Sports
Arsenal boss Unai Emery insists he has not sought advice from Arsene Wenger as he bids to put his stamp on Gunners
UNAI EMERY has not asked Arsene Wenger for any advice as he looks to stamp his authority on his new Arsenal squad.
The Spanish coach has been working with his players for two weeks at their Colney training base since taking over from Wenger, whose 22-year reign ended in May.
Emery takes charge of his first game against Boreham Wood on Saturday before jetting off with the Gunners to Asia to take on Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, as well as former clubs PSG and Sevilla.
They then face champions Manchester City in the opening game of the season at The Emirates on August 12.
Emery spoke of his admiration for Wenger when presented as the club’s new boss back in May, suggesting he was “proud” to follow in his footsteps.
But the 46-year-old will refrain from asking the Frenchman for his tips on the squad, insisting he has his “own opinions” on the players.
Asked whether he has had any contact with Wenger since his hiring, he said: “Not yet. Normally every year when we meet in Lyon for the coaches meeting we have conversations.
“And I am sure we will meet in the next week or month or in the future.
“But each coach needs to know his players – it’s not the same relationships between different coaches and players.
“I have my personality and I want to know them through my own opinion and my conversations with the players.
“I also have more information of the players from my staff around me.
“The information from Arsene would be important but the most important thing is my relationship with my players.”
Emery also had his say on the captaincy for next season – revealing he has FIVE current players in mind.
He added: “It’s about knowing every player and to know the personality of those players.
“I think my first idea is to give five captains in the team, but not to name them at the moment because it think I can and need to know more about them.
“And Koscielny is the first captain now and I have to have respect for that and then we are looking at and who is the player who has the best personality and resolution and keep the players together.”
Emery admitted that the club currently have too many goalkeepers in the squad, naming Petr Cech, new signing Bernd Leno, David Ospina, Matt Macey and Emiliano Martinez as the five he needs to watch and whittle down.
But he has been most impressed with Aaron Ramsey – a potential captain in Emery’s five – and reveals that he has told the club of his importance to him.
He said: “I’m really happy with Ramsey – every day in the training session he has the ambition I want, he is working with the ability I want. I want to work with him.
“This (contract talks) is one question for the player or club but my opinion is that I said to them he is one important player for me.”
The Chairman of Agbele Sporting, Hon. Ponmile Omidiji, has rejoiced with and extended warm felicitations to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Remo Stars Football Club, Hon. Kunle Soname, on the occasion of his birthday.
This was contained in a statement personally signed by Omidiji and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday.
The statement reads: “It is my greatest pleasure to felicitate with you, the man of the masses and a philanthropist par excellence, on your day of birth.
“You are a morale booster and a great motivator to this generation. You always utilise any position you occupy for the benefit of others. Indubitably, you are a good man and worthy of emulation,” he added.
Omidiji also seized the opportunity to commend Hon. Soname’s contributions and tireless efforts towards the development of football in Nigeria and beyond, noting that such commitment is truly appreciated.
He offered heartfelt prayers for the celebrant, praying that Almighty God would continue to bless and protect him, that God’s grace would abound in his life, and that all his concerns would be firmly in God’s hands. He further wished that the world would always be kind to him.
Christian Chukwu, former captain and head coach of Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has died at the age of 74.
The football icon passed away in the early hours of Saturday, though the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear at the time of reporting.
The news of his demise was confirmed by his longtime friend and teammate, Chief Olusegun Odegbami, who spoke to Channels Television. Odegbami, who played alongside Chukwu in Nigeria’s triumphant 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
“I just received the news that between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s history, has passed on,” said Odegbami.
“Babuje, Emmanuel Okala, MON, gave me the sad news a few minutes ago. May ‘Onyim’ find peace with Our Creator in Heaven and console his family,” he added.
Born on 4 January 1951 in Enugu, Chukwu carved a legendary career in Nigerian football, notably captaining Enugu Rangers to numerous domestic triumphs and leading them to continental glory in 1977 with victory in the now-defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup.
He made history in 1980 as the first Nigerian captain to lift the African Nations Cup trophy following a 3–0 win over Algeria in the final held in Lagos.
Chukwu went on to contribute to Nigeria’s football success off the pitch, serving as assistant to Dutch tactician Clemens Westerhof during the Super Eagles’ victorious 1994 AFCON campaign and their debut appearance at the FIFA World Cup the same year.
As head coach, Chukwu led the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. His tenure as national coach lasted from 2002 to 2005, ending during the qualification phase for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Nicknamed “Chairman” for his commanding presence on and off the pitch, Chukwu also played a role in Nigeria’s youth football development, working as assistant coach during the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Cup, which Nigeria won in China.
In 2019, he battled prostate cancer, which affected his mobility. A public appeal for support was launched, and Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola stepped in to cover his overseas medical expenses, reportedly donating $50,000 for his treatment.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football “the way I see it” before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old Rashford fell dramatically out of favour with the Portuguese boss and spent seven weeks on the sidelines until he was loaned to Premier League rivals Aston Villa during the transfer window.
“I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said on Thursday.
“And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
“I just wish the best to Rashford and to (Aston Villa coach) Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.”
Amorim, whose team face Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said his focus now is on turning around a wretched season.
“Guys, in the summer… like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer,” he said.
“So, I am just focused on these games. Thankfully about Marcus he is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players at the moment.”
