Sports
After Eddie Nketiah shines against Norwich: 7 Arsenal youngsters who burst onto the scene and what happened next
The teenager rescued the Carabao Cup tie with his double at the Emirates – but who has been in this position before?
Eddie Nketiah is the name on every Arsenal fan’s lips after his Carabao Cup heroics.
The teenager stepped off the bench to send the Gunners into the next round with two goals in a dramatic win over Norwich.
He scored within seconds of entering the fray and then headed in an extra-time winner.
It was only his second appearance for the club, having appeared as a late substitute against BATE Borisov.
It remains to be seen what is next for Nketiah, with Thierry Henry leading the plaudits after his double.
He is of course not the only Gunners youngster to burst onto the scene in style under Arsene Wenger – largely in the League Cup.
Here are some of those that made their mark – and what they did next.
Jack Wilshere
The midfielder broke onto the scene at the tender age of 16, making his debut as a substitute in the Premier League win at Blackburn in 2008.
His first start came 10 days later in the League Cup win over Sheffield United with Wilshere also grabbing his first goal with a fine strike from distance.
He spent time at Bolton the following campaign before becoming a first-team regular and was tipped for the very top before injuries took their toll.
Appears to be getting back to his best after a disappointing season at Bournemouth.
David Bentley
Bentley seemed destined for a long career in north London when he broke through in the 2002-03 campaign.
After a handful of outings in the League Cup, he scored his first goal against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup – beating Mark Schwarzer with an impudent chip.
It didn’t get any better from there though and Bentley joined Blackburn before a big-money move to Tottenham.
Bentley’s form dipped after a decent start at White Hart Lane and he retired in 2013, aged just 29.
Jay Simpson
After a loan spell at Millwall, Simpson was in given his debut as a substitute in the League Cup win over Sheffield United in 2008.
But it was in the next round against Wigan when he really made his mark, scoring twice in a 3-0 win.
He made just one more appearance for the club though, finally leaving permanently in 2010 after a series of loan moves.
Simpson is still playing with Philadelphia Union in the States.
Kieran Gibbs
Like so many of that crop of players, Gibbs also made his Arsenal bow against Sheffield United in the League Cup.
He finally established himself as first-choice left-back when Gael Clichy moved on to Manchester City.
Gibbs struggled for action last season though and moved on to West Brom in the summer to end his long association with the Gunners.
Carlos Vela
The Mexican burst onto the scene at the start of the 2008-09 season, scoring three times in the 6-0 demolition of Sheffield United.
His second was a devastating chip over Paddy Kenny and Vela looked set for a long career in north London.
It didn’t quite pan out like that though as Vela joined West Brom on loan before completing a move to Real Sociedad, where he is now in his sixth season.
Sanchez Watt
Watt made an immediate impact at the Emirates, scoring on his debut in the win over West Brom.
He made a couple more League Cup appearances but like so many Gunners academy prospects, he slipped away.
Watt finally left permanently in 2013 after a string of loans and even had a short stint in India.
Made a handful of appearances at Crawley last season.
Reiss Nelson
The youngster was introduced into the first-team in pre-season and he hasn’t disappointed.
Nelson has been a regular in the Europa League and Carabao Cup and is being tipped to reach the very top.
Surely Arsenal will not let him slip through the net.
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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