FIFA lifts ban on Pakistan Football Federation
FIFA lifts ban on Pakistan Football Federation
The Pakistan Football Federation’s suspension by FIFA, the organisation that oversees world football, was lifted on Thursday. The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) was suspended by FIFA. It is lifted on Thursday because of “undue third-party interference.”
In April 2021, Pakistan was suspended due to a disagreement regarding a “normalisation committee.” FIFA also had put in place to make sure its regulations were being fulfilled.
Also Read: Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp is named League Manager Association ‘Manager OF THE YEAR’
FIFA have refused to accept Ashfaq Hussain Shah’s election as PFF president in 2018. Hussain Shah momentarily threw the normalisation committee from the PFF headquarters before they suspended Pakistan.
Also Read: “Diversity and hierarchy is nowhere to be found in Football,” Anton Ferdinand
Good days are arriving for football in Pakistan?
That suspension was lifted by the Bureau of the FIFA Council on Wednesday. “The decision was taken after FIFA received confirmation that the normalisation committee of the PFF had regained full control of the PFF’s premises and was in a position to manage its finances,” FIFA said in a statement.
It warned that Pakistan could be suspended again as a result of “any undue interference in its affairs or action that could hinder the fulfilment of the mandate of the normalisation committee.”
Thursday was the deadline for the committee to compete its ‘tasks’, which include fresh elections’. However FIFA said that because that was “now no longer realistic” its mandate was extended until “30 June 2023 at the latest.”
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Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp is named League Manager Association ‘Manager OF THE YEAR’
Jurgen Klopp is the new Premier League Manager of the Year
LONDON: Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool has been crowned the League Managers’ Association Premier League Manager of the Year, the League Managers’ Association announced on Tuesday.
Both the English League Cup and the FA Cup were won by Liverpool, who defeated Chelsea in penalty shootouts at Wembley on both occasions.
Also Read: “Diversity and hierarchy is nowhere to be found in Football,” Anton Ferdinand
However, Liverpool missed out on the Premier League title by a single point to Manchester City when both Klopp’s and Pep Guardiola’s teams won their respective matches on the final day of a fantastic season.
Klopp stated after receiving his award at the LMA Awards banquet in London on Tuesday: “It is a great honour and it was an insane season. Furthermore, he said, “The last matchday when only two games were meaningless and in the rest, we all played for absolutely everything. Moreover, he added, “It was not the best outcome for us, but we are already over it.”
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“When you win a prize like this you are either a genius or you have the best coaching staff in the world — and I am here with all of my coaching staff, they know how much I appreciate them.” the German said, praising his backroom staff.
Klopp also received the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy, which is voted on by the whole membership of managers from all divisions in English senior football and is named after the famed former Manchester United manager.
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The Cricketing world tributes late Australian Andrew Symonds
Farewell, Andrew Symonds!
Australian player Andrew Symonds died in a car accident on Saturday night, startling the cricket world.
Australian police confirmed the 46-year-old all-death, rounder’s reporting that his vehicle was off the road and rolled.
In 2006-07, Symonds was an important part of Australia’s two 50-over World Cup titles and Ashes victory over England.
Also Read: Lasith Malinga retires from all forms of cricket
A wave of shock for the Cricket community
His passing is yet another big loss for Australian cricket, following the deaths of Rod Marsh and legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne earlier this year.
Tributes to the late great all-rounder flooded social media.
Many athletes, as well as fans, sent meaningful messages to Andrew Symonds. Some people even remembered him fondly.
Wasim Akram recalled his World Cup-winning 143-run performance against Pakistan in 2003.
Also Read: Pakistani cricket recap of 2021
Shoaib Akhtar shared a video of Andrew Symonds leading Pakistan’s cricket comeback when no other international figure or team wanted to visit the Asian country.
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam both tweeted tributes to the late bowler and expressed their condolences to his family and friends.
May the legend rest in peace!
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Erin Holland says farewell to Pakistan as PSL 2022 wraps up
Who is Erin Holland?
All it takes for desi men to go crazy is a white woman dressed like a desi girl. Call it a burden on our cultural memory, the baggage is real and half of it is seriously on the shoulder of Erin Holland, but who is she and what does she do?
Erin Victoria Holland is a singer, TV host, sports presenter, model, dancer, and charity worker from Australia. On July 20, 2013, she has crowned Miss World Australia, her national title.
Erin Holland winning hearts of Pakistanis
Erin Holland’s naturally charming personality and dedication to her job as host of the Pakistan Super League has found her the perfect balance between gaining a place in the hearts of Pakistani men and women and an allure that isn’t based on exoticizing anything local. Of course, the optics of her awe-inspiring take on traditional garb have a lot to do with this pairing, but perhaps even more so is the fact that she is associated with Sana Mir, Zainab Abbas, and Urooj Aftab as members of the league that is set to redefine women’s participation in sports.
Erin Hollands says farewell to Pakistan
Erin Holland, an Australian cricket commentator, has returned to her hometown. Furthermore, leaving a piece of her heart in Pakistan.
Moreover, Erin had been posting photographs and snatches from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) seventh edition matches on social media on a daily basis, and everyone enjoyed them.
“It’s time to bid farewell. She captioned her selfie from the plane, “Truly always leave a small bit of my heart at @thePSLt20 each year.”
The Australian cricket presenter wore a peach knitted jumper and a mask with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s insignia (PCB).
“What a season…,” Holland continued. Thank you so much for welcoming me and opening your hearts to me.” While the actress was heartbroken to leave Pakistan, she was thrilled to meet her husband Ben Cutting, who played for Peshawar Zalmi and was forced to leave when his team was eliminated from the competition.
“Coming for you (FINALLY) @cuttsy 31,” she captioned a photo of her wedding ring on her Instagram account.
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Rafael Nadal rallied to win the Australian Open and set a new record
Rafael Nadal claims the Grand Slam record
MELBOURNE – When Rafael Nadal was down two sets to one and facing triple breakpoint, his chances of capturing a record 21st Grand Slam title were dwindling, he reflected on some of his toughest losses.
Nadal, a known end-to-end competitor, pushed deep in that crucial time and won the next four points to survive Daniil Medvedev’s imminent threat. He held for 3-3 in the third set minutes later, reversing the direction of the Australian Open final.
After a remarkable 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 comeback victory that lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes and ended early Monday morning, Nadal became the first man to reach 21 Grand Slam singles titles.
The 35-year-old Spaniard now has one more major victory than his longstanding opponents in the so-called Big Three, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
In Australia, he was the only one of the three who had a chance to set the record on his own.
Djokovic was deported from Australia on the eve of the event because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. Federer is recovering from knee surgery, while Djokovic was deported from Australia on the eve of the tournament because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Also Read: Naomi Osaka quits French Open after news conference dispute
Now that Nadal has won all four major titles at least twice, he is only the fourth man in history to do so.
Rafael Nadal showing his gratitude
“I was repeating to myself during the whole match, ‘I lost a lot of times here having chances He also said, “sometimes I was a little bit unlucky,'” Nadal said that he just wanted to keep believing until the end. Furthermore, he said, “Tonight has been unforgettable. I feel very lucky.”
At 5-4 in the fifth set, Nadal was broken when serving for the title for the first time. However, he did nothing wrong. Two games later, collecting the first of his championship points.
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From afar, Federer and Djokovic were watching, and both used social media to congratulate Nadal on breaking their three-way tie atop the men’s Grand Slam standings.
The final between Nadal and Medvedev, which began late Sunday night and was delayed in the 84-minute second set when a human rights activist stepped onto the court, ended about 1:15 a.m.
Nadal was serving for the second set when he was broken. Then, in the third set, Medvedev had his chances to break again, but he admitted he became tense. But, he still is the champ!
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Babar Azam wins ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award
Babar Azam – the star player of Pakistan!
Match-winning performances, spellbinding stroke-play, and memorable moments. The recipient of the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award had a year to remember in 2021. Here, we take a look back at his performances throughout the year and honor some of his notable accomplishments.
Babar Azam may have only played six One-Day Internationals in 2021. However, he was important and crucial in both of Pakistan’s series this year.
Also Read: Mohammad Hafeez retires from international cricket
Player of the match
With 228 runs, he was Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer. Moreover, Babar Azam was named Player of the Match in both of Pakistan’s victories in the 2-1 series victory over South Africa. Babar made a century and built the foundation with an 82-ball 94 in the last ODI. Where the visitors produced 320 batting first, architecting Pakistan’s chase of 274 in the first ODI.
When Pakistan was crushed 3-0 by England, he was their lone warrior. He scored 177 runs in three games but received no help from the other batters. They failed to score more than 100 runs throughout the series.
Babar Azam, an exceptional performer
Azam’s greatest performance this year came in the final ODI against England, which he lost. Pakistan was fighting for pride as well as precious ICC Cricket World Cup Super League points in the third ODI at Birmingham, with the series already lost. Pakistan batted first and scored 331 runs, with Babar scoring nearly half of the team’s runs.
Babar came in to bat early in the innings and put on a 92-run stand with Imam-ul-Haq to save Pakistan. Initially, he was conservative in his approach, reaching his half-century in 72 balls. He made amends by scoring the following fifty runs in just 32 balls, his second ODI century of the season.
Also Read: Pakistani cricket recap of 2021
He burst in the final overs and almost batted his way through the innings, being dismissed for 158 in the last over, his highest-ever ODI score.
Unfortunately for Pakistan, England brought down the score with two overs to spare thanks to a brilliant 129-run sixth-wicket stand between James Vince and Lewis Gregory.
Also Read: Babar Azam replaces Imad Wasim as new captain of Karachi Kings for PSL 7
Babar Azam became the audience’s favorite thanks to his fantastic game and spectacular performance, and he made us all proud throughout the year 2021 and continues to do so.
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Mohammad Hafeez retires from international cricket
Mohammad Hafeez has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to an 18-year career with Pakistan.
Muhammad Hafeez announces retirement from international cricket
“Today I want to officially retire from the beautiful journey I started 18 years ago with Pakistan cricket,” Hafeez said while announcing his retirement at a press conference in Lahore. “I represented Pakistan with great pride, and whatever I have played throughout my 18 years, I played with dignity. And whether it’s on the field or off the field, I tried to raise Pakistan’s flag high. I am very happy and satisfied with my career and achievements, which were all for Pakistan. So this is it for me.”
Hafeez, 41, recently signed with the Lahore Qalandars for the 2018 PSL season and stated that he will remain available to franchise teams throughout the world.” As long as I am fit and can contribute with performances.”
After retiring from Test cricket in December 2018, selectors decided to ignore him in ODIs following the 2019 World Cup, when he played his final match of the format against Bangladesh at Lord’s.
Muhammad Hafeez in the T20 squad
However, after being dropped from the T20I squad in 2018, he was recalled in 2020 for the home series against Bangladesh, and finished the year with a fantastic run: he was the leading run-getter in the format, scoring at an average of 83 and a strike rate of 152. He also finished the year as the sixth-highest run-scorer in all Twenty20s, with the third-highest average and strike rate.
While Hafeez had stated that the 2020 T20 World Cup would be his final job for Pakistan, the tournament was postponed until 2021 because of the Covid-19 outbreak, and Hafeez ended up staying with the country longer.
End of an era
“The decision is what my heart told me and not driven by any critics. For me, my critics had already started [criticizing] since 2003 and people thought I wasn’t a good player. I didn’t want to turn my beautiful, positive journey into a negative one, that’s why I am here, where I started my international cricket, and [am] ending it here.”
Also Read: Pakistan defeats West Indies in the inaugural T20I, including 50s from Rizwan and Haider Ali
“When you have a professional career as long as mine, you’re bound to have your share of highs and lows, and it was no different for me,” he said. “Results apart, I can say with conviction that I had more highs than lows since I had the privilege of playing with and against some of the finest exponents of the bat and the ball of my era.
Muhammad Hafeez shows his gratitude!
“While cricket has been a great learning school for me, this great sport has provided me opportunities to visit various countries, explore their cultures and make friends. These are lifelong memories, which I will cherish every day. I want to thank my fans for standing beside me understanding my lean patch, cherishing my success.”
One of the people who had asked Hafeez and Malik to “retire graciously” was PCB chairman Ramiz Raja.
When asked if the PCB influenced his choice, Hafeez remarked,
Asked if his decision was dictated by the PCB, Hafeez said, “The decision is what my heart told me and not driven by any critics. For me, my critics had already started [criticising] since 2003 and people thought I wasn’t a good player. I do respect their opinion and I have always respected them. I by no means wanted to turn my beautiful, positive journey into a negative one, that’s why I am here, at the PCB [office, at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium], where I started my international cricket. And [am] ending it here.”
Muhammad Hafeez’s accolades
He appeared in 55 Tests, 218 One-Day Internationals, and 119 Twenty-20 Internationals, scoring 12,780 runs in all formats and winning 32 Player-of-the-Match awards, the fourth-most among Pakistan players in all international cricket, behind only Shahid Afridi (43), Wasim Akram (39), and Inzamam-ul-Haq (33) in total. In addition, Hafeez won nine Player-of-the-Series accolades across all forms.
Also Read: Pakistani cricket recap of 2021
He is the only Pakistani player to have appeared in every T20 World Cup except one, which they won in 2009. He also holds the record for most T20 World Cup appearances for Pakistan. Hafeez captained Pakistan to a World T20 semi-final in 2012, but he was also captain when they were eliminated in the group stage of the 2014 edition, the first time they had failed to advance to the semi-finals of the competition. Hafeez has an overall T20I record of 18 wins (one via a one-over eliminator) and 11 losses from 29 matches as captain.
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Pakistani cricket recap of 2021
A year of highs in Pakistani cricket 2021!
In 2021, Pakistan cricket put its fans through the mincer of dizzying highs and subzero lows. The main fact is that this team, captained by Babar Azam, won a lot more games than they lost, and they appear to be re-energized.
Pakistan had a fantastic year in 2021, as their cricket squad triumphed despite all difficulties. The team not only thrived under Babar Azam’s leadership, but the team was also transformed into a cohesive one led by the star himself.
There was a lot to shout for in 2021, from Mohammad Rizwan’s ascension, to Asif Ali’s sixes and to Babar Azam’s excellence to Pakistan’s encouraging achievements in the T20 World Cup. As we say our goodbyes to 2021, let us look back at some of Pakistan cricket’s ‘winning’ moments.
Babar Azam’s most runs as a T20I captain
Babar Azam’s marvelous captaincy took his game to the next level. By the conclusion of the year 2021, the batter had secured the top rank in both T20Is and ODIs, a feat previously only accomplished by Australian star Ricky Ponting. Babar also had a strong record as a captain in the longer version of the game, leading Pakistan to victory in seven of the nine Test matches they played in 2021.
Both Muhammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have a combined total of 29 T20I matches, which is the joint-highest. Babar, the king of the cover drive, scored 939 runs in T20Is in a calendar year, second only to his opening partner Rizwan, who scored 1,326 runs. In addition, the Pakistan captain smashed 9 half-centuries, the second-most by any player in 2021.
Also Read: Babar Azam replaces Imad Wasim as new captain of Karachi Kings for PSL 7
Mohammad Rizwan – A born champion!
In 2021, Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman dominated the T20 format; he began the year outside the top-100 and finished as the third-best hitter in the game’s shortest format. Rizwan broke multiple records in the process, as well as set new ones. He became the first player to reach the 1,000-run mark in T20 International cricket and the 2,000-run milestone in T20s. The batsman also holds the records for most boundaries (119) and sixes (42), respectively, in a calendar year.
The right-handed batsman extended his remarkable run alongside Babar Azam, who was second on the list with nine half-centuries. Rizwan has also tied for the most T20 player of the series honors for Pakistan after only 55 games. On four, he’s tied with Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez.
Babar-Rizwan, the favourite cricket duo
Babar and Rizwan have shattered records as opening batsmen during the calendar year. The explosive tandem combined for 1,380 runs in 25 innings, an average of 57.50, becoming the first pair to reach the 1,000-run mark. Both batsmen combined for a 6-century opening partnership, breaking the record set by KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. Four of these six partnerships, against England, India, South Africa, and the West Indies, totaled more than 150 runs. While Pakistan was chasing, they had the most three-century opening stands of any team while batting second. Their 152-run combination in the T20 World Cup was also the greatest opening stand in the competition’s history, and both players were the leading run-scorers in their inaugural T20 World Cup campaign.
Pakistani cricket recap of 2021
With Rizwan and Babar at the helm, Pakistan’s T20I team has put in some outstanding performances. The Babar-led team registered 20 victories, most by any team in the history of the format, beating a record held by Pakistan themselves beforehand as well. In addition, Pakistan outperformed all expectations at the T20 World Cup, reaching the tournament’s semi-finals before being eliminated by eventual champions Australia.
With Rizwan and Babar at the helm, Pakistan’s T20I team has put in some outstanding performances. The Babar-led side won 20 games, the most by any team in the format’s history, breaking a previous record set by Pakistan. In addition, Pakistan outperformed all expectations at the T20 World Cup, reaching the tournament’s semi-finals before being eliminated by eventual champions Australia.
Also Read: Pakistan defeats West Indies in the inaugural T20I, including 50s from Rizwan and Haider Ali
Furthermore, Pakistan showed diverse yet remarkable performances throughout the T20 World Cup, whether it was comprehensively demolishing the opponent or squeezing a win from the jaws of defeat. The Men in Green were the only side in the competition to win all five of their matches, including their first-ever triumph over India in an ICC tournament. As the tournament continued, Pakistan was dubbed the tournament’s favorite. However, Australia and Matthew Wade held their ground in the semi-finals, knocking off Pakistan and securing a spot in the finals.
The successful run in test cricket!
Moreover, Pakistan enjoyed a successful run in Test cricket in 2021 where the team registered 7 victories in 8 matches. The Babar-led team registered victories against South Africa, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and also West Indies. Out of all the teams, Pakistan managed the highest win percentage in the calendar year with 87.5 percent. Pakistan will be anxious to repeat its performance against top-tier opponents including Australia, New Zealand, and England next year.
In Test cricket, Pakistan had a strong year in 2021, winning seven of their eight matches. South Africa, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and the West Indies were all defeated by Babar’s team. Pakistan had the highest win percentage of any team in the calendar year, at 87.5 percent. Pakistan will be anxious to repeat its performance against top-tier opponents including Australia, New Zealand, and England next year.
Some Pakistani cricket memes
Pakistanis also witnessed some of the best cricket memes of all time! Twitter took everyone by storm.
A user tweeted,
Another user tweeted,
Another meme surfaced on Twitter,
So that was the Pakistani cricket recap of 2021.
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Pakistan defeats West Indies in the inaugural T20I, including 50s from Rizwan and Haider Ali
Pakistan defeats West Indies on day one of the T20Is
Pakistan and the West Indies met in the first T20I of their series, which was held at the National Stadium in Karachi. Pakistan was able to win at home and take a 1-0 lead in the T20 series.
Also Read: Pakistan announces its 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2021
Captain Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. In 20 overs, Pakistani batsmen were able to amass a total of 200 runs.
Akeal Hosein removed Babar Azam for a duck, while his opening partner Mohammad Rizwan scored 78 runs off 52 balls, including 10 fours.
Fakhar Zaman scored 10 runs, while Haider Ali scored 68 runs in 39 balls to achieve his half-century. Apart from that, only Mohammad Nawaz was able to add another 30 runs to the final score.
The West Indies inning
In the West Indies’ inning, opener Shai Hope scored 31 runs before being removed by Shadab Khan.
Mohammad Wasim, on the other hand, shone for the Pakistani bowling squad, dismissing West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran, as well as Devon Thomas, Romario Shepherd, and Oshane Thomas.
Also Read: Pakistan vs New Zealand series canceled minutes before the start of 1st ODI
Shadab Khan also bowled impressively, conceding only 17 runs while taking three wickets. In 19 overs, the West Indies lost all of their wickets for 137 runs.
With yesterday’s victory, Pakistan has now won the most T20Is in a calendar year (18 wins).
Also Read: Babar Azam replaces Imad Wasim as new captain of Karachi Kings for PSL 7
Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase, and Kyle Mayers were among the visitors’ important players that were out due to Covid-19.
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“Diversity and hierarchy is nowhere to be found in Football,” Anton Ferdinand
Who is Anton Ferdinand?
Anton Julian Ferdinand is a retired English footballer who most recently played as a center-back for St Mirren. He came through West Ham United’s youth system. And has also played for Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland, Bursaspor, Antalyaspor, and Reading. He’s represented England at the under-21 level. Ferdinand announced his retirement from professional football in July of this year.
Anton Ferdinand take on racism in sports
Ferdinand has always spoken out against racism in sports, particularly ‘institutional racism,’ which has become the standard in modern sports culture. Racism appears to be an obvious aspect of abuse because there are numerous races that play one sport on a team. Ferdinand has also spoken about it on a number of occasions at various venues.
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Ferdinand also shared the years of racial abuse he has received online and in stadiums. Also, how it has affected his mental health. Following an allegation of racial abuse directed at Ferdinand during a match against Queens Park Rangers in November 2011. John Terry was placed under investigation by the police. The Crown Prosecution Service charged Terry with using racial comments. Not only that but for the second time, he was removed from the England captaincy.
Anton Ferdinand exclusive interview with PTV sports
Anton recently sat down with Altamish Jiva on Pakistan Television Sports on the topic of racism, and how it is eroding not just the sporting system, but also the spirit of athletes owing to mental health difficulties.
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The Azeem Rafiq racism scandal
Ferdinand expressed his thoughts about Azeem Rafiq’s racism in English cricket. He recognized that speaking up about racial abuse will not only reduce it but will also help future generations.
Looking back: In a September 2020 interview with ESPN Cricinfo, Azeem Rafiq said that “institutional racism” at Yorkshire County Cricket Club had driven him to contemplate suicide. During his tenure at the club, Rafiq claims he was subjected to a barrage of abuse, including discriminatory remarks about his Pakistani origin.
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Ferdinand’s take on racism in football
Furthermore, Anton Ferdinand shared that he knows football. However, diversity and hierarchy are nowhere to be found. He says “When you look at the football pitch compared to the hierarchy that the boardrooms the senior management level, and the decision-making table it doesn’t mirror the football pitch.” He reiterated, “I think when that starts to happen in football then we will see the changes we really want to see.”
On a lighter note, Anton discussed his time at the West Ham Youth Academy and the present state of English football. Anton described the encounter as “amazing.” Seeing young players go on the attack leaves an indelible impression. Furthermore, he stated that “I just wish I was coming through this era because the defense ain’t quite like the same it was when I was playing.”
West Ham performance
About the West Ham performance for the season, Anton shared his excitement and happiness. He said, “It is beautiful, it is beautiful… you can see on my face.”
He further said, “The fact that when you look at a league and the fact that we have beaten all the big teams this year. The fact that Arsenal is thinking that this is the big game. That’s brilliant!” He also said that seeing what West Ham is doing in terms of the progression in the Europa League and winning our group, sitting fourth is fantastic.
He concluded that the team has togetherness now which was not seen before. The team has galvanized and not taking any chances to lose! And they might be establishing themselves as a football club about finishing European places.
Watch the full interview here:
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