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!”
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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