Sports

Ten Hag begs for more time to remould Man U after Tottenham demolition

Published

7 months ago

September 30, 2024

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag remains convinced he will be handed time to turn around the Red Devils’ fortunes after a dispiriting 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Sunday.

United never recovered from a terrible start as Brennan Johnson tapped in from Micky van de Ven’s storming run through the heart of the home side’s defence after three minutes.

Ten Hag then lost his captain Bruno Fernandes to a straight red card before half-time.

Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke then gave Tottenham’s dominance a fair reflection in the scoreline in the second half.

Ten Hag began the season under scrutiny after surviving an internal review at the end of last season.

United finished eighth last season — their lowest-ever Premier League finish — and have won just two of their opening six games of the new campaign to sit 12th in the table.

“We all made it together, this decision to stay together as ownership and leadership group in the summer,” said Ten Hag when asked if he feared the club’s new football leadership group will turn to a new manager.

“We made the decision from a clear review on what we have to improve and how we want to construct the squad.”

Ten Hag was even handed a one-year extension to his contract three months ago.

The former Ajax boss badly needs a quick turnaround in fortunes with two tough away games to come this week at Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the Premier League.

“I think we will get better and we need some time,” he added.

“We are all on one page, in the same boat, together, ownership, leadership group, staff and players.”

Ten Hag was critical of the manner his side conceded an equaliser in a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday.

And he could not contain his frustration as Tottenham struck in similar fashion within minutes.

Van de Ven charged from deep inside his own half to the United by-line and crossed for Johnson to apply a simple finish.

“As a team, it cannot happen twice in a few days that a defender can dribble through the whole park,” said Ten Hag.

“What I saw in the first 30 minutes is below the level we can expect from a Manchester United team.

“The players got very stressed after conceding so quick and they made bad decisions.”

United’s first-half display was branded a “disgrace” by former captain Gary Neville.

Fernandes, though, came out fighting over his dismissal.

The Portuguese international slipped as he slid into a challenge with James Maddison and caught the Tottenham midfielder just below the knee.

“Never a red card, that is my view,” said Fernandes.

“If he wants to give me a yellow (card) because they are going to go on a counter-attack then I agree. But more than that, no. It is not the case.”

AFP

Sports

NFF denies owning Christian Chukwu $128,000 amid social media claims

Published

17 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Admin

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that it owed former Nigeria captain and Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, the sum of $128,000 before his death.

Reacting to the reports following Chukwu’s passing on Saturday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, described the allegations as baseless and misleading.

“There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu,” Sanusi said.

Read Also: President Tinubu, Atiku, Gov. Mbah mourn Nigerian football icon Christian Chukwu

“During the first term of the Board headed by Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the documents of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.”

He explained that the committee had been mandated to verify and settle all legitimate debts owed to coaches, and there was no documentation indicating that Christian Chukwu was owed any funds.

“I am aware that ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of his duties following a 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF.”

Sanusi further urged anyone in possession of genuine and verifiable documents proving the NFF owed Chukwu or any other coach to come forward.

“As a credible organisation that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately,” he stated.

The NFF has reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability in managing its obligations, especially to individuals who have served the national teams.

Christian Chukwu, affectionately known as “Chairman,” captained Nigeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980 and later coached the Super Eagles between 2002 and 2005.

Sports

UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final Second Leg Preview: Fixtures, Predictions

Published

17 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Admin

As the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals head into the decisive second-leg fixtures, clubs across Europe are preparing for season-defining clashes that will determine their place in the semi-finals.

Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain (Aggregate: 1–3)
Second Leg: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Aston Villa return to Birmingham with work to do after a 3-1 defeat in the first leg at Parc des Princes. Despite managing an away goal, overturning a two-goal deficit against a PSG side boasting significant European experience and attacking firepower will be a major task.

Under Unai Emery, Villa have shown resilience in Europe, but PSG remain favourites to book a semi-final spot.
Prediction: PSG expected to advance (Aggregate Prediction: 2–4)

Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona (Aggregate: 0–4)
Second Leg: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Barcelona delivered a dominant performance at Camp Nou with a convincing 4-0 win. With a commanding advantage heading into the return leg, Xavi’s men are well-positioned to close out the tie.

Dortmund will rely on home support and pride, but overcoming such a margin against an in-form Barça side appears highly improbable.
Prediction: Barcelona strongly favoured to progress (Aggregate Prediction: 2–6)

Real Madrid vs Arsenal (Aggregate: 0–3)
Second Leg: Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Arsenal stunned the Spanish giants with a stunning 3-0 away win at the Bernabéu, capitalising on their pressing game and quick transitions. While Real Madrid have a rich history of remarkable comebacks in Europe, the Gunners’ advantage is substantial.

With composure and discipline, Mikel Arteta’s side are in a strong position to seal qualification.
Prediction: Arsenal likely to go through (Aggregate Prediction: 3–4)

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich (Aggregate: 2–1)
Second Leg: Wednesday, 8 p.m.
This matchup is the most closely contested of the quarter-finals. Inter edged out Bayern 2-1 in Munich, though Bayern’s away goal keeps the tie wide open. With both sides stacked with attacking quality, the second leg at San Siro promises high drama.

Expect a fiercely competitive affair, but Inter may just have the edge with home support.
Prediction: Inter tipped to narrowly advance (Aggregate Prediction: 3–2)

Projected Semi-Final Pairings:

Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal

Barcelona vs Inter Milan