By Abigail David

Liverpool have appointed Andoni Iraola as their new manager following the dismissal of Arne Slot after a disappointing Premier League title defence.

The Premier League club confirmed the Spaniard’s appointment on Thursday, with reports indicating he has signed a two-year contract.

Speaking after his appointment, Iraola described Liverpool as one of the biggest clubs in world football and said he was excited by the opportunity to lead the Reds.

The 43-year-old arrives at Anfield after a successful spell at Bournemouth, where he guided the club to a sixth-place Premier League finish and its first-ever qualification for European competition.

Iraola earned widespread praise for Bournemouth’s attacking, high-intensity style of play and for developing young talents during his three-year tenure. Under his leadership, the Cherries improved from 12th to ninth before securing sixth place this season.

Liverpool hope Iraola can revive the aggressive brand of football associated with former manager Jurgen Klopp after growing criticism of Slot’s more cautious approach.

Slot, who succeeded Klopp in 2024, enjoyed immediate success by leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English league title in his first season. However, the club endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign, finishing fifth and ending the season without silverware.

Liverpool’s struggles were compounded by injuries, disappointing performances from several new signings and mounting pressure from supporters as the team fell 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

Despite the setback, the Reds secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The new head coach of Nigeria’s national men’s cricket team and High Performance Manager of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Stephen Mangongo, has invited 35 players to a 14-day training camp ahead of the 2026 Namibia Tri-Series.

Mangongo, who was officially unveiled last Wednesday on a three-year contract, will lead the Yellow Greens for the first time in an international assignment scheduled for June 18 to 29 in Windhoek, Namibia.

The Zimbabwean coach will work alongside a technical crew that includes former Female Yellow Greens head coach Leke Oyede and fitness trainer Seye Olympio as preparations intensify for the tournament at the FNB Namibia Cricket Ground.

The 35-man squad was selected from the recently concluded Nigeria Super League, blending experienced players with emerging talents in what is seen as a transitional team-building phase.

Key regulars in the squad include captain Sylvester Okpe, Isaac Danladi, Sulaimon Runsewe, Kenneth Boniface, Prosper Useni, Ridwan Kareem, Rahmon Ali, Peter Aho, Saturday Elijah, and several others who have featured prominently in recent national assignments.

The group of new invitees includes promising domestic performers such as Chima Akachukwu, Eghosa Aghedo, Elochukwu Ndubudem, Eweka Ogbemudia, Gideon Durotoye, Ifeanyi Uboh, and Ismail Abdullahi, all rewarded for strong performances in the Super League.

The squad is expected to be reduced to 16 players before the tournament begins, where Nigeria will compete in T20 Internationals against Namibia and Hong Kong, China, before facing the hosts in a three-match One-Day International series.

The Tri-Series is seen as an important opportunity for Nigeria to test depth, build consistency, and strengthen its competitiveness on the international cricket stage under its new coaching leadership.

Four Nigerian wrestlers have arrived in Mongolia ahead of the 2026 World Wrestling 3rd Ranking Series, as the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) intensifies efforts to improve the country’s global standing in the sport.

The contingent departed Nigeria on Monday night aboard Turkish Airlines for the competition, which is expected to attract top wrestling nations competing for crucial ranking points ahead of major international championships.

The athletes include Genesis Mercy Miesinnei (50kg), Ogunsanya Christianah Tolulope (53kg), Kolawole Esther Omolayo (62kg), and Ojo Damola Hannah (76kg), all of whom will represent Nigeria in their respective weight categories.

The team is being led by women’s wrestling coach and NWF Technical Committee Chairman, Akuh Purity, who commended the federation’s leadership for ensuring smooth logistics and full support for the athletes’ participation.

He expressed appreciation to the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for what he described as consistent commitment to athlete welfare and international competition exposure.

According to him, the wrestlers are in Mongolia primarily to secure ranking points that will improve their global standings and enhance their seedings ahead of upcoming World Championships.

Nigeria’s participation in the ranking series is part of a broader strategy to strengthen its competitiveness in women’s wrestling and maintain consistent presence on the international stage.

The federation hopes the athletes will build on recent progress and deliver strong performances against elite global opponents in the tournament.