Sports
Premier League players and managers bidding farewell on final day
As Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli once famously sung, “It’s time to say goodbye.”
The finale of every Premier League season always marks the curtain fall for certain players, managers and various other individuals and objects linked to the sport.
Tears will be shed, memories will be tapped into and tributes will be made up and down the country for the important servants for clubs.
From the high profiled exits such as Arsene Wenger stepping down from his 22-year post as Arsenal manager to Scott Arfield and Dean Marney’s quiet departures from Burnley.
Here we charter every thing to be waving farewell this weekend…
Arsene Wenger
The Frenchman announced he was stepping down as Arsenal’s manager after his 22-year tenure in north London.
Three Premier League trophies and seven FA Cups have glittered his stint at the Gunners, although the last couple of years of under achievement have sparked civil war at the Emirates.
Wenger’s last outing will be at Huddersfield, with his next movements, and indeed his replacement, yet to be decided.
Per Mertesacker
The big friendly German’s departure from the playing staff at the Gunners has been somewhat over shadowed by his manager’s exit.
Mertesacker is hanging up his boots after Sunday’s clash with Huddersfield, although last appearance might have come at the Emirates last week – where he played the last 13 minutes.
The World Cup winner has spent seven seasons at the club and will now move on to a role as head of academy at the Emirates.
Scott Arfield
The Canadian international was a major part of the Burnley’s promotions in 2014 and 2016.
But his contract is up in the summer and it is not getting renewed.
Arfield is all set to join Rangers this summer having made almost 200 appearances at Turf Moor.
Dean Marney
Like Arfield, Marney is out of contract at the end of the season and has not been offered a new deal.
Marney has been at Turf Moor for eight seasons, and also played his part in the two promotions to the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest looks like his likely switch.
Robert Huth
Three seasons ago, the German was a member of the most feared defences in the division, alongside Wes Morgan, winning the Premier League.
He hasn’t been able to play a first team match this season due to injury, while Harry Maguire has impressed in his place.
Originally signing on loan, Huth has played 93 times for the Foxes.
Nothing is set in stone over his future, as of writing, but Stoke are said to be interested.
Dean Whitehead
The midfielder is waving goodbye to his playing career to take up a coaching role for the under-17 side at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Having played over 100 times for Oxford, Sunderland and Stoke, he brought his dogged performances to Middlesbrough and then Terrier.
Whitehead has managed six appearances this season.
Yaya Toure
Toure may be leaving City after eight successful years but he has no intention of retiring and hopes to continue playing in England’s top flight.
He captained Pep Guardiola’s team on his final Etihad Stadium appearance on Wednesday before a heartfelt send-off from supporters.
The 34-year-old Ivorian has registered 78 goals in 314 Premier League games, winning three titles.
Michael Carrick
Winner of five Premier League medals and the Champions League, 36-year-old midfielder Carrick will retire from football at the end of the campaign.
The former West Ham and Tottenham man has spent 18 seasons playing in the top flight and is set to make his 481st Premier League appearance when United host Watford on Sunday at Old Trafford.
Leon Britton
Barring a final-day miracle, the Swans will be relegated – which should spell the end of Britton’s Premier League career.
The future of the 35-year-old, who has been a peripheral figure for the Welsh club during the past two seasons, remains uncertain.
His contract is set to expire at the end of the season and he has previously said he would like to finish his career at the Liberty Stadium.
Angel Rangel
Swansea’s captain Rangel will not be offered a new contract this summer and will depart south Wales.
The 35-year-old has been at the club for 11 years and played 373 times.
Carlos Carvalhal
Carvalhal was initially a breath of fresh air when he was appointed by the rock bottom Swans in late December.
However, an eight-game winless run has left the club on the brink of relegation with their only hope of survival an improbable goal difference swing.
The departure of the affable Portuguese, whose contract is set to expire, was announced on Thursday and it appears unlikely he will be back in the Premier League anytime soon.
Wembley
Tottenham began the season dreading their Wembley hoodoo but ended it enjoying life at English football HQ.
Winning 12 of their 18 league fixtures at Wembley, Mauricio Pochettino’s side end their tenure with a clash against Leicester.
Spurs will be moving back to north London to their currently unnamed new stadium.
John Motson
Veteran commentator ‘Motty’ has been described as the voice of football due to a broadcasting career spanning more than 50 years.
He became a Match of the Day regular in the early 1970s and his sounds have become synonymous with the Premier League since its inception in 1992.
He will finally put down his BBC microphone after reporting on Sunday’s clash between Crystal Palace and West Brom.
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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