International Football

AT LAST, FA CHAIRMAN GREG CLARKE APOLOGIES TO NIGERIAN-BORN ALUKO

Published

7 years ago

October 26, 2017

After initial grand standing and refusal to take definitive action on Nigerian-born Eniola Aluko’s claim of racial remarks made by the immediate past England national women coach, Mark Sampson, the chairman of The FA, Greg Clarke has finally admitted that the organisation had failed England women’s players Aluko, Drew Spence and Lianne Sanderson over its handling of claims of discriminatory remarks.

Clarke also stated that the FA has “lost the trust of the public” over the case. The chairman gave a 2,628 word speech to the FA council’s autumn meeting in Wembley in which he apologised to those listening following the results of the parliamentary inquiry and his appearance before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee.

Clarke assessed last week’s inquiry in his speech. He said, “The judgement of the politicians, the judgement of the media, and most importantly the judgement of the public was very clear – we had failed Eniola Aluko, Drew Spence and Lianne Sanderson. We have apologised to them and I reiterate that apology again today.”

The chairman judged that the FA had “lost the trust of the public” and pinned the causes down to three characteristics of the organisation. Clarke believes that the FA is perceived to lack competence, diversity, or trust in the talents of its senior players and staff.

He admitted that the FA’s ‘efforts’ of inclusion were not enough, citing that the organisation have an all-white Board and Senior Executive Team and only one BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) Head Coach across the England teams.

Clarke backed this up by stating that according to their own insight tracking, just 27% of football fans think the FA are a competent governing body. Only 24% said that have a positive perception of the FA.

Greg Clarke has now promised change within the FA, starting by conducting a full cultural review of St. George’s Park, the FA’s national football centre. This will be done with the intention of “improving its inclusivity and our collective care for players. Performance and a positive culture must not be an either or choice.”

For Clarke this will be “the FA, doing what it has failed to do in the past, and getting its own house in order – asking itself some fundamental questions to ensure it can be the best organisation it can be – and to begin to restore that lost trust.

International Football

BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.

He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m

He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.

The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.

International Football

Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.

The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.

“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.

“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.

“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.

Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.

Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.

“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.

“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.

“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”

Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

-Reuters

International Football

Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.

Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.

“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.

“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.

“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.

“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”

The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.

“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.

“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.

“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.

“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”

-Reuters