Sports

Osimhen apologizes to coach, teammates for his tantrums after substitution

Published

1 year ago

September 26, 2023

Victor Osimhen is back with a bang (Photo Credit: Napoli FC)

Nigeria and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, has tendered an apology to his club coach, Rudi Garcia and teammates after his outburst following his substitution during Napoli’s match with Bologna which ended 0-0.

Osimhen, who led the club to its first Italian Serie A title in over three decades with 26 goals, was subbed off for Giovanni Simeone after blasting a penalty over the bar.

But the substitution did not sit well with the Super Eagles forward who has struggled for goals this season, and he made his coach know how he felt with the now famous outburst which made the headlines in the Italian media, with many sports journalists calling for his sanction.

However, as per Gazzeta dello Sport, Osimhen has apologized to his coach and teammates, and everything seems to be okay in the club’s dressing room.

“Osimhen has apologised to Garcia and his teammates after his outburst at his substitution,” the Italian sports journal wrote.

“Osimhen, it has to be said, was unsuccessful in the match, hitting the upright and missing a penalty. It was also the Nigerian’s 4th game without scoring a goal.

“The player, under particular scrutiny, was replaced by his coach a few minutes from the end of the match (86th).

“Osimhen, no doubt frustrated, was seen explaining to Garcia that it was necessary to play with two center-forwards, rather than having him replaced by Simeone.

“In the locker room on Sunday evening and at Castel Volturno this morning, Victor Osimhen apologized to the coach and his teammates for his outburst on the pitch in Bologna, when at the end he burst out at Rudi Garcia by not accepting the substitution and “explaining” to his coach that he would have had to leave him on the pitch by deploying the second central striker, Giovanni Simeone”, it added.

Napoli captain, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who downplayed the incident, was quoted as saying:

“We manage certain episodes in the dressing room. They become more obvious when things go wrong. We need to be united and focused on the goal. We’ll talk to the group and the coach to resolve this problem. We don’t like to be behind in the league, even if it’s early days.”

Napoli, the current league champions, lie in 7th place with eight points, seven behind leaders Inter Milan, a situation that may have led to frustration for their top striker.

Related Topics:Apologises Featured Napoli Outburst Super Eagles Victor Osimhen

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Sports

Coach of Mamelodi Sundowns female team suspended over sexual harassment allegations

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns women’s team, Jerry Tshabalala, has been suspended indefinitely amid allegations of sexual harassment of players.

A statement by the management of the top South African team said the 44-year-old Tshabalala, who has been in charge of Sundowns’s women’s team for over a decade, has been accused of a number of allegations, including making inappropriate sexual comments to his players, as well as entering the dressing room and refusing to leave while players are completely naked.

In a statement released on Saturday, Sundowns said they had appointed a law firm to investigate the allegations against the coach with specific instructions to unravel allegations of improper conduct by the Tshabalala.

The club said it views the allegations in a very serious light and has relieved the coach of his appointment pending when the investigations are concluded.

“Sundowns has, in the interim, put Coach Jerry Tshabalala on special leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” the club statement said.

“This is not done to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but to ensure that the investigation can proceed expeditiously and protect the rights of all parties.

“In the event that the investigation establishes facts that warrant action, the Board will immediately take such steps as are appropriate.

“Mamelodi Sundowns will in due course make announcements on the findings of the investigation and the action to be taken,” the statement concluded.

The Sundowns female team have been a dominant force in women’s football in South Africa and on the continent since Tshabalala took over in 2012, winning seven domestic league titles, as well as two CAF Women’s Champions League crowns.

Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)