Sports
Theo Walcott opens up on his Arsenal exit, feeling rejuvenated at Everton and missing Gunnersaurus
Theo Walcott admits he had fallen out of love with football when he left Arsenal.
But nine months later, Walcott’s passion for the game has never been stronger as he is relishing a new lease of life with Everton.
Walcott returns to the Emirates on Sunday never more convinced that he has made the right move to the right club at the right time.
In fact, Walcott – who had 12 unforgettable years at Arsenal – believes Everton are on the cusp of something really special under Marco Silva, even insisting they have got the potential to overtake his old club.
“I wasn’t enjoying it. I’ll be honest. I was frustrated, I wasn’t playing, I didn’t play a lot of the games,” said Walcott, recalling the end of his time at Arsenal before his £20million move last January.
“Having spent so much time there, done so well, it does hurt, but that’s gone now. I had great times but I feel like I’m going to have even greater times here, I really do.
“I also feel like I’m playing with a smile on my face. If I’m doing that then the best will come out.”
Walcott, of course, has already gone back to the Emirates, when Everton were thrashed 5-1 in February just weeks after the England winger had made the switch.
He was given a remarkable welcome by the Arsenal fans, but by his own admission that felt “too soon” and he – and indeed Everton – did not do themselves justice.
This time Walcott has got his feet under the table, his family have moved to the North West, Silva took charge in the summer and the 29-year-old goes to Arsenal with enough confidence to think about what he will do if he scores against his old club.
“Yeah, I would (celebrate). I think the Arsenal fans will respect that as well,” said Walcott. “I scored against Southampton a few times and I celebrated, this season I scored against them and I celebrated.
“Why can you not enjoy scoring and celebrating a goal for your new team with your fans? They have travelled all that way, enjoy it simple as that. Some players choose not to and that’s fine, but it’s just who I am – celebrate scoring goals, it’s a great feeling.
“You’re not going to go into the game thinking ‘oh I don’t want to win today, I’ll let the other 10 in a blue shirt take this one because I used to play for Arsenal’. Just get on with it. I want to win.
“I genuinely believe, the football we are playing, the way the manager can take us is above Arsenal and more. That’s the reason I joined the club, with the young talent coming through and the signings. I feel like we’re nearly there, I really do.
“With Marco Silva, the way he coaches players, he has that knowledge, he wants the best out of you basically, he wants something out of you all the time and, having seen him work in a short space of time, it’s only going to improve.”
Walcott is a player who has often divided opinion. From Sven Goran Eriksson taking him to the World Cup as a 17-year-old rookie to raising expectations with his unforgettable England hat trick in Croatia in 2008.
But what is often taken for granted is that he had more than a decade playing for a top four club, won the FA Cup three times and was capped 47 times by England.
Walcott even came across those boots from THAT night in Croatia as his wife Mel was clearing out old cupboards to move the family up north in the summer.
And he still refuses to give up on getting a recall for Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
“At first I thought ‘what the hell are these’ and then I realised they were the Croatia boots,” he smiled. “That was mad, time’s gone like that (clicks fingers).
“It’s incredible and I’m very proud of that. To be the youngest player to score a hat-trick for your country, that was just like…wow. Records are there to be beaten, but that’s going to be really hard for anyone to beat. I’ll keep the boots safe now!
“Obviously, Gareth has said in the past that it’s all about performances and that he will choose players based on performances. I’m genuinely not thinking about England, I’m thinking about myself and what I can do for Everton. But who wouldn’t want to play for England?”
Walcott does return to Arsenal with one regret – that his four-year-old son Finley will not be there as he has got school the next day.
Walcott added: “He’s always loved Gunnersaurus, so he finds it strange for me to be in blue now.
“He says ‘daddy, why are you in blue and where’s Gunnersaurus?’
“So he’s trying to get a concept of what’s going on. Trying to explain to your kid, ‘you’re not going to see Gunnersaurus for a while’ is actually pretty difficult!”
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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