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Aston Villa Sack Gerrard After Fulham Defeat

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Steven Gerrard was sacked as Aston Villa manager less than two hours after his struggling side crashed to a dismal 3-0 defeat at Fulham on Thursday.

Gerrard paid the price for Villa’s wretched start to the season, which sees the club languishing just one place above the Premier League relegation zone.

Villa have won only two of their 11 league matches this term and their tame surrender at Craven Cottage proved the final straw for the club’s hierarchy as they axed Gerrard after just 11 months in charge.

Gerrard and his players had been booed off at full-time by Villa’s furious fans after the loss at Fulham extended their winless run to four matches.

Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that head coach Steven Gerrard has left the club with immediate effect,” a statement said.

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“We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.”

Gerrard led Villa to a 14th-place finish last term after arriving from Rangers to replace the sacked Dean Smith last November on a three-and-a-half year contract.

The former Liverpool and England star was expected to push Villa higher up the table this season, but instead he leaves with the club firmly embroiled in a relegation battle.

Gerrard won the Scottish title with Rangers in 2021, ending Celtic’s long period of dominance.

But he has been unable to build on that impressive work since moving to Villa Park, failing to win over the club’s supporters with some lacklustre performances.

Villa eye top Gerrard successor –
Despite being given significant transfer backing, including a swoop for Barcelona’s Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, Gerrard was unable to deliver the “continuous improvement” that Villa chief executive Christian Purslow demanded.

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Gerrard was also hit by injuries to summer signings Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara, as well as left-back Lucas Digne.

Speaking at his post-match press conference after the Fulham game, Gerrard had vowed to save his job.

I’m a fighter, I will never, ever quit anything whether it’s football or in life. We will see what happens. I’ll continued to fight unless I’m told differently,” he said.

But just minutes after Gerrard had spoken to the media, Villa announced his sacking.

Gerrard won just 13 of his 40 games in charge of Villa, losing 19 of those matches.

It is a major blow to Gerrard’s managerial career after the Liverpool legend was tipped as a potential long-term successor to current Reds boss Jurgen Klopp following his success with Rangers.

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Now Gerrard must bide his time as he waits for an opportunity to rehabilitate a reputation tarnished by his disappointing spell with Villa.

Villa, owned by billionaires Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, are reportedly prepared to pay one of the highest salaries in the Premier League to land a top replacement for Gerrard.

Former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with the post, along with ex-Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel.

Whether Pochettino or Tuchel could be persuaded to join a club in Villa’s perilous position remains to be seen.

Other contenders could include Villarreal coach Unai Emery, who had Premier League experience with Arsenal, and former Burnley boss Sean Dyche, a veteran of numerous relegation battles with the Clarets.

Villa midfielder John McGinn insisted Gerrard wasn’t to blame for the team’s plight.

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It’s embarrassing to be part of. We’ve let the travelling fans down and let the manager down,” McGinn said.

“It doesn’t matter who is in charge of that team. It’s nothing to do with the manager – the players have to look at themselves in the mirror.

“The support are very demanding. You’re playing at a top level and if you’re not performing, you get criticised.”
AFP

 

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Why We Lost Against Mali – Finidi George

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Super Eagles interim coach, Finidi George has provided insights into why his team lost to the Eagles of Mali in an international friendly match held in Marrakech, Morocco.

Super Eagles interim coach, Finidi George has provided insights into why his team lost to the Eagles of Mali in an international friendly match held in Marrakech, Morocco.

The Super Eagles suffered a 2-0 loss to Mali on Tuesday, with Finidi attributing the defeat to costly errors made by his team.

The Enyimba gaffer rued the missed chances in the game, but applauded the boys for their dominant performance.

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Finidi George said, “It was not a bad game. Good intensity. We created a couple of chances, but we could not score. And in games like this, if you don’t score, and make mistakes, you will be punished. Lost one. We were not outplayed.

“In the first game as well, we did so well. I would have loved a different result, but that’s not the case. If you look at the performance of the players, it is commendable.”

The Super Eagles will now shift their attention to the June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

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Messi Reveals When He’ll Retire From Football

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Iconic Argentine footballer, Lionel Messi, recently discussed retirement on the Big Time Podcast, shedding light on his future plans as he navigates the twilight of his career.

Since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, Messi has contributed 16 goals and seven assists in 19 appearances across competitions.

However, the 36-year-old has also grappled with injury issues, leading to concerns about his longevity in the sport.

Reflecting on his retirement plans, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner emphasized his self-awareness, acknowledging that he evaluates his performances critically.

READ ALSO: Messi Hits 500 League Goals As Inter Miami Cruise Past Orlando

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Messi expressed his readiness to step away from the game when he feels he can no longer perform at his best or derive enjoyment from playing, regardless of his age.

“I am very self critical of myself, I know when I’m good, when I’m bad, when I play well and when I play badly. When I feel it’s time to take that step, I will take it without thinking about age,” Messi said.

“I know that moment I feel I am no longer ready to perform, that I am no longer enjoying myself or helping my teammates.”

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Brazil’s Gabigol Handed Two-year Ban For Anti-doping ‘Fraud’

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Flamengo’s international forward Gabriel Barbosa was suspended for two years on Monday for attempted fraud during a doping test, a Brazilian sports court said.

Known as Gabigol, the 27-year-old Brazilian was alleged to have been uncooperative during a surprise doping test at club headquarters in Rio de Janeiro.

The punishment, which can be appealed, is backdated to April 8 last year, when the events occurred.

He failed to comply with the schedule, disrespected the doping officers and refused to obey instructions, local media said.

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“The aforementioned athlete was tried today by the Full Court of Sports Anti-Doping and, by majority, it was decided that a violation of the anti-doping rule of fraud had occurred,” the court said in a statement sent to AFP.

Gabigol subsequently hit back on social media, saying “I never tried to obstruct or defraud any test.”

I am confident I will be found innocent at the highest court,” he added.

Flamengo said in a statement it would support its player and assist with his appeal “because there was no type of fraud”.

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On the testing day, Gabigol’s teammates underwent testing in the morning while he ignored a request to be present and attended after lunchtime, according to the accusation.

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When he finally arrived to be tested, he reportedly became upset because an officer escorted him to the bathroom.

Furthermore, he did not respect the sample collection protocol, according to the accusation.

A key figure in Flamengo’s 2019 domestic league and Copa Libertadores titles, Gabigol has consistently denied having tried to cheat in the test.

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“The Flamengo player has confirmed that the test has been carried out and the result was negative,” his lawyer said in December, when the allegations first surfaced.

“In view of this information, there is nothing that could compromise or violate the protocol,” the lawyer added.

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Gabigol had disappointing spells at Portugal’s Benfica as well as at Inter Milan in Italy having come through Santos’ academy, before joining Flamengo in 2019.

His return to form for Flamengo earned him call-ups to the Brazil squad and he made the last of his 18 international appearances in January 2022.

Gabigol’s contract with Flamengo expires in December.

 

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