Pop Shop
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho claims English clubs are at a disadvantage in the Champions League.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation has warned all clubs invited for the final 6 play-off of the Premier Basketball League slated to hold between 14th and 19th August, 2017 to disregard any invitation from anybody or group of people parading as the NBBF members.
Dele Alli reveals he used to hang around on streets until 2am when he was 12… but football changed him
Nigerian born English footballer, Dele Ali has made a stunning transition from League One to the top of the game, and is rated as the second most valuable player in world football and valued at a staggering £136.1million by Swiss number-crunchers.
It is real numbers, rather than fantasy ones, that count, however.
Dele Ali’s 32 goals in his first two seasons at Tottenham are the unquestionable proof of the impact he has made under Mauricio Pochettino since his £5m switch from MK Dons.
Yet the 21-year-old was seemingly destined for the wrong side of the law as he grew up in the Buckinghamsire new town.
Dele Ali confessed: “I got into trouble a few times when I was younger. I hung around with the wrong people.
“With the older boys, I tried to do what they did. We weren’t in a very good area. Football gave me the opportunity to actually put my energy into something else than hanging out on the street at 12 years old until 2am.”
Crime’s loss was, quite clearly, football’s gain.
And if Spurs and England are to realise their respective ambitions over the next 12 months, there is no doubting that Dele Ali will be central to the plans of both Pochettino and Gareth Southgate.
Pochettino and his Tottenham side will have to get used to the new surroundings of Wembley very quickly — starting with this weekend’s International Champions Cup clash with Juventus.
But the Argentine will want more of the same from one of his key links.
Spurs may not have been busy in the transfer market so far this summer, although Poch is determined to make some signings by the time the window shuts.
Dele told September’s issue of GQ magazine that last term’s near-miss has only fuelled Tottenham’s determination.
He said: “I think we’re inches away from winning the Premier League. Maybe another player or two players is all we need.”
As for his own contribution, Dele conceded it was as much about instinct as work on the training ground.
Fitness plays a factor, of course, with Pochettino’s tough drills breeding a staying power that sustained Tottenham through that end of season run of 11 wins from 12 games that pushed Chelsea all the way and saw Spurs tot up a club record Premier league tally of 86 points.
But it is intuition and that priceless ability to see a situation developing and strike with a cobra’s deadly intent that has elevated Dele Ali into the stratosphere.
He added: “I think a lot of my goals come from anticipating play.
“It’s about just constantly thinking and trying to predict what’s going to happen.
“When you’re in the box, it’s all quick-quick-quick.
“So you’ve got to sort of guess what’s going to happen next. Where the ball might fall, so you can get that extra yard on the defender.”
After the goals, the celebrations. Rival fans might have mocked the bizarre rituals dreamed up by Dele Ali, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane but the trio love the fun of the moment.
According to Dele Ali, it is all down to the Korean.
He said: “Son has one of those handshakes for everyone. And he insists on doing each of them every morning when he comes into training. It takes ages!”
And it was a celebration picture of him and Son that represents Dele Ali’s abiding and final memory of the last game at White Hart Lane, which was demolished after Spurs beat Manchester United to seal second place in May.
The blown-up shot of the pair wheeling away from goal was hanging on inside the old Spurs dressing room — before Dele Ali yanked it off and took it away.
He added: “It’s still at the training ground. It won’t fit in my car. I haven’t figured out how I’m going to get it home yet.”
That’s one of the few things Dele Ali has not worked out yet. Luckily for Spurs, he has sorted most of the other stuff. Most importantly, of course, himself.
What are your Expectations ? It’s 10 days before the start of the premier league season
The 2016-2017 season of the Premier League proved to be another exciting one, although Chelsea’s march towards the title couldn’t quite match Leicester’s shock win of the season before for drama.
At the other end of the premier league table, Sunderland’s regular relegation battle finally ended in defeat, with Hull City and Middlesbrough making the drop alongside them. This article will take a look at the expectations from the newly promoted and top teams that have spent heavily on recruitments.
The premier league’s three newly promoted teams are Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town with the first of these facing the highest expectations.
Under Rafael Benitez, Newcastle are expected to survive comfortably having a massive premier league as a manager and have started bringing in players already. Christian Atsu was first through the door, but the club has expected is following this up with further signings.
They should have enough to compete, but for Brighton and Huddersfield – the latter playing in the top flight for the first time ever. It will be a battle to stay in the premier league division. Each of these teams have been Securing experienced players who can help them survive in the top flight though.
Elsewhere, Manchester United will be expected to make a serious title challenge this season, having secured the services of Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and most recently, Nemanja Matic. Although the two trophies secured last year put a gloss on a disappointing premier league campaign.
Pep Guardiola will also be under pressure across the city, after Manchester City finished an underwhelming third and failed to win any trophies last season.
The citizens have been really busy over the transfer window anyways, bringing in new faces and top lads to further strengthen the team’s depth.
Whether the Manchester clubs can mount a real challenge for the EPL title this incoming premier league season could determine whether managers Jose Mourinho and Guardiola remain in place.
Both managers seems to be in top form all through the ongoing pre-season tour. Being two of the top spenders during the transfer window.
The pressure unarguably will be mounted keenly on top teams who’s management has broken the bank to bring in players during the transfer window, Such teams will be expected to justify the funds that were spent on players recruitment.
The premier league resumes actions on friday 11th August, with Arsenal taking on Leicester city at the Emirates Stadium.
Barcelona top Europe’s biggest wage spenders but Stoke pays more than Atleti
Playing in the world’s richest football league comes with serious problems according to Steve Parish, chairman and co-owner of Crystal Palace.
Chelsea were paid £150.8m by the Premier League after winning the 2016-17 title – 50% more than the top earners in 2015-16.
Manchester City were slapped with a ban on signing academy players on Friday after tapping up two schoolboys.
Arsenal’s highest goalscorer this season, Alexis Sanchez wants to remain with the club if terms can be agreed, says manager Arsene Wenger.
Alexis Sanchez, 28, is contracted to the Gunners until the summer of 2018, with some newspapers claiming he would like to join Chelsea.
“I believe that he wants to stay at the club and it is about doing a deal with his agent,” said Wenger.
“The players have to see if they’re happy and find an agreement. Finances are also involved in that.”
Sanchez, who joined the gunners from catalan giant, Barcelona for a fee around the region of £35m in the summer of 2014, has scored 22 goals for the Gunners this season.
However, with Arsenal again failing to push for the Premier League title and going out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage, some reports have suggested that Sanchez could be looking to leave Emirates Stadium.
In March, Wenger denied that a training ground bust up was behind his decision to leave Sanchez on the bench for the defeat at Liverpool.
Wenger was speaking at a news conference in the build-up to Monday’s Premier League game at Crystal Palace, with the Frenchman once again refusing to elaborate on his future at the club.