Sports
Pochettino quits Chelsea after crisis talks with club owners
Pochettino quits Chelsea after crisis talks with club owners
Mauricio Pochettino parts ways with Chelsea after a positive end to the season that saw European qualification having started working for the club in July 2023
Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea by mutual consent.
Pochettino departs the club after less than a year in charge having agreed a two-year deal last summer. Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino have left the club in addition to Pochettino.
Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League in a massive improvement from the previous year, but the former Spurs boss becomes the third permanent coach the club have parted ways with since the 2022 takeover.
The decision comes following a season of uncertainty around the Argentine coach’s position after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. For much of 2023/24 the team languished in midtable before a turn in fortunes from February saw them march up the table.
A meeting between Pochettino and sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley and co-owner Behdad Eghbali took place in which Pochettino agreed to his departure.
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Sporting Directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said in the club’s statement: “On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season. He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career.”
Mauricio Pochettino said: “Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and Sporting Directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club’s history. The Club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come.”
T he Blues boss hinted ahead of the end of the season that a decision on his future would not only be in the hands of the club. “Look, it is not important,” he said.
“The most important thing is to keep going working if we are all happy, not only the owners happy with us, the sporting directors with us, or us with the organisation the club is building here because then we are all under assessment.
“If we are happy, perfect. But it is not only if the owner are happy or the sporting directors are happy. If we are happy, you need to ask also because we said ‘look maybe we are not happy with certain situations and maybe we are not happy and we need to split.
“It is not going to be the first time that a coaching staff decide at the end of the season not to keep going. But understand that it is always the opposite way, always the owners or the sporting director.
Pochettino quits Chelsea after crisis talks with club owners
Sports
Updated: Amuneke set to be announced new Heartland head coach
Updated: Amuneke set to be announced new Heartland head coach
Super Eagles’ former forward, Emmanuel Amuneke, is set to return to coaching after a year away from the sidelines.
The former Tanzania coach has previously assisted Samson Siasia as well as Augustine Equavoen in the national team.
Amunike’s last role was with Zambia’s Zanaco FC, where he served as both coach and consultant before leaving in 2023.
He recently applied for the Super Eagles head coach position, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) opted for Finidi George instead
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According to reports from Owerri, Amunike is close to joining Heartland, which plans to return to the elite NPFL next season.
The report added that Amuneke, who has been quietly working with his hometown club, has started recruiting players for the upcoming season.
Heartland FC was relegated to the NPFL after finishing in the 19th position on the 20-team table last season.
The club is reportedly planning to buy the NPFL slot of Beyond Limits, who earned promotion from the Nigeria National League (NNL), but face participation issues due to their affiliation with Remo Stars.
Amuneke, 53, has extensive coaching experience in domestic and international football.
Updated: Amuneke set to be announced new Heartland head coach
Sports
Asisat Oshoala scores first-ever penalty for Bay FC in NWSL
Asisat Oshoala Scores First-Ever Penalty for Bay FC In NWSL
Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala has etched her name in the history books by becoming the first Bay FC player to score a penalty in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Oshoala scored the winning goal in Bay FC’s 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville.
She calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot, 14 minutes before the end of the match.
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This record-setting goal adds to the former Barcelona star impressive start at Bay FC, where she previously scored the club’s first-ever goal on her debut in the USA.
Since joining the club, Asisat Oshoala has now scored three goals.
Meanwhile, her international teammate, Uchenna Kanu, did not feature in Racing Louisville’s matchday squad for the game.
Asisat Oshoala Scores First-Ever Penalty for Bay FC In NWSL
Sports
Super Eagles Ademola Lookman wins Africa’s Best footballer award
Super Eagles Ademola Lookman wins Africa’s Best footballer award
Nigeria attacker Ademola Lookman has been named the Best African International Footballer at the Ghana Football Awards in Accra.
The Atalanta star got the award after a remarkable season with Nigeria’s Super Eagles and his Italian club. Lookman scored a hat-trick to help Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen and win the UEFA Europa League last season.
He outperformed Victor Boniface and Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmund Tapsoba to clinch the title. Lookman succeeds his compatriot and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen, who won last year after leading his team to the Serie A title and later secured the CAF Africa’s Best Player award.
Lookman is now a strong contender for Africa’s top individual football award this year.
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The former Fulham and Leicester City player had a standout year, guiding Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final and scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final.
He also played a key role in Atalanta’s fourth-place finish in Serie A, with 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions.
In a video message, he expressed his gratitude: “Thank you for the consideration, the recognition, and the votes. This means a lot to me and my family. I wish I was in Ghana, but my heart is with you all. Thank you and God bless.”
Also celebrated at the Ghana Football Awards was West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus. He won two awards, including Ghana Player of the Year, for his excellent season in England and his contributions at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Kudus’ solo goal against Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League was named the best goal of the night.
Super Eagles Ademola Lookman wins Africa’s Best footballer award
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