Sport
Paul Scholes Questions Manchester United’s £2bn Stadium Plan
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has voiced strong criticism of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recent announcement to construct a new 100,000-seater stadium, estimated at £2 billion, to replace Old Trafford.
Scholes expressed concerns that the club appears to be “begging” for funds under Ratcliffe’s leadership, casting doubt on the feasibility of such an ambitious project.
Scholes remarked, “For a long time, we’ve been called the richest club in the world, but I feel like we’re begging a little bit, coming out and asking for the stadium and that we need £2 billion, and selling players to buy players.”
He cautioned fans against being overly trusting of Ratcliffe’s promises, stating, “Words are cheap, and we could say anything about anyone, you can say in 10 years we’ll have the biggest and best stadium in the world, you can say anything!”
The proposed stadium, backed by government support, aims to enhance the fan experience while preserving the essence of Old Trafford. Ratcliffe emphasized the necessity of such investments to prevent financial shortfalls by the end of 2025 and stressed prioritizing spending on the squad to secure trophies.
However, the club’s financial strategies have come under scrutiny. Manchester United recently announced a 5% increase in season ticket prices for adult holders, a move that has been met with fan dissatisfaction, especially given the team’s current 13th-place standing in the Premier League. Additionally, the club plans to cut up to 200 more staff as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
