Sports
‘She was a wonderful figure’: Jose Mourinho pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth, hailing Her Majesty as a ‘great lady’ following her passing on Thursday at the age of 96
Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth following her passing on Thursday.
The nation is in mourning following the death of Her Majesty The Queen after Buckingham Palace announced the news on Thursday evening.
Mourinho saluted Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who passed away at the age of 96.
The Roma boss found out about the news midway through his side’s Europa League defeat to Ludogorets.
Speaking after the game, Mourinho was incredibly moved by the Queen’s passing and offered a tribute to her during his post-match interview.
‘I am not a foreigner in Britain, it is my home, my family’s home, we’ve lived there for many years.
‘She was a wonderful figure. I don’t know anyone who didn’t have respect for her. She was a great lady as well as a Queen.’
Mourinho has spent large period of his managerial career in England, having had two spells with Chelsea, while also managing Manchester United and Tottenham.
England captain Harry Kane and former striker Gary Lineker were among the other sportspeople leading the tributes to the Queen following her death.
Kane hailed the Queen as an ‘amazing inspiration.’
The Tottenham striker tweeted: ‘My thoughts are with the Royal Family at this very difficult time.
‘The Queen was an amazing inspiration and will be remembered for her incredible years of service to this country. Rest in peace, Your Majesty.’
‘A truly remarkable woman who served her country with dignity, loyalty and grace. A comforting ever present in the lives of most of us. Rest In Peace, Your Majesty.’
Chelsea and England forward Raheem Sterling also offered his condolences to the Royal Family.
He said on Instagram: ‘My deepest condolences to the Royal Family at this incredibly sad time.’
Fellow England stars Jack Grealish and Mason Mount posted similar messages in tribute to the queen on social media.
Grealish tweeted: ‘RIP Your Majesty’, while Mount added ‘Thank you for your service. Rest in peace Your Majesty’.
Source: Mail Online
Sports
Black Stars fitness coach Ricky Roy reportedly dead
Romeo Ricky Roy, the fitness coach for Ghana’s senior national team, has died.
According to Ghana Football Association president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku’s Facebook post, he died in Accra on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Roy joined the Black Stars’ backroom staff in 2021, during Milovan Rajevac’s second spell as coach.
He remained with the national squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the current Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Roy rose to prominence as a member of the coaching staff for Division One League club Vision FC in February 2020, before joining the national squad.
Sports
Veteran Sports Commentator Joe Lartey dies at 96
The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has reported the death of Joe Lartey, a veteran Ghanaian football pundit and sports writer.
He passed away on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the age of 96.
Joe Lartey was born on June 6, 1927, in Accra and attended Accra Academy. Lartey, often known as “Over to You,” was a well-known broadcaster and SWAG’s founding president.
Lartey began his media career as a football commentator with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in 1961.
He grew to be a popular figure in Ghana’s sports community.
He subsequently spent a decade at Radio Nigeria before returning to GBC in 1990. During his stint, he presented shows including Sports Digest on GTV.
In appreciation of his achievements in sports journalism, Lartey received the coveted “A Life in Sport” award from the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) during the AIPS Sport Media Awards ceremony in Doha, Qatar, in June 2022.
Lartey’s impact stretched well beyond Ghana, with numerous Ghanaian football analysts praising him for moulding their careers.
Fans and colleagues alike will remember him warmly for his pioneering work in sports broadcasting.
Sports
Xavi to stay as Barcelona’s coach until at least June 2025
Barcelona coach Xavi will stay with the club until at least the end of his contract in June 2025, having changed his mind about this being his final season.
The 44-year-old stated in January that he will stand down as manager this summer.
However, with president Joan Laporta desperate for him to stay, the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder has made a U-turn.
Xavi took over as manager of Barcelona in November 2021, after leaving Qatari club Al Sadd, and led the team to the Spanish title in his first full season in charge in 2022–23.
However, they are 11 points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid with six games remaining in the current season.
Barcelona were eliminated from the Champions League last week after losing to PSG in the quarterfinals.
Xavi, who won 25 honours during his brilliant playing career at Barcelona, said he felt “liberated” with the revelation that he would leave the position at the conclusion of the season.
When he announced his departure following the defeat to Villarreal, he felt he was not being safeguarded by the club and there was no clear direction.
However, the team’s fortunes have improved since Xavi felt comfortable taking a more casual attitude.
They went ten games undefeated in the league before falling 3-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday.
On Wednesday, there was a meeting at Laporta’s residence, and the club’s desire for him to stay was clear.
If Xavi is unable to strengthen the squad before the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Barcelona will attempt to persuade one of the high-profile managers out of contract, including Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, and Mikel Arteta.
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