Henry quits Sky Sports to pursue career

Thierry Henry has confirmed that he is stepping down from his punditry position with Sky Sports to pursue his ambition of becoming a football manager.

The Frenchman has worked with the broadcaster for four seasons and had previously committed to the £4 million-a-year position even when it came at the expense of a coaching role at Arsenal. You’ll remember that Arsene Wenger felt his former captain couldn’t have his cake and eat it while on the books at London Colney.

Henry secured his UEFA A-Licence back in 2016 with the Welsh FA and secured his Pro Licence in May during his recent stint as assistant coach to Roberto Martinez’s Belgium national team. 

Having helped guide the Belgians to a bronze-medal finish at the World Cup, the 40-year-old says he’s eager to pursue a career in the dugout.

In a series of tweets, Henry wrote: “Over the last four years I have had some extremely rewarding coaching experiences in football.

“These experiences have only made me more determined to fulfil my long term ambition to become a football manager.

“It is with sadness, therefore, that I have decided that I must leave Sky Sports to enable me to spend more time on the pitch and concentrate on my journey to achieving that goal.

“I would like to thank everyone at Sky for making me feel so welcome and at ease throughout my time with them and I wish them all the best for the future. Great memories.”

Thierry Henry

✔@ThierryHenry

1/3 Over the last 4 years I have had some extremely rewarding coaching experiences in football. These experiences have only made me more determined to fulfil my long term ambition to become a football manager.

4:55 PM - Jul 16, 2018

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• 2,405 people are talking about this

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Thierry Henry

✔@ThierryHenry

2/3 It is with sadness, therefore, that I have decided that I must leave @SkySports to enable me to spend more time on the pitch and concentrate on my journey to achieving that goal.

4:55 PM - Jul 16, 2018

• 6,979
• 2,139 people are talking about this

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Thierry Henry

✔@ThierryHenry

3/3 I would like to thank everyone at Sky for making me feel so welcome and at ease throughout my time with them and I wish them all the best for the future. Great memories.

4:56 PM - Jul 16, 2018

• 8,614
• 1,985 people are talking about this

There’s no suggestion just yet that Henry will leave his position with Belgium, however, he’s bound to be on the lookout for a more senior position having cut his teeth at international level.

The bookies had Henry as an outsider for the Arsenal head coach role when Arsene Wenger left, but he was way down the pecking order behind Mikel Arteta, Patrick Vieira – now at Nice – and Unai Emery, who was ultimately appointed.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see where Titi ends up. Good luck to him.

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Super Eagles supporters, others spend $1.9b at Russia 2018

Football fans, who visited Moscow during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, spent  $1.5 billion (about N542.1b)  in the Russian capital, a slide-show presentation used during Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s speech at the Moscow Urban Forum revealed Tuesday. 

“A total of 3.8 million fans visited the World Cup, $1.5 billion were spent in Moscow,” the presentation read. Sobyanin said that the money that was invested in creating sport infrastructure for the tournament was yielding a return. “As for the expenses on sport infrastructure, we didn’t make any special preparations for the World Cup in the city except for the Luzhniki Stadium, which was renovated to meet FIFA standards,” the mayor said. Russia hosted its first World Cup from June 14 to July 15 with the games played in 11 cities across the country.

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Raphael Varane Sets a Record

Raphael Varane joined an exclusive club on Sunday, becoming just the ninth player to win the Champions League and the World Cup in the same year. He joins esteemed company such as Roberto Carlos and Christian Karembeu.
Defensive players rarely get the credit they deserve in the Ballon d'Or stakes so don't expect this feat to launch him into genuine contention for the award—if it did it would be great, but history suggests it's unlikely—but it's enough to put him in the conversation at least.
Varane's World Cup quarter-final and semi-final performances were sensational, scoring in the former and defending like a demon in the latter, and he was France's best defender in a strong unit.
It helps you forget about some slightly indifferent form for Real Madrid this year, where Sergio Ramos probably did more in the run to the Champions League than the 25-year-old.

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TV Presenter, Pilar Rubio Finally Said Yes! To Real Madrid Star, Sergio Ramos (Photos)

Spain and Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos, has finally gotten engaged to his Spanish TV presenter lover, Pilar Rubio, after dating for six years.

Sergio and Pilar

Spain captain, Sergio Ramos, who recently let his national team to the World Cup, has engaged to his long-term girlfriend and mother of his three children, Pilar Rubio.

The 32-year-old Real Madrid captain, took to his Twitter page to share the good news to millions of his followers after his girlfriend of six years who he has been dating since 2012, accepted his proposal at a romantic dinner on Monday evening.

Ramos shared two lovely pictures of himself accompanied by his bride-to-be and her new huge ring and wrote:'She said yes. I love you... forever.'

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Electric Atmosphere As Bukola Saraki Returns Home To Ilorin (Photos)

Senate President Bukola Saraki was given a rousing welcome in Ilorin, Kwara State as embarks on a courtesy visit.  

Bukola Saraki (middle)

Many Nigerians trooped out to welcome Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki at Ilorin International Airport.

Saraki is undoubtedly the most popular politician in Kwara State where he was governor for 8 years. He is also from an influential family that has influenced political affairs in the state.

The pictures here are a confirmation of his popularity and reputation which remains intact despite the allegations of corruption and highhandedness in senate affairs trailing him.

He could be seen greeting the mammoth crowd from the roof of his car as they flaunted placards in adoration of his person. The 2019 presidential election might be surprising with rumours that Saraki has interests in President Muhammadu Buhari's job.

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#BBNaija Winner, Miracle Receives $25,000 Cash Gift From Gov. Okorocha In Owerri (Photos)

The winner of BBNaija 2018, Miracle who was promised a cash gift and land by the Imo State Governor shortly after the end of the show, has finally received it.

Miracle receiving the cash gift

The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has gifted the winner of Big Brother Naija 2018, Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe, with a whooping $25,000 (over N9 million). 

It was learnt that the governor had made the promise of a cash gift and land shortly after the end of the reality TV show which Miracle emerged as the winner. Okorocha also reportedly promised to give Miracle a plot of land in any location of his choice to enable him to build his own house.

At the People’s House in Owerri, the Imo state capital on Monday, Governor Rochas Okorocha handed the cash to Miracle, in the event in which Mrs Uloma Nwosu made the presentation on behalf of Rochas Foundation.

The money is reportedly meant for Miracle’s provisional admission as a student pilot abroad.

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APC to adopt direct primary to pick candidate for Osun governorship election

Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress National Chairman has said that the party will adopt the direct primary to pick its candidate for the Sept. 22 Osun governorship election.

He stated this on Monday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen after a closed door meeting with members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

Oshiomhole said that 17 aspirants who obtained the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest its ticket at its primary slated for Thursday, had all been screened and cleared.

According to him, the 17 aspirants are all competent to effectively govern the state.

“We do not lack competent hands to provide leadership in Osun after the exit of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola.

Oshiomhole added that though all the aspirants had been cleared, it is only one of them that would fly the party’s flag at the election.

“Regardless of who wins the primary, we hope that the rest of them will support the person to ensure that we do our best to retain the governance of Osun.

“We have decided that in order to ensure popular participation, and to deepen democracy in Osun State, in-line with the provision of our party constitution which allows for either direct or indirect primary, we have resolved that the governorship election primary in Osun state will be conducted on the basis of direct primary.

“What that means is that every card carrying member of our party will participate in the process of nominating the flag bearer of the party.

“This for us, is the most democratic way to conduct election and is in line with what our critical stakeholders from that part of the country wants and we are quite happy to oblige,” he said.

Oshiomhole further explained that the essence was to allow more party members to participate in the process of nominating candidates and to remove issues of corruption or monetising the processes.

He added that the direct primary would also give party members a sense of ownership of the outcome of the exercise.

He further added that the party leadership had constituted a panel to be chaired by Gov. Abudulazeez Yari of Zamfara to oversee the process.

Oshiomhole expressed optimism that Yari, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) could not be compromised.

“He will be assisted by four others who will work with him to ensure that this direct primary is conducted in a hitch free manner, “Oshiomhole said.

He condemned the recent killings in Sokoto state and other parts of the country, describing it as unfortunate, adding that the party was worried about the development.

Oshiomhole added that the party’s preliminary investigations showed that those affected in the Sokoto killings were from a part of the state that could be said to be quite rural and probably a place where people don’t even have cattle.

“All they have is just their farm land. These killings, like other killings across the country are condemnable and the NWC condemn them in the strongest words possible.

“We believe that every Nigerian, regardless of his location has a right to life. We admit that the minimum obligation of government is to protect lives and property.

“We therefore, urge our security chiefs to do everything possible not only to arrest all those involved in these killings, but to do everything possible to be seen to have the competence to protect lives and property.

“No one will be satisfied with making explanations or try to explain why we cannot secure human lives, especially of a Nigerian citizen within the borders of the country.

“This is the only country we have and so, we must do everything to give every Nigerian a sense of security regardless of his accident of birth place,”he said.

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