Sarri first conference

The press conference began with Sarri speaking in English about how big a pleasure it is for him to be in London and in Premier League which, at the moment, is the best league in the world according to him. He then went on to apologize for his command of the English language, or lack thereof, and that he’d be answering the questions in Italian instead and hopes that in a few weeks, he is able to improve upon this aspect and answer in English instead.
The first question was about the delay in appointing him as Chelsea head coach and whether that has affected the preparation or if it’s something that he had been planning for sometime. Sarri gave a fairly diplomatic answer to this question, saying that it was a complicated situation with Napoli that needed to be solved, thus he wasn’t planning anything.
He further went on to say that he knew Chelsea were interested in him and that the situation was resolved only a few days ago. Thus, there are concerns with regards to lack of time, but it’s something that he intends to solve together with his staff.
Moving on, the next question was the standard softball about the Premier League, and whether he had talked to other coaches such as the man who replaced him at Napoli, Carlo Ancelotti.
“Well for me this is a difficult challenge, but a fascinating one. I know it will be very difficult and here we have the strongest coaches in the world and the strongest players in the world. It is difficult, but I have not asked anyone anything. I want to have this experience by myself, including mistakes. The Premier League is different from Serie A because it is stronger while Serie A is tactical but here there are stronger players.
“However I need to have fun to do well and I have noticed that in the last year something has changed in the Premier League as well. It is not a typical English style of playing and this has given me confidence but I know it will be difficult.”
Speaking of world class coaches, Sarri was asked about his opinion on his friend, Pep Guardiola and not his friend, Jose Mourinho. Here is what he had to say about both the managers.
On Pep:
“Well he is a class act, a champion and a genius. It is difficult to explain his insights. Clearly he had some difficulties in the first year, but 100 points in PL is extraordinary, might not be repeated. For us we need to fill in a gap. I hope last year was an occasional gap.”
On Jose:
“He has won everything and I think that is enough as a manager. He has won everything repeatedly and I think someone who has this track record does not need a description. We are talking about a world level manager. I esteem Pep, and the other managers but I am friends with Pep because my style is closest to Guardiola.“
Of course, no press conference can be complete without transfer talk. Thus, the next question was regarding the futures of Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Willian, all three who are linked with moves away from the club and Gonzalo Higuain, a player who is linked with a move to the club.
Sarri’s answer was fairly reserved stating that he’d obviously like to keep the best players at the club as that is what every manager and club wants to do. Regarding Higuain however, Sarri said that he, as a manager, is bored with the transfer window. According to him, he is more of a head coach rather than a manager and thus, his focus is always on the pitch and what he can do to improve the players, rather than focusing on the transfers. Incidentally, this is a paradigm that Conte emphasized quite often as well, though while also having more of an opinion on the market itself.
“Well, clearly, we would always like to keep the strongest players, this is what any manager and club wants to do. We will have to see what the transfer market goes. But I would like to clarify that I see myself as more of a field manager, a pitch manager rather than a general manager. I think that I am one of the few managers who is bored by the transfer market. I don’t want to talk about the transfer market and I’m not that interested in it. I think that our task as managers is growing the players we have.”
Less sonorous may have been his emphasis on fun and style over setting trophy goals. While Sarri obviously wants to be competitive and go far in ever competition the club enters, his personal objective is to have fun. One of the biggest gifts you can receive in life, he says, is to have fun while doing your job, so he’s certainly grateful for that.
The next question was regarding what kind of football will Sarri bring to Chelsea and if the Chelsea fans can expect entertaining football.
“I hope so, I really hope so. Clearly, football can be entertaining or not but much depends on the players. A good manager is something whose team has a lot of physicality otherwise there has to be a lot of technical players. This depends on the characteristics of the final squad but I am convinced that if a team has fun often the fans have fun too. This is very important and then there are the high level objectives as well but we must start by having fun. This is important for our fans.”
Conte’s one word was work.
Sarri says he hopes to implement his footballing philosophy at Chelsea as quickly as possible, and he wants to make his side's style of play fun to watch for our supporters.
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It’s good to see that Sarri is not a purist in the sense that he only desires technical players but he also sees the importance of having physicality in the squad. However, the squad that finished 5th last season still needs some adjustments and Sarri had this to say regarding his transfer targets.
“I cannot name names, because I don’t know. I spoke with the club and ideally I think that a pinch of quality was lacking in our centre-halves [translation error: midfielders] for a certain type of play. Of course, I cannot change 20 players, I must adapt and then I will see if we change some thing in my game. Because of their characteristics.“
Sarri hints at Rugani: "I spoke with football club and said ideally I think  a pinch of quality is lacking in ourbacks for a certain kind of play, otherwise they are at higher level.
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One common theme amongst most of the players Chelsea have been linked with this summe is their familiarity with Sarri’s complex system. The idea is that players like Higuain, Rugani, anyone from Napoli are being targeted as a workaround to the amount of time that it will take for the rest of the squad to get used to the new system.
According to Sarri, this familiarity process should not take more than three months at the worst as at Napoli, that’s the amount of time which was needed but he hopes that he has improved on this aspect in the last three years.
“Well it depends. In my previous experiences I needed a long time. Last time I needed three months in Napoli and we suffered in the three matches and then went along a positive path. I hope this initial time can be shortened and I hope the quality of the team will help me with this while I’m still building the team.”
Speaking of quality in the squad, Eden Hazard’s future at Chelsea is still in doubt but most are hoping that appointment of Sarri can be enough to convince Eden to stay. This is what Sarri had to say about our Belgian talisman:
“I was not talking about having fun on the pitch, during the week and want to win matches. Hazard is a high level player and I think he is one of the top two or three European players. I would like to have fun during the week with him, this would mean good results and being competitive at the end of the season.
“I hope I will manage to improve him, this is very difficult as he is already at a very high level. With Mertens it is different. Dries had always been an external striker, everybody thought by necessity he became a high level player but it’s a different situation. These are two top players. I hope I will improve Hazard too, but this will be very difficult.”
Last but not the least, Sarri was also asked Chelsea’s tendency to sack managers and if it’s something that worries him. To which the Italian replied that he is not worried and he hopes that he can work well with the rest of squad and that he can win a few trophies as well.
“If I was someone who always worried probably I would do another job. Our job means risks but also a lot of satisfaction. I don’t want to be afraid.
“With respect to the rest, I haven’t won anything but in Serie A nobody has won anything due to the dominance of Juventus. For three years in a row we achieved records [with respect to Napoli] with points. I think that we have worked very well and the difference in working well and winning is often minimum. I hope I will be able to fill in this gap. I hope so.”

United sold one and agree move for another

Ajax have resigned 28-year-old Daley Blind from Manchester United, four years after he left the Amsterdam club to join The Red Devils.
Blind, who has 54 caps for the Netherlands and can play in midfield or defence, struggled for game time under Jose Mourinho last season, featuring only 17 times for Man Utd in all competitions.
An initial £14m deal has been agreed between the clubs, according to
TeamTalk , with the fee possibly rising to £18.5m with performance-based add-ons.
Blind was part of the 2017 United squad which won the League Cup against Southampton and the Europa League, in which he started against his former club Ajax.
After completing his move ‘home’, Blind said on Twitter :
“First of all I want to say how proud I am to be a part of the Manchester United family,”
“To play for the biggest club in the world with such a history meant a lot to me. I had 4 great years with 4 trophy’s!”
“I want to thank everyone, the managers, coaches, the medical department, everyone who helped me to settle in so quick at the beginning, of course my teammates and last but definitely not least the fans!”
Blind originally signed for United in 2014 for a £13.8m fee, and was entering the final year of his contract so the Red Devils have decided to cash-in before losing him for nothing in 12 months.
He is the latest Premier League player to sign for Ajax this summer, after Southampton’s Dušan Tadić also joined the Amsterdam club earlier in the window.
Man Utd’s bid for Guedes accepted
And it looks like Jose Mourinho has already spent the Blind money as
TeamTalk are citing a report from Don Balon that claims Manchester United have seen a £71m bid for Goncalo Guedes accepted by Paris Saint-Germain.
Mourinho has been looking to strengthen his attacking options this summer and Guedes could be lined-up as a potential replacement for Anthony Martial amid speculation surrounding his future at Old Trafford.
The Spanish publication says Mourinho has set his sights on the Portuguese international and PSG have now accepted United’s £71m bid for the talented attacker.
Guedes made his name after coming through the youth ranks at Benfica and was considered to be one of the most exciting young players in Europe when he joined PSG in January 2017.
However, the 21-year-old struggled to make an impact at the Parc des Princes and was sent out on loan to Valencia last summer where he rediscovered some of his best form with 6 goals and 11 assists.
It’s reported that Valencia want to make the move permanent but have refused to meet PSG’s asking price which has left the door open for Manchester United to swoop in.
Guedes would be an exciting signing for Mourinho as he could add a spark that was lacking in the final third at times last season but we’ll have to wait and see how accurate these reports turn out to be.

Madrid and united battle for Psg star

Real Madrid have set about replacing Cristiano Ronaldo by placing an opening bid for a PSG star, a report claims.
The Portugal forward, 33, has agreed a four-year contract with the Serie A champions in one of the most dramatic moves in European football, which was confirmed on Tuesday evening.
Ronaldo scored a record 451 goals over nine years at the Bernabeu, having signed from Manchester United and helping deliver four Champions League triumphs.
However, Real have set about replacing Ronaldo by making an opening bid for a player who would surely be their new Galactico.
According to TransferMarketWeb , Los Blancos have tabled an offer for Kylian Mbappe, though it was rejected out of hand by PSG who consider the France World Cup star too important to sell.
Mbappe joined the Parisians from Monaco last summer, but admitted he was tempted to move to the Bernabeu.
“I chose PSG because I will play more, it was the main criteria,” the 19-year-old revealed.
“It’s a dream come true to wear this shirt and feel the unique atmosphere at the Parc des Princes. The club’s project is one of the most ambitious in Europe and I want to keep progressing with my new teammates and reach the goals the club set.”
Spanish outlet Don Balon sensationally claimed on Monday that Manchester United hope to be able to recoup €150million (£132m) by selling Paul Pogba this summer, and use that money to fund a move for Mbappe

Madrid agree deal with hazard

Eden Hazard wants to leave Chelsea this summer and has reached a verbal agreement with Real Madrid, according to reports in France.
After an impressive World Cup campaign with Belgium, the 27-year-old’s future at Stamford Bridge remains uncertain ahead of the new season.
Following Belgium’s win over England in their third-place playoff, Hazard gave a clear indication that he is aiming to leave Chelsea.
‘After six wonderful years at Chelsea it might be time to discover something different,’ said the midfielder.
‘Certainly after this World Cup. I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will make the final decision – if they want to let me go. You know my preferred destination.’
Manchester City devise contingency plan after missing out on Jorginho
According to RMC Sport , Real Madrid are actively looking to sign Hazard this summer.
And the report claims that the Belgian already has a verbal agreement in place with the Spanish club’s management.
Madrid, however, have not yet agreed a fee with Chelsea.
The midfielder still has two years remaining on his contract but his value will drastically reduce if he fails to sign a new deal and remains at Stamford Bridge for another season.
Last week, reports claimed that Chelsea will demand at least £200 million from Madrid for Hazard .
While on Tuesday, RMC Sport also reported that Chelsea and Madrid have agreed a £31m transfer fee for Thibaut Courtois and the Belgian goalkeeper is set to sign a four-year contract with the Champions League holders.

Nigerian killed in haryana

Gurugram: A Nigerian national was killed and a Ghana citizen was arrested in a joint operation by Haryana’s Crime Branch of Gurugram and Faridabad, police said on Friday, adding that cocaine and a pistol was seized from them.
Police said Gurugram’s Crime Branch unit 17 chief Narendra Chauhan and his team was following the Nigerian, a suspected drug peddler, early on Friday.
The foreigners were in an Ola taxi on the Gurugram-Ghata-Faridabad road.
The police stopped the taxi and tried to catch the men but one of them opened fire, a police officer said. During a scuffle, the Nigerian was killed by a bullet fired from his own pistol, the officer said.
The deceased was identified as Michael Charles, who lives in the Faridabad’s Green Field Colony in a rental accommodation.
The arrested Ghana citizen was identified as Inchiku Ehanacho.
Police spokesperson Sube Singh said the body had been sent to the Badshah Khan Hospital in Faridabad and the Nigerian embassy had been informed.
A pistol and white and brown powder (which prima facie seems to be cocaine) were recovered from them.
SUICIDE
A 37-year-old Bhondsi jail inmate committed suicide on Friday by hanging himself in one of its washrooms, police said.
Bhupender Sahani was jailed since March 19 after he was accused of raping his minor daughter, a jail official told IANS.
The accused, hailing from Madhubani district of Bihar, was living in Pataudi area of Gurugram district. His wife had lodged an FIR at Pataudi police station against him.
“Prisoners were out of barracks around 10 a.m. when he went to the washroom and hanged himself with an iron grille of a ventilator,” the official said.

Startup Of Huge $10-Billion Nigeria Refinery Pushed Out To 2020

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, who is financing the construction of one of the world’s largest oil refineries, believes that the 650,000-bpd facility could be near its full capacity by the middle of 2020 , which would be some one and a half years later than the originally planned startup date.
Back in 2016, Dangote, a construction and concrete magnate worth around US$15 billion at that time, told CNNMoney that the refinery would aim to meet all of Nigeria’s daily demand for fuels of up to 550,000 bpd. The excess, he said, would be exported. At that time, some initial works for the refinery were already under way, with plans to bring it online by late 2018.
In mid-2016, Dangote wasn’t worried about low oil prices because refiners win in low oil price environments, as margins are high.
“People who own refineries are the best out there, making money,” Dangote told CNNMoney in June 2016. “The lower the crude oil price, the more profit that you make in terms of refining margin.”
It looks like that the startup date has been pushed out several times.
According to a 2017 PwC report on Nigeria’s refining industry, the Dangote refinery—a crucial development in the sector—was expected to come on stream by 2019. In all of PwC’s scenarios on Nigeria’s refining sector, the Dangote refinery was assumed to “open its gates mid-2019.”
“At optimal utilisation, the refinery is capable of meeting the country’s demand, however a major headwind to achieving a fully optimised run, is availability of crude feedstock,” PwC said.
Related: Do Trump’s Tweets Point To Another Oil Crisis?
“We’re flexible in terms of our feedstock,” Edwin Devakumar, group executive director at Dangote Industries Ltd, told Bloomberg in an interview published today. The refinery will be able to process all the African, American, and Middle Eastern crude grades, as it doesn’t want to be dependent on Nigerian crude, he added.
The Nigerian company has talked to Shell, Vitol, and Trafigura about the oil traders possibly supplying the refinery with crude and buying the refined products, but nothing specific has been decided yet, Devakumar told Bloomberg.

Fayose Thinking Like An Armed Robber, Says Oshiomhole

Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Ayodele Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State, thinks next Saturdays election will be rigged because, like an armed robber, he is afraid that his instruments of rigging will be used against him.
Oshiomhole also said the ruling party has incontrovertible evidence against Fayose, on his directive to civil servants in the state to submit their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He made the revelation in Abuja on Friday while addressing a press conference on the preparation of the party ahead of next Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
“No better evidence to the fact that PDP is panicking,” oshiomhole said.
“You must have heard the report that in clear violation of the Electoral Act, the outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has instructed civil servants, principals and headmasters of schools to retrieve PVCs from the civil servants because he is afraid and I believe that the civil servants and the teachers in the state will not vote for him and their families will not vote for him.”
“While we are asking people to collect their PVCs, they are retrieving PVCs and we have evidence now and they even had to issue queries to workers, including teachers, for refusing to surrender their PVCs.”
On Fayose’s allegation that the APC is planning to rig the election, Oshiomhole said the Governor was only being hunted by the ghosts of the forces he used to capture power.
“We all know that Fayose was rigged into the office and this is no secret. The military officers involved have since confessed to the role they played. I think like every armed robber, Fayose thinks that the same instruments he used to get to power will be used against him. But this is a party of change; we are not going to copy the darkest side of PDP.
“To be honest I think Fayose enjoys lies but the truth is that he is hunted by the ghosts of the forces he used to capture power be because he did not win the last election.”
He explained that PDP decided to hold its mega rally by the road simply to manipulate the crowd adding that they could not afford to use stadium because it will be empty.

Buhari may lose in 2019

Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Provence, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma has declared that God will not give victory to President Mohammed Buhari in 2019.

The cleric also asked Buhari to ensure that Leah Sharibu was released immediately, warning that Aso Rock would be a living hell for him and his family if the schoolgirl remained in Boko Haram captivity.

Archbishop Chukwuma spoke Friday while delivering his national address at the first session of the seventeenth synod of the Diocese of Enugu.

He condemned the federal government for pretending to fight corruption and insincerity in the handling of the murderous fulani herdsmen that have killed and destroyed many communities.

Chukwuma said that Buhari’s body language and actions recently showed that he wants to recontest for the presidential seat but “I can tell you that God will not allow him.”

The cleric who said that the Service Chiefs in the country were over due for change accused the President of retaining them because of his 2019 agenda.

His words: “We know that why he has refused to relieve the service chiefs of their positions is because he has a hidden agenda”.

On the Leah Sharibu, the Archbishop said it was unjust and smacks of politics for the federal government to have kept quiet over the matter because she is a Christian.

He said, “I am given Buhari ultimatum for 72hours in this synod if the Dapchi girl is not released the Ask Rock will be in trouble let them go and note it.

“We are told that she was held back because she refused to renounced her Christian Faith, may the Lord deliver from their captive in Jesus Name if not let the Aso Rock be on fire.”

Why I demanded sex from female student – Dismissed OAU professor

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