Sports
Everton appoints Lampard as new manager to replace Benitez
Everton appoints Lampard as new manager to replace Benitez
Everton have confirmed Frank Lampard as the club’s new manager.
The former Derby and Chelsea boss has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract – until June 2024 – having impressed the club over a series of interviews.
The 43-year-old will take charge of training this week and his first game will be a meeting with Brentford in the fourth round of the FA Cup on February 5.
The ex-England midfielder, who was relieved of his duties in charge of the Blues after a season-and-a-half in January 2021, arrives on Merseyside to succeed Rafael Benitez with the club mired in a relegation battle.
Lampard emerged as the preferred candidate at the Toffees ahead of interim boss Duncan Ferguson and former Porto coach Vítor Pereira, and now faces the challenge of ensuring the club’s unbroken 68-year stay in the top flight does not come to an end.
Lampard told the club’s official website: “It is a huge honour for me to represent and manage a club the size and tradition of Everton football club.
“I’m very hungry to get started. After speaking to the owner, chairman and the board, I very much felt their passion and ambition. I hope they felt my ambition and how hard I want to work to bring it together.
“You can feel the passion Everton fans have for their club. That will be hugely important. As a team – the competitive level that the Premier League brings and the position we are in the table, we certainly need that.
“It’s a two-way thing. I think Everton is a unique club in that you can really understand what the fans want to see. The first thing they want is fight and desire and that must always be our baseline.
“My first message to the players will be that we have to do this together. We’ll try to do our job and I know the fans will be there backing us.”
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The managerial vacancy became available after the Toffees dispensed with the services of Rafael Benitez following a disappointing spell at the helm for the Spaniard.
Benitez took charge in June last year, replacing Carlo Ancelotti, but things did not work out and he was axed on January 16 following a 2-1 defeat to struggling Norwich the previous day.
Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri said: “I am really delighted that Frank has joined us.
“He is an impressive young man on and off the pitch. He has played at the very highest level of the game and has football in his blood.
“He impressed us all greatly during the thorough interview process and we’re all ready to give him all of our support as he looks to give the team an immediate boost.”
Everton targeted Roberto Martinez, but were forced to look elsewhere after the Belgian FA vetoed any prospect of him combining a club job with his duties as Belgium coach.
Wayne Rooney was in the running but ruled himself out, saying he had unfinished business at Derby, and Lampard beat off competition from Duncan Ferguson and former Porto boss Vitor Pereira.
Lampard takes over with Everton in 16th in the Premier League, five points above the drop zone, and they face fellow strugglers Newcastle on February 8.
Dabiri-Erewa Congratulates AJ for Defeating Ngannou
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri- Erewa has congratulated Anthony Joshua, a British-Nigerian boxer for defeating Francis Ngannou on Friday night in Saudi Arabia.
The NiDCOM boss gave the commendation on Saturday in a statement issued by the Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocol, Abdur- Rahman Balogun.
Dabiri-Erewa said that the victory has brought more glory to Nigeria and has shown what can be achieved by being resilient.
She said: “We are proud of you and urge you to continue to use your professional prowess to extol the virtues of Nigerian heritage.
Anthony Joshua secured his unflinching victory against Ngannou with a destructive second-round knockout at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This knockout has delivered the most powerful statement to the heavyweight division as he has done what his compatriot Tyson Fury could not do to Francis Ngannou.
Dabiri-Erewa Congratulates AJ for Defeating Ngannou
Musa to Build School in Kano, other parts of Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
The Captain of Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa has revealed his plan to build school in his hometown Kano and other parts of the country.
Musa, who had already built sports academy in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau, said his new plan is to build school in Kano, his hometown first and later other parts of Nigeria.
The Team Captain of the silver winning Super Eagles at the just concluded African Nations Cup in Cote D’voire, speaking during a reception by the Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa
thanked the NiDCOM Chairman for the kind gesture and for all her support to the Diaspora, especially during the crisis in Sudan.
Musa, in an emotional laden voice, recalled his humble beginning which prompted his generousity to assist the less privileged in the society across the country.
Musa said he wanted to inspire others with his story, especially those that looked down on footballers in the past,
He assured Nigerians that in addition to other executed projects, he plans to establish a school in his hometown, Kano and subsequently expand to other states in Nigeria in the future.
Dabiri-Erewa on her part commended the Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa for being an exemplary Nigerian Diaspora and a great mentor of Nigerians youths.
She noted that the player has heeded to the mandate of being a good ambassador, remembering the country and excelling in the art of football.
She said Ahmed Musa earned the Commission’s maiden National Diaspora Merit Award in the sports category due to his philanthropic gesture and mentoring of the youths.
Dabiri-Erewa said: “We are very proud of you as a Great Soccer Ambassador, Philanthropist and mentor of our younger ones with the building of sports academy in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau
“I have always been saying it that success is about how many lives you have touched and Ahmed Musa here have done so much for humanity.”
She re- echoed her congratulatory message to the entire Super Eagles team for coming second in the just concluded AFCON 2023 in Cote Divoire.
Also, the FCT State Diaspora Focal Point Officer, Mrs Sarah Areo, lauded the Nigerian player for his achievement and assured him that the FCT is ready to support his future philanthropic projects especially in Abuja.
Musa to Build School in Kano, other parts of Nigeria
Dabiri- Erewa Congratulates Anthony Joshua on Victory, Describes it Long Awaited
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has congratulated British-Nigerian former World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (AJ) for getting his mojo back by defeating American Jermaine Franklin on Saturday.after successive lost.
Dabiri-Erewa, in a signed statement on Sunday by one of the officials of the Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NIDCOM, Gabriel Odu, expressed joy over the boxing exploits of the two-time World heavyweight champion as he made a victorious comeback to the global boxing books by defeating the American.
Dabiri-Erewa, while describing AJ’s win as a “never- say-never, the I-can-do-spirit of Nigerians anywhere in the world,” added that AJ is a true ambassador at large, making Nigeria super proud and projecting the good image of Nigerians globally.
This is Joshua’s first victory since 2020 after he successively suffered defeats from Oleksandr Usyk.
The 33-year old former World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, on saturday, returned to the boxing stage with a unanimous points-decision over Jermaine Franklin with the three judges giving the fight to on 118-111, 117-111, 117-111, at London 02 Arena, Saturday.
Dabiri- Erewa Congratulates Anthony Joshua on Victory, Describes it Long Awaited
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