Sports

Man United Face Major Overhaul after Wreckage of Mourinho Era

Published

7 years ago

December 18, 2018

Eric

As Manchester United survey the wreckage of Jose Mourinho’s reign, the troubled club’s hierarchy would be wise to swallow their pride and copy the successful blueprint established by bitter rivals Manchester City.

Mourinho was sacked by United on Tuesday as the Portuguese coach paid the price for the team’s worst start to a season since 1990.

Now the focus at Old Trafford turns to the search for Mourinho’s successor and the club’s plan to escape the rut they have been stuck in since Alex Ferguson retired after winning their most recent Premier League title in 2013.

United, languishing 11 points adrift of the top four, hope to announce a caretaker manager, with strong links to the club, to see out the rest of the season within 48 hours.

Regardless of that temporary solution, it is the long-term direction of an increasingly rudderless club that most concerns United fans.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Mourinho, with former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane also a strong contender.

Pochettino has caught the eye with his fine work at Espanyol, Southampton and now Tottenham, where the 46-year-old has blended a clutch of talented youngsters and cut-price signings into one of the most attractive sides in Europe.

Despite not signing a single player in the close-season, Pochettino’s side still sit third in the Premier League and also advanced to the Champions League last 16 after an impressive draw at Barcelona last week.

Pochettino is yet to win a trophy with Tottenham but he could be the man to galvanise United, with Ferguson’s former assistant coach Rene Meulensteen saying his old club have lost their identity.

“You hear people talking about how United have lost their identity and that’s what you see among the players. There is no really clear direction,” Meulensteen told the BBC.

– Zidane link –
Zidane, 46, has impeccable credentials, which would ensure he would be respected by a United squad that grew sick of Mourinho’s relentless hard-nosed approach.

One of the finest players of his generation with Juventus, Real Madrid and France, Zidane pulled off the tricky task of making the transition to the dug-out.

In just three years as Madrid boss he won three Champions League titles and one La Liga crown before surprisingly leaving at the end of last season.

United legend Ryan Giggs, now the Wales boss, and Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe have also been mentioned.

Former United defender Laurent Blanc and Carlos Queiroz, who served as one of Ferguson’s assistants, are said to be in the frame for the caretaker position.

Whoever comes in must heal the rifts created by Mourinho, who was the author of his own downfall following damaging feuds with Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Antonio Valencia.

The former Chelsea boss also squabbled with United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward after the club failed to land his top transfer targets.

Patrice Evra, a former United left-back, called for the eventual new boss to bring harmony back to the dressing room.

“Let’s focus on rebuilding something solid instead of being in a playground,” he tweeted. “Doing this is only disrespecting the badge. From now we only need positivity.”

While Mourinho once again proved his acerbic style of management cannot be sustained over the long term, the club’s former defender Gary Neville believes United’s powerbrokers must take their share of the blame.

And he says Woodward and United owners the Glazer family need to sanction root-and-branch reform of the club’s football operations.

– Man City blueprint –
They can look across Manchester to see how City have created a modern system that allows boss Pep Guardiola to focus on his team, while chief executive Ferran Soriano and director Txiki Begiristain look after player recruitment and overall club philosophy.

Arsenal underwent a similar overhaul in the closing months of Arsene Wenger’s reign and are reaping the rewards with new boss Unai Emery.

Keen to bring in a sporting director of their own, United have been linked with Manchester-born Paul Mitchell, who works as the head of recruitment and development at RB Leipzig and previously helped Tottenham discover Dele Alli.

Roma’s Monchi is regarded as one of Europe’s top transfer gurus and is also believed to be on United’s radar.

Aware that the quality of the talent emerging from their youth ranks has dipped since the famed ‘Class of 92’, United also need to revitalise their academy.

“My personal view is that the club needs to reset,” said Neville, one of United’s homegrown stars under Ferguson.

“This is not just a moment to sack Jose Mourinho and appoint another manager. This is a moment for the club to take stock.”

(AFP)

Sports

FirstBank Elephant Girls Win in Zone 3, Qualify for WBLA Final Round

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2025

Eric

FirstBank Basketball Club of Nigeria, popularly known as the “Elephant Girls”, have secured their spot in the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), scheduled to hold in Cairo, Egypt from 5-14 December 2025.

The Elephant Girls put up a commanding performance at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, winning all three games. Representing Nigeria as the country’s sole team in the tournament, they overcame fierce competition from Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Togo in the Zone. Their undefeated run included a 66–55 upset against home favourites CSA of Côte d’Ivoire and a thrilling 63–59 comeback win against FBA of Côte d’Ivoire, after trailing by 20 points in the second quarter.

The remarkable performance, marked by resilience, discipline skill, and mental strength, earned the team a triumphant return to continental basketball after a six-year absence. Emerging as champions of Zone 3 and the only English-speaking team to advance, the Elephant Girls have reaffirmed FirstBank’s long-standing commitment to promoting women’s sports in Nigeria and across Africa.

Speaking on the qualification, FirstBank’s Group Head, Human Capital Management and Development and Chairman of the Sports Council, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, said: “We are incredibly proud of the Elephant Girls for their outstanding performance. They have once again shown the world the strength, resilience, and excellence that define FirstBank.

“At FirstBank, we are committed to continuing our support for sports in Nigeria and Africa, and this victory is a significant step forward in our mission to promote excellence in sports on the continental and global stage,” he added.

The Elephant Girls had advanced to represent Nigeria at the WBLA Qualifiers for FIBA Africa Zone 3, following an impressive Silver Medal finish at the Zenith Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League.

With their place secured in Cairo, the Elephant Girls are poised to showcase their talent on the continental stage once again, carrying the pride of Nigeria and the FirstBank brand as they aim to make history in the Final Round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa.

Sports

Morocco’s Hakimi Wins Africa Football Player of the Year Award

Published

4 weeks ago

November 20, 2025

Eric

Morocco and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi has been crowned the Confederation of African Football Men’s Player of the Year Award for 2025, edging out finalists Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool) and Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray).

The announcement came on Wednesday during the glittering CAF Awards ceremony in Rabat, Morocco, where Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain right-back, was the only finalist in attendance, adding to the electric atmosphere.

This marks a historic breakthrough for Hakimi, after finishing as runner-up in both 2023 and 2024 (behind Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, respectively), the 27-year-old has finally claimed Africa’s top individual football honour.

It’s also the first win for a Moroccan since Mustapha Hadji in 1998, and only the fourth for a defender in the award’s modern history.

Sports

Heartbreak As Congo Ends Super Eagles 2026 World Cup Dreams

Published

1 month ago

November 17, 2025

Eric

The Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup dream suffered a major blow on Sunday as DR Congo advanced to the intercontinental playoff following a dramatic penalty shootout at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying ended in heartbreaking fashion, marking the second consecutive year the Super Eagles will miss out on the world stage.

The match ended 1–1 after 120 minutes of regulation and extra time, sending the high-stakes encounter to penalties.

Nigeria initially went ahead through Frank Onyeka in the third minute, but DR Congo equalised in the 32nd minute through M. Elia.

Extra time saw both teams create chances, with Tolu Arokodare missing a header for Nigeria and Nwabali making a crucial save from a DR Congo free kick, but neither side could break the deadlock.

The tension continued into the penalty shootout.

Nigeria’s Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon missed early chances, while Nwabali denied DR Congo’s first penalty.

Akor Adams kept the Super Eagles alive, but DR Congo struck back through Sadique and later scored the decisive fourth penalty, leaving Nigeria trailing 4–3 in the shootout.

The victory sets up DR Congo for a chance to secure one of the final World Cup tickets to the expanded 48-team tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Nigeria’s defeat marked the second consecutive year the Super Eagles will miss out on the world stage.

Both teams had earned their places in the final after dramatic semi-finals.

Nigeria had booked their place in the final with a dramatic 4–1 extra-time win over Gabon in Thursday’s semi-final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.

DR Congo also advanced with a 1–0 victory over Cameroon at the Al Barid Stadium the same evening.

The Leopards now await their intercontinental playoff opponent, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup, while the Super Eagles’ campaign comes to an agonising end in Rabat.