Sports

Aftermath of MAN U’s Loss, Angry Mourinho Storms Out of Press Conference

Published

6 years ago

August 28, 2018

Eric

Manchester United Manager, Jose Mourinho stormed out of his news conference, following Monday’s 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.

Mourinho was ranting about the three titles he won with Chelsea and demanding “respect” from reporters present.

The conference came shortly after he had stood at length in front of a mainly empty Stretford End applauding United’s fans.

It added to a somewhat bizarre epilogue on another miserable night for the 20-times English champions.

“We lost against Sevilla (last season in the Champions League last 16) and we were booed because we deserved it.

“Today the players left the pitch after losing at home and they were applauded because they deserved it, so we keep trying, trying, trying,” Mourinho said.

“What was the score? This (holding three fingers up). What is this also? Three Premierships I have won, more Premierships than the other 19 managers put together.
Me three, them two,” he said. “Respect, respect, respect.”

Perhaps the performance for the media was intended to show his defiance in the face of two defeats from the opening three games of the season.

Maybe he felt that a display of passion would go down well with the supporters at Old Trafford, who, it should be noted, showed no sign of turning against him.

Or was Mourinho just deflecting from the fact that he lacks any answer to the most obvious question facing him.

The question is: how to sort out a defence that has leaked six goals in two games and was opened up with ease by Spurs after the break?

Mourinho had made it clear during the off-season that he wanted to sign at least one new centre-half and the performances of the five he has employed this season have amply demonstrated he was right.

Eric Bailly was not even on the bench against Spurs, Victor Lindelof came on for the injured Phil Jones and made a series of mistakes.

Also Chris Smalling, who had made a key tackle in the first half to deny Dele Alli, was left standing by Lucas Moura for the third goal.

Exactly why United did not bring in a new player in that department, whether it be Leicester City’s Harry Maguire, Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld or Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng.

The players were all linked with the club and their absence in that department remains unclear.

Mourinho has denied there is a rift with United chief executive Ed Woodward about the lack of transfer activity.

But there is no straight answer from either party about why the club failed to bring in a new central defender.

What the former Chelsea manager is clear about is that he doesn’t have a clue what combination can sort out the mess, “No,” he said.

“Because in the first game Lindelof and Bailly, now Jones and Smalling but now Jones is injured and in the next match will be Smalling with another one.

“When Marcos Rojo comes he will also be an option. I don’t know my best back four.”

There isn’t much time for Mourinho to find the right solutions — United are already six points behind the Premier League’s top four — Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Watford who all have 100 percent records.

It is hard to see this United team challenging for the title but there is a real danger that their poor start could turn into a much deeper slump.

(Reuters/NAN)

Sports

PSG Bundle Barcelona Out of Champions League

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have kicked 10-man Barcelona out of the Champions League as they qualified for the semi-final after winning 4-1 at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona had won the first leg 3-2 in Paris, but PSG won 6-4 on aggregate to qualify for the semi-finals.

Kylian Mbappe grabbed a brace in the encounter to see PSG through.

A Superb work from Lamine Yamal squared the ball to Raphinha, who beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a brilliant shot into the bottom right corner to give Barcelona a 12th minute lead.

In the 29th minute, Ronald Araujo made an ugly tackle on his opponent and was sent off by the referee leaving the homers with 10 men to play the entire duration.

PSG capitalised on their advantage and equalised in the 40th minute. A former Barcelona player, Ousmane Dembele equalised for the visitors.

Bradley Barcola played the ball to Dembele, who showed great determination to get to the ball before a couple of defenders and from inside the box he shot into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-1.

PSG made it 1-2 in the 54th minute from a fantastic finish by Vitinha from just outside the box. He wasted little time in getting away a bullet of a shot that flew past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner of the net.

Mbappe added another goal for PSG from the penalty spot in the 61st minute. He put the ball into the top left corner past the outstretched arm of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

A minute to duration time, PSG made it 1-4. Mbappe fired the rebound into the bottom right corner after the ball broke to him in the box.

Sports

IGP Salutes Exceptional Performances of Police Athletes at 2023 African Games

Published

1 week ago

April 11, 2024

Eric

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, has commended the exceptional performances of the Police Athletes who distinguished themselves, as Nigeria’s ambassadors at the recently concluded 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

The IGP notes that their remarkable performances across various sporting events have brought immense pride to the Force and the country at large.

While receiving the athletes, the IGP, who was represented by the Force Director of Sports (FSO), CP Patrick A. Atayero, likened the African Games to a continental Olympics, and harped on the significance of young and talented Police Sports Men and Women showcasing their skills, passion, determination and courage on such a prestigious stage to emerge Medalists. He emphasized that the success of Police Athletes at the 13th African Games which held from 8th to 26th March, 2024, shortly after the 14th Biennial Police Games (Oluyole 2024) that concluded on 2nd March in Ibadan, is a veritable testament to the effectiveness of the sports development initiatives of the Force.

The medalists – Inspr. Aisha Adamu, Sgt. Mohammed Inuwa, Sgt. Emmanuel Bala, Sgt. Matthew Deshi, Corporal Chika Blessing, Corporal Nathaniel Samson, Corporal Victor Ikechukwu, Corporal Eweh Emmanuel, Corporal Collins Obi, Corporal Godwin Sunday, Corporal Emmanuel Ochayi, Corporal Aminu Garba, PC Olayiwola Zainab, PC Mabel David, PC Precious Joel, PC Esther Peter, and Bello Tunde Muiz (Education Officer II), demonstrated exceptional dexterity in Arm wrestling, Athletics, Badminton, Mixed Martial Arts, Swimming and Hockey. These Police Athletes garnered 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 5 Bronze totalling 8 Medals, for Nigeria at the Continental Sports Fiesta.

The Inspector General of Police appreciates all Police Athletes for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to sporting excellence, national unity and development in all spheres in Nigeria. He reiterates that their collective success serves as an inspiration to other Police Officers and fellow aspiring Athletes and inestimable potentials across the nation.

Sports

Super Falcons Draw Goalless with South Africa, Quality for Paris Olympics

Published

1 week ago

April 9, 2024

Eric

Nigeria’s female national football team, Super Falcons have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Nigeria beat South Africa 1-0 on aggregate to reach the Summer Olympics.

Rasheedat Ajibade scored from the spot in the first leg of the qualifiers in Abuja on Friday.

That goal was enough for the Super Falcons to pick one of Africa’s tickets for the women’s football event of the Paris Olympics as the second leg tie ended goaless in South Africa.

The last time Nigeria’s Super Falcons reached the Olympics was 16 years ago.