont specifically allow turbans. But critics counter that FIFAs regulations dont explicitly ban turbans, either. In Ottawa, Quebec Conservative MP Maxime Bernier was asked by a reporter about Marois support for the Quebec federation. He said the Harper government backs the CSA and believes soccer players should be free to wear any religious symbol on the pitch, as long as it doesnt cause a safety issue. "So, I hope that we are more open in Quebec in this way," said Bernier, who noted that all other provincial federations believe Sikh headwear is safe for soccer. The national soccer organization said last week it expected the Quebec association to reverse the ban, which has drawn condemnation from several federal politicians. Quebec is the only province that has balked at the directive to allow turbans on the pitch. Its unclear how the sanction might affect Quebecs soccer players. A spokeswoman for the Canadian Soccer Association said Tuesday she did not have specific details on the suspension. The impact, however, could be felt in a variety of ways unless the ssituation is resolved soon, according to Canadian Soccer News. Matt Miazga Jersey. Its website said the suspension could prevent Quebec all-star teams from playing outside the province, and even result in games within Quebec being cancelled if they involve a nationally certified referee. If the suspension lasts long enough, Quebec teams could also be blocked from participating in national championships, the publication said. Quebec is set to host the upcoming Canada Games in the city of Sherbrooke and there are fears the suspension could keep some of the provinces athletes from competing in the August event. "I know that there are young people who are among the best and dream of going (to the Canada Games)," Quebec Sports Minister Marie Malavoy said Tuesday. "And I really hope that the Canadian (Soccer) Association leaves us alone and lets us make our own decisions because its the youth who risk suffering in the very short term." The technical director of a top Quebec amateur club said the suspension could cancel a match scheduled for later this month between his senior mens team, Royal-Select Beauport, and the touring Haitian national squad. Haiti is No. 63 in FIFAs world rankings -- 20 spots higher than Canada. Samir Ghrib said if the dispute isnt resolved before the fall, it could also prevent his team from earning a chance to defend its 2012 national title. Ghrib, who agrees with the Quebec associations position on turbans, hopes a solution is found soon. "Religion doesnt have a place on sports fields," he said. "The soccer field must remain neutral." The Sikh community, meanwhile, says the Quebec soccer body has put the families of 100 to 200 children in a difficult spot: abandon a religious requirement, or quit playing organized soccer. The World Sikh Organization says those children were forced out of soccer a year ago. Quebec referees began cracking down in the last year on turbans, patkas and keskis -- the religious headgear worn by Sikh men and boys. Physicians, including former soccer coach Dr. Sanjeet Singh Saluja, have denounced the ban and insist it has no medical justification. On Tuesday, even the president of Major League Soccers Montreal Impact weighed in on the turban-ban debate. Joey Saputo said in a statement that kids should not be prevented from playing soccer at the youth level just because they wear a turban, but added that he thought the CSAs decision to suspend Quebecs federation over the issue was "clearly exaggerated." He said the Quebec organizations ban on turbans was based on a FIFA rule that is open to interpretation. Saputo added that accusations of racism against the provincial federation were uncalled for considering the context of the Quebec bodys decision. "The Canadian Soccer Association made a recommendation and did not officially state its position to provincial federations," said Saputo, who also urged those involved to resolve the situation. "All parties involved must find some common ground for the good of the sport." Shortly after the suspension was announced Monday, some of those who opposed the ban said they welcomed the national bodys tough-love approach. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney tweeted his approval: "Good to see CDN Soccer Association take action against the Quebec Soccer Federation over its ridiculous turban ban." Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau echoed the sentiment, tweeting that "Barring kids from playing soccer because they wear a turban is wrong. The CSA is right to suspend the .QSF." - with a file from Marc Tougas Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
