Sports
Inside Arsenal’s astonishing dressing room bust-up with Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Shkodran Mustafi all in firing line
FURIOUS Arsenal stars are stabbing each other in the back over the club’s dreadful run of form.
The blame game in the Arsenal dressing room began after Brighton condemned them to a fourth successive defeat.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is desperately trying to restore team spirit after his angry stars turned on each other after the 2-1 defeat at the Amex.
Mesut Ozil, who recently signed the biggest contract in the history of the club, is in the firing line after another disappearing act.
January signing Henrik Mkhitaryan, struggling to find his feet at Arsenal, is under the spotlight for failing to track runners just as he came up short at Manchester United.
He and Ozil together are a soft under-belly which is being exploited by opponents.
Defender Shkodran Mustafi has also been fingered because he always passes the blame on to other players when Arsenal concede goals.
Hector Bellerin is also furious with Wenger after being axed just two hours before kick-off at Brighton.
Bellerin expected to play after training at right back in the build up to the latest defeat, but was told he was dropped when Wenger announced his team to face the Seagulls.
Wenger is desperate to rebuild team morale, but they are at war with each other after four straight defeats.
Arsenal have no hope of finishing in the top four of the Premier League and face a tough Europa League clash with Milan on Thursday.
Wenger is under massive pressure at Arsenal, but remains hopeful he can still get back into the Champions League if they can go all the way in the Europa.
But without a leader in the side, it appears an uphill task.
Against Brighton they went into the game without an idea.
They had no proper plans to deal with the Seagull’s set pieces, no specific tactical instructions, no real insight from one of the game’s greatest managers.
Wenger wanted Arsenal’s players to work it out for themselves, to find solutions on the field after three hugely damaging defeats on the trot.
Fine if you have Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry wearing the club’s famous colours.
Not so clever when you are relying on Mustafi, Ozil and Mkhitaryan to get you out of bother.
Wenger’s voice, full of authority and conviction when the Gunners were one of English football’s leading clubs, is losing its impact.
Nobody is listening anymore, nobody is really taking any notice.
The only murmur of discontent when Wenger named his side to start at Brighton was from full-back Bellerin.
The defender had trained for two days at right-back in the build-up to their trip to the seaside, but only found out he was out of the team when Wenger named the 11.
Calum Chambers, who played in the previous Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, was suddenly pressed into action.
Bellerin, battered by Arsenal Fan TV for wearing slippers around London, believed he was being made the scapegoat for their dreadful run of form.
In the event, it did not matter what team Wenger put out at the Amex on Sunday lunchtime.
They were destined to lose anyway, beaten for the fourth game in a row after goals from Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray set Brighton on the way to a 2-1 win.
When they came in at the final whistle Wenger barely said a word, leaving the players to sit and stare vacantly at each other again.
Chris Hughton’s side had done some extra training on set pieces ahead of Arsenal’s visit, identifying some of the vulnerabilities in this shoddy defence.
Wenger used to have all the answers, passing on tips that turned the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Bobby Pires, Vieira and Henry into world beaters.
When Henry struggled for goals in his first few months in English football, Wenger pulled him to one side and told him to spend more time in the penalty area.
Those little touches, those chats with Wenger on the training ground, made all the difference.
More than two decades into the job, Wenger is starting to doubt his ability to rebuild this troubled club.
He does not review games, seldom showing Arsenal’s players where they went wrong, or telling them what to work on to get back into his team.
It is every man for himself now. The team spirit has been eroded, shredded after their morale-sapping 3-0 defeats by City in Cup and Premier League and the humiliation at home to Swedish minnows Ostersunds in the Europa League.
Arsenal, once a secretive, covert operation, is a leaky bucket now.
Wenger, 68, is all alone. The locals in Wenger’s neighbourhood of Totteridge, the upscale North London suburb that the Frenchman calls home, worry about him.
He often dines on his own, walking into some of the local restaurants instead of spending another night home alone.
Everybody at Arsenal — directors, players, supporters — are turning their backs on him.
He occasionally pops up to the boardroom before matches, spending a few minutes talking to some of the guests on the table reserved in the manager’s name.
Relations with the directors in London — chief executive Ivan Gazidis, Sir Chips Keswick and Lord Harris of Peckham — are not so good.
Wenger’s position is being reviewed on a game-by-game basis, with the names of various potential replacements being bandied freely around the club.
Unlikely as it is, the good work of Sean Dyche has been praised as Burnley close in on a top ten finish in the Premier League.
There are more and more names being thrown into the pot.
Henry, even though he has indicated he would be prepared to take it on, is not under consideration.
There will be surprise at boardroom level about the dressing-room view on their former midfielder Arteta, too.
Arteta, 35, is not popular at the Emirates. The Spaniard, now on Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, is remembered for being far too happy with himself.
Arsenal’s board is terrified of making this appointment, fearful of the process as they prepare to replace the most successful manager in the club’s history.
They will have to come up with a name soon, identifying the right man to succeed Wenger as manager of this great institution.
Someone will need to come up with a bright idea.
Sports
German Coach, Labbadia Named New Head Coach of Super Eagles
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.
Sports
Finidi George Appointed as Technical Manager for Rivers United
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.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Why we failed to defeat Super Eagles – Percy Tau
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.
Kanu advocates for establishment of standard soccer academies
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.”
Sports
US Fund Oaktree ‘Takes Over Ownership’ Of Inter Milan
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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