Sports
Jose Mourinho opens up on ‘rift’ with Manchester United chief Ed Woodward in terse press conference
Jose Mourinho has claimed there is no rift between him and Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
Mourinho is known to be frustrated at Woodward’s failure to land all of the summer transfer targets he had identified, believing it has undermined United’s chances this season.
United only signed three players – Fred, Diogi Dalot and back-up keeper Lee Grant – and failed to recruit a central defender, a position Mourinho had made a priority, with Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld on his wish-list
A dismal 3-2 defeat at Brighton has increased the pressure on Mourinho and United ahead of Monday’s game at Old Trafford against Tottenham a match they cannot afford to lose.
But asked if his relationship with Woodward was fine, Mourinho said: “Of course.”
And the United boss claimed he had taken no notice of the backlash and talk about his position following the abject defeat to Brighton.
“Don’t ask me, because I don’t read,” said Mourinho. “I don’t know 10 per cent of what is written, of what is coming on TV screens, so I’m not the right guy to answer it.
Asked if he felt there had been an overreaction to United’s defeat at Brighton, Mourinho added: “You are pessimistic – I’m not.
“It’s always difficult after the match you lose, especially for people that really care about the job, about being a football professional.
“But after that you think about the next match. You do the same when you win, you have to move on and focus what next and when you lose you have to do even more.
“I feel we played well against Leicester and we won. I felt we played bad against Brighton and we lost.
“I would like to play well and win. It’s to play well and win, don’t make mistakes, that’s what we want.
“You have to play against 19 opponents at Old Trafford and away, you have to play against everyone, so I don’t know if it’s the right time [to be playing Tottenham].
“The time is now, the fixtures were decided this way and we have to play, Tottenham in the second match at Old Trafford, and then we go away twice in a row Burnley and Watford.
“This is what it is and of course it’s a difficult match, against a team that last season finished in top four. So a difficult match.”
Asked about Paul Pogba admitting his attitude was not right for the defeat at Brighton, Mourinho said: “Paul said it, he has to answer by his words.
“If you want any explanation about Paul’s words you must get him and ask him.”
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.”
