International Football
Budweiser Game of Kings Team Managers Eager to Coach John Terry, Roberto Carlos
Two lucky fans have emerged managers of the two teams that will feature international football legends, John Terry and Roberto Carlos and football stars from the Nigerian Professional Football League in the Budweiser Game of Kings match scheduled to hold in Lagos this weekend.
The keenly contested audition held at the Southern Sun Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos saw Osinachi Egbuche and Seun John emerge team coach of Smooth FC and Kings FC respectively out of hundreds of hopefuls who were eventually pruned to 30.
Budweiser is a product of International Breweries Plc, a proud part of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer with over 400 beer brands. The premium lager organised the audition that tested the manager-hopefuls’ tactical mastery and technical know-how of the beautiful game.
The judges, including veteran journalists, Mitchell Obi and Harry Iwuala, and co-anchor of the Kings of Football show and Budweiser Brand Ambassador, Ozoemena Chukwu, fondly called Ozo by fans, assessed the prospective team managers on other qualities such as communication skills, leadership potential, and man-management skills.
Sharing his thoughts on the audition, Mitchell Obi said “For me, it was revealing to observe the level of understanding of football by Nigerian fans, and I believe this is an opportunity to push the dimension and cultivate the culture of promoting our domestic football.
“This contest has opened a new phase for those who want to get involved in supporting the game.”
On her part, Marketing Manager, Budweiser, Olajumoke Okikiolu, said, “Budweiser Game of Kings team managers audition has been an interesting contest. We received numerous applications from consumers who desired to coach Smooth FC and Kings FC, and it was heartening to see many of those who made it to the final stage of the audition display a remarkable knowledge of football.
“It will also be interesting to see how the fan-led teams fare against each other in what will undoubtedly be a pulsating match on game day.”
Before being announced as one of the winners, a passionate Segun John refused to accept the notion of defeat when questioned on the possibility of his team losing. Segun, without mincing words, said, “I will not take defeat, I cannot take defeat, I must win.
“I will withdraw any player who thinks he is on the pitch to sell bread and butter. I will even bench John Terry or Roberto Carlos if they don’t meet my standard.”
Osinachi Egbuche who emerged coach of Smooth FC also expressed optimism about his team’s chances of lifting the trophy.
“I am confident in my coaching abilities and can’t wait to show my tactical superiority come game day,” he said.
The game day match will air on SuperSports, NTA Network, and STV to cater to fans who will not be at the stadium to see their football icons play.
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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