Sports
Jurgen Klopp believes it’s NEVER been harder to win Premier League thanks to rampant Manchester City
For the football world, there is a growing feeling this could finally Liverpool’s time, the season to end their 29 year title drought.
But for manager Jurgen Klopp, despite his faith in his squad and the belief the team has never been better, the harsh reality is that it has NEVER been harder to triumph in the Premier League.
Not only is there the small matter of a City side who scored 106 goals in securing 100 points in what became a Champions’ procession… but also intense competition beyond that.
And he should know. He was the Dortmund manager who shattered Bayern Munich hegemony to win back to back Bundesliga titles. But for Klopp, repeating that feat in England is much, much harder.
“Yeah, the Premier League (is harder) for sure. if you could beat Bayern it was good because usually they had won all their other games,” he explained.
“That will not happen here. Even City couldn’t do that last year. They got 100 points but that was a rare thing to do. You have to be ready for every single game, in the Premier League there is no easy game.
“But I’m not interested too much in the difficulties of our challenge, I’m really working on the solutions and to ensure we are ready for all these games.”
For Klopp, who entertains Brighton this weekend in a game he says “is the opposite of easy”, the problem is not just that City look even more financially powerful and dominant than Bayern did.
It is the fact that even if Liverpool do manage to close the 25 points they finished behind the Champions last season, there are other almost as intimidating sides ready to steal in and lift the trophy.
“We could only play Bayern twice in a season, so we were never chasing Bayern, just trying to beat the others as often as possible,” he added.
“But where we have more teams like this (as strong as them). If City isn’t the No 1 then there will be others going for it.
“I really think Tottenham will have a brilliant season. They are together still and have a fantastic manager.
“A few other teams have a big chance too. Chelsea look really positive, Arsenal not a good start but that will change.
“So don’t look at the others, it doesn’t help you. You only have a problem with them twice over the course of the year. Just try to beat them in those two games and then beat the others as often as possible.”
Klopp though, insisted that since the players returned to training forom their summer break, he has seen nothing from them other than a desire and confidence they can go one better than last season and finally lift a trophy: “I see no signs from anybody where body language has changed.
“The fellas from last year have a few nice experiences on their back but I only see that they want to try again, to try to improve and try to play an outstanding Premier League season and a fantastic Champions League campaign as well as the cups. That’s the plan at this moment.”
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.”
