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 Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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