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Tag: Players

  • Conte to Tottenham players: Your diet is wrong and you’re overweight

    Conte to Tottenham players: Your diet is wrong and you’re overweight

    New Tottenham coach Antonio Conte has told some his players they’re overweight.

    Conte has not hesitated in making sweeping changes in his first week as Tottenham manager, even banning ketchup and mayonnaise and telling his players they are overweight.

    The Athletic reports Spurs stars were ‘dead’ after a training session last Friday despite beating Vitesse the night before, such is the priority Conte puts into work on the training pitch.

    He also treated his stars to a 75-minute video analysis session of the win over the Dutch side, despite the meeting being initially pencilled in for 20 minutes.

    Conte did not hold back about his players’ physical condition in the aftermath of the European win, too. He told them some of them were overweight and insisted their mentality had to change.

    Nutrition has been one area that Conte has poured huge focus into during the first week of his tenure in north London. He has even ensured his squad eat lunch together at midday.

    He’s withdrawn ‘heavy food and sandwiches’ from the menu at the training ground canteen and also got rid of ketchup and mayonnaise.

    There has also been cut backs to the amount of fruit juice given to players and the amount of oil and butter used in cooking. He’s also urged his stars to eat more fruit.

  • Every EPL player to leave their clubs for AFCON [Full list]

    Every EPL player to leave their clubs for AFCON [Full list]

    Premier League clubs could lose over 40 stars over the middle of the season to the African Cup of Nations.

    The continental tournament is always held midway through the season and sees established stars head away for a number of weeks.

    Around 40 players will depart after the games on Boxing Day with some not returning until the second week of February.

    The African Cup of Nations officially begins on January 9 and concludes on February 6.

    Cameroon kick off the tournament against Burkina Faso which means December 27 – 13 days previous – is the date players will be leaving their clubs.

    Here is a list of the players who could be called up by their nations:

    Arsenal

    Thomas Partey (Ghana)

    Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)

    Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)

    Aston Villa

    Mahmoud Trezeguet (Egypt)

    Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)

    Marvelous Nakamba (Zimbabwe)

    Brentford

    Julian Jeanvier (Guinea)

    Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)

    Tariqe Fosu-Henry (Ghana)

    Brighton

    Yves Bissouma (Mali)

    Burnley

    Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)

    Chelsea

    Edouard Mendy (Senegal)

    Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)

    Crystal Palace

    Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal)

    Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana)

    Jordan Ayew (Ghana)

    Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)

    Everton

    Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Ivory Coast)

    Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)

    Leeds United

    None

    Leicester City

    Daniel Amartey (Ghana)

    Nampalys Mendy (Senegal)

    Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)

    Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria)

    Liverpool

    Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

    Naby Keita (Guinea)

    Sadio Mane (Senegal)

    Manchester City

    Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

    Manchester United

    Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast)

    Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)

    Newcastle United

    None

    Norwich City

    None

    Southampton

    Moussa Djenepo (Mali)

    Mohammed Salisu (Ghana)

    Tottenham Hotspur

    None

    Watford

    Peter Etebo (Nigeria)

    William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)

    Adam Masina (Morocco)

    Ismaila Sarr (Senegal)

    Emmanuel Dennis (Nigeria)

    West Ham United

    None

    Wolves

    Romain Saiss (Morocco)

    Willy Boly (Ivory Coast

  • Players back World Cup changes – Arsene Wenger

    Players back World Cup changes – Arsene Wenger

    Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists he has the players’ support for a World Cup every two years.

    Wenger is pushing the change, despite burnout fears from some players.

    He told La Repubblica: “The players are with me. I want to group the qualifiers in one or two international windows and leave the players with their clubs for the rest of the season.

    “It is to create not a closed and exclusive but inclusive circle, giving opportunities to all countries. It can make people happy. Tradition does not mean standing still.

    “They have consulted a certain number of top players and I know they would prefer to play more important games.”

  • La Liga: Barca players unhappy with coach, Ronald Koeman

    La Liga: Barca players unhappy with coach, Ronald Koeman

    Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman is losing support of the dressing room.

    AS says Koeman’s criticism of the players in public, along with some aspects in training, have left the players unimpressed.

    Barca players are baffled by Koeman’s refusal to prepare for opposition teams in terms of playing style and tactics.

    However, it is the coach’s public criticism which has frustrated players most.

    Koeman hammering Nico Gonzalez after defeat at Atletico Madrid has not gone down well. Indeed, the senior leadership group have already had one player speak to Nico after the coach’s comments in order to assure him.

    Koeman said last week that winning the Champions League would be “a miracle” for Barcelona and was not so optimistic about their chances in LaLiga also. Comments which have left his squad unimpressed.

  • 8 Brazilian players banned from playing in EPL

    8 Brazilian players banned from playing in EPL

    Eight Brazil players are set to be missing from Premier League games at the weekend after the Brazilian federation invoked a FIFA rule that will temporarily suspend them.

    According to Goal, FIFA has informed clubs that the controversial ‘five-day rule’ will be imposed by the Brazilian FA, preventing eight players from five clubs from featuring in this round of domestic fixtures.

    Liverpool trio Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino are all impacted, as are Manchester City duo Gabriel Jesus and Ederson, Manchester United midfielder Fred and Leeds star Raphinha. Clubs have been warned they will face sanctions, which could include forfeiting games, should they fail to comply.

  • We wanted to sell more players – Arsenal chief

    We wanted to sell more players – Arsenal chief

    Arsenal chief Edu admits they wanted to sell more players this summer.

    Only Joe Willock was sold by Arsenal – to Newcastle United.

    “We found a very, very challenging window – not just for Arsenal, but for everyone,” technical director, Edu, told Arsenal Media.

    “If you see, there are not many teams selling around the world, there are a lot of loans with options to buy, so we did two – Matteo Guendouzi and Dinos Mavropanos – who are in that situation, with an obligation to buy as well but we worked the way the market is presenting to us as well. I cannot knock on the door of a club and say, ‘Listen I am selling a player’. You have to do as well what is best for the club.

    “Sometimes you have to change a little bit of the direction, when you have some ideas to sell a player but it is not possible and then you have to create an opportunity to sell in the future.

    “Then you loan the player and see, the way we did with Joe Willock. That is a good example for us, he went on loan, played and then the market saw a bit more and came to buy. Let’s see, maybe the next window we may be in a better position in terms of selling, but right now that is our reality.”

  • 48.5bn dollars spent on international transfers from 2011 to 2020 – FIFA

    48.5bn dollars spent on international transfers from 2011 to 2020 – FIFA

    A total of 48.5 billion dollars (about N19.98 trillion) in international transfer fees have been paid in the decade until 2020, football’s world governing body FIFA said on Monday.

    FIFA, in coming to this conclusion, analysed 133,225 cross-border transfers and loans between 2011 and 2020.

    Ten years ago, 2.85 billion dollars was spent, while the highest annual amount was reached in 2019 with 7.35 billion dollars.

    Fallout from the coronavirus pandemic meant that 2020’s figure was 5.63 billion dollars.

    All transfers between clubs from different countries must be officially registered in FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS), which was introduced in October 2010.

    Europe’s August transfer window closes on Tuesday.

  • COVID-19: Why we won’t release players to go to red-list countries in September – EPL clubs

    COVID-19: Why we won’t release players to go to red-list countries in September – EPL clubs

    The 20 clubs from the top-flight of English football will not allow their players to feature in international matches in red-list countries next month, the Premier League said on Tuesday.

    Nearly 60 players from 19 Premier League clubs are due to travel to 26 red-list countries in September for international matches.

    But all the clubs have unanimously decided not to release those players and the clubs’ decision “is strongly supported by the Premier League.”

    “Extensive discussions have taken place with both The (English) FA and the Government to find a solution.

    ”But due to ongoing public health concerns relating to incoming travellers from red-list countries, no exemption has been granted,” read the statement released by the Premier League.

    Under the current rules in the UK, all travellers from red-list countries such as Brazil and Argentina are required 10 days of hotel quarantine.

    This means that the players would have missed a few matches if they returned from international duties.

    The decision means that Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus and goalkeeper Ederson will not be able to represent Brazil to play a home match against Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers next month.

    The same applies to their compatriots Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino from Liverpool and Leeds United’s Raphinha.

    “Premier League clubs have always supported their players’ desires to represent their countries —- this is a matter of pride for all concerned.

    “However, clubs have reluctantly but rightly come to the conclusion that it would be entirely unreasonable to release players under these new circumstances,” said Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters.

    “Quarantine requirements mean that players’ welfare and fitness will be significantly impacted. We understand the challenges that exist in the international match calendar and remain open to workable solutions.”

  • I can’t manage 42 players at Chelsea – Thomas Tuchel

    I can’t manage 42 players at Chelsea – Thomas Tuchel

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admits they need to cut the numbers of his squad.

    Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley, Danny Drinkwater, Michy Batshuayi, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Davide Zappacosta are some of the players who were loaned out last season.

    Tuchel says the size of his squad is currently unmanageable.

    He said, “After the Arsenal match, we wrote down (all) names on a piece of paper because the match against Arsenal was on Sunday and (on) Monday, the group of players from England, Italy and Brazil came back.

    “So we wrote down the names to confirm that we would have 42 players in the building and that is simply not possible.”

  • Thomas Tuchel willing to see 12 Chelsea players depart

    Thomas Tuchel willing to see 12 Chelsea players depart

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is prepared to see as many as twelve players offloaded this summer.

    Chelsea’s loan players of last season have returned to Cobham for training.

    According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, a host of those are not in Tuchel’s plans for the new campaign.

    It’s reported that up to 12 players will be told they can find a new club including last year’s recruit Malang Sarr who spent last season on loan at Porto, says the Daily Express.

    The highest-profile names include Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who both endured mixed spells on loan at Aston Villa and Fulham respectively.

    Danny Drinkwater and Trevor Chalobah could also be heading towards the exit door.

    Jake Clarke-Salter, Charly Musonda, Matt Miazga, Lewis Baker and Baba Rahman could also move on.

    Chelsea may hope they can recoup some money for Tiemoue Bakayoko and Davide Zappacosta though, with both now still of some value.