Sunday, 14 March 2021

New Generation of Managers



Good coaching is the architect of good football. A coach tactics determines the results of soccer games. Coach is the backbone of a winning team. Whenever a team wins laurels the coach get the accolade and if a team has a poor run of form the coach gets the boot.
In modern football, most clubs prefer to hire an experienced manager or a multiple title winning coach who can take such club to next level.

As the days of the veteran coaches like Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, Marcelo Bielsa and the likes are numbered on the touchline, let's take a look at the upcoming managers in European football.

Mikel Arteta
He has learnt on the job for 3 years under the stewardship of Pep Guardiola. He took over the Gunners from erstwhile coach Unai Emery when the ship is almost sinking.
In his first 6 months on the job, he won the English FA Cup trophy and the season curtain raiser - the Community Shield.

This season has not been rosy for Arteta and his boys, they are currently 10th on the league table and there is a high probability that the Gunners will miss out of the UEFA Champions League for the 5th consecutive season except they win the Europa league title.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The babyface assassin was a Man United legend. He has had coaching stints in Cardiff City and Molde in Norway before joining the Red Devils first as interim manager and then the substantiated manager.
He has led united to 4 different semi-finals (2 League Cups, English FA cup and UEFA Europa League).

His team was knocked out at the group stage of this season UEFA Champions League and are currently second on the Premier League table.

Frank Lampard
The Englishman was a great player in his active days on the pitch. The Chelsea legend was the first English manager hired during this Roman Abramovich era.
He started his managerial career at championship side Derby county, and his stint at Chelsea ended on a sad note culminatung to him being sacked after a run of bad results.

However, he has the potential to bounce back strong and better in the nearest future

Scot Parker
He is an another upcoming manager,who is new in the coaching business. His Fulham led-side have been battling relegation all season in the Premier League. 
So far he has 5 wins,11 draws qnd 12 losses, and sit 18th on the log with 26 points.

Can he survive relegation this season?

Gennaro Gattuso
He has had stints in some clubs in Italian topflight and lower division.
He won the Coppa Italia title for Napoli in just 3 months after taking over last season. This season has been full of issues on and off the pitch especially concerning their record signing Victor Osimhen.

Presently Napoli has 47points, lost 8 games and sit 6th on the log.

Andrea Pirlo
The Italian legend finished his coaching badge in October 2019. And in June 2020, the Juventus legend was appointed as the Turin side U-23 coach, few days after he was named the manager of the first team taking over from Maurizio Sarri
He won Italian Super cup, and his side is in the final of Coppa Italia where they will have to face Atalanta.

Juventus might not win the scuddeto title this season because presently they are 10 points behind leaders Inter Milan on 52 points and 3rd on the log .

Steven Gerrard
The Englishman has just won the first league title of his career with Glasgow Rangers. He became the first manager in 10 years to stop Celtic from winning the SPL title.
His team has remained unbeaten so far this season with stats; 28 wins, 4 draws, and no loss in the league with 77goals scored and only 9 conceded.

His team are still flying high in the Europa League as well having qualified for the quarter-final.

There are already rumours and insinuations that he will soon take over the Anfield giants. Can he takeover Liverpool and replicate this form? Only time will tell.

Who are the next former players that will become coach in future ?


Fabiyi Ridwan
Sports Writer and Analyst 

Monday, 8 March 2021

UEFA Europa League: The second-tier competition



UEFA Europa League is the competition for the less privilege teams who couldn't qualify for champions league.
The Thursday night football is always uncomfortable for big teams due to long journey travel to match venues.
It is full of actions, freestyle skills and goal galore for the fans to groove in excitement.
Winners of this competition qualified automatically for the following season Champions League irrespective of their position in their domestic league table.

The 2020/21 round of 16 draws pit teams from 11 different countries against each other with England having the most representatives (3).
First leg ties will take place on March 11th while second-leg fixtures will be played on March 18th. At this level the boys have been separated from the men.

Olympiacos vs Arsenal
This tie is a game of significance  for the Gunners, the Greek side knocked out the Gunners in round of 32 last season, so they must be careful for history not to repeat itself.

Both side have met 10 times in European competitions, they both have 5 wins apiece.
However the North Londoners should be able to prevail this time.

Manchester United vs AC Milan
The fallen champions of European football tie is a mouthwatering fixture.

Both teams have met 10 times before now in the elite competition, the Rossoneri have qualified 4 times although United won their last meeting in 2010.

Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic might not be able to win this game for Milan against his former team, so United is tip to qualify.

Dinamo Zagreb vs Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs scored 8 goals in two matches in the round of 32 and despits their form so far and having to face a supposed minnow, it won't be easy.
Slavia Prague vs Glasgow Rangers
The recently crowned Scottish champion are the favorite to win this tie, where three Nigerians will be facing off, Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun of Rangers and Peter Olayinka for Slavia Prague. 

Granada vs Molde FK
The Spanish side Granada are the favourite to progress in this round while the Norwegian champion are the underdogs.

AS Roma vs Shakhtar Donetsk 

The tie is a 50 -50 game, the Italian side are disciplined while the Ukraine side plays like the samba boys of Brazil due to many Brazilian players in their team.

Dynamo Kiev vs Villarreal
Emery and his boys from Spain are the favorite, because of his experience and records in Europa league, in 4 finals ,1 runner-up in 2017/18 (Arsenal). and 3 titles with sevilla.

Ajax Amsterdam vs Young Boys
The Dutch kings are finalist in  2015/16, and this game promises to be interesting because it will produce a lot of goals.

Ajax have the pedigree and quality to scale through to the next round but the Swiss side will give them a run for their money.

Hence we keep our fingers cross to see the teams that will progress to the quarter finals and the later stages of the competition .

Which team will emerge the 2020/21 champion?

Fabiyi Ridwan
Sports Writer and Analyst