Wednesday, 29th June, 2022

DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 29th June, 2022 Page 11
‘Klopp has
been moaning
for years!’
Everton winger Andros
Townsend has accused
Jurgen Klopp of
“moaning for years”,
with if felt that the Liverpool
manager has got “his way
again” as the Premier League
prepares to allow five substitutions
in the 2022-23 campaign.
Rules in the English topflight
are being tinkered with
after pressure was placed on the
relevant authorities to permanently
implement changes that
were first introduced on the
back of the coronavirus-enforced
break to the 2019-20 season.
Klopp was vocal in his calls
for the Premier League to fall
in line with other divisions
across Europe when it comes to
upgrade on the established three
substitution code, with those
working with the biggest squads
considered to benefit most from
a re-writing of the rulebook, and
Townsend is not surprised that
pressure has paid off.
Does Liverpool boss Klopp
moan a lot?
Former England international
Townsend, who has been a
direct rival of Liverpool at Everton
since the summer of 2021,
has told talkSPORT: “I love how
Jurgen Klopp has found a way to
get his way again.
“He’s been moaning for years.
They have been pushing back
and finally they have given in
and given him his five subs. And
he will probably still use two or
three in the biggest games. But,
hey, who are we to argue with
him?
“I think in the biggest games
Liverpool and City, they use one
or two subs. They don’t use the
full three subs.
“I think it’s the games
against Crystal Palace or Brentford,
where they can’t break
teams down, it’s 0-0, they have
11 behind the ball. 'Right, can we
bring on five world-class internationals
who are fresh who can
change the game? Can we bring
them on to break down this
stubborn defence?' And that’s
where I think it becomes a bit
unfair.”
Townsend added: “I don’t
think it makes it less competitive.
It’s still going to be the
most competitive league in the
world. I just think it gives those
top sides an extra advantage.
“Hopefully my side is one of
those teams that will have the
advantage with the squad that
we’re looking to build.
“And, on a personal level
coming back from an ACL injury,
five subs will probably suit me.
But I just think, on the whole,
it suits your Jurgen Klopps and
your Pep Guardiolas who have 30
world-class internationals.”
Does Klopp have too much
power?
Those in charge of the biggest
clubs are always going to
shout the loudest, but Townsend
believes they have been afforded
too much of a say when it comes
to influencing decisions outside
of their respective workplaces.
Quizzed on how much power
Klopp has, the 30-year-old forward
said: “Clearly a lot.
“I think we saw last season,
and even the season before,
just the constant banging on,
banging on about votes, on votes,
on votes, getting pushed back
and then, all of a sudden, they
announce the five subs bench.
“I think as well, last season,
again, moaning about the schedule,
moaning about this, moaning
about that… all of a sudden
BT Sport put a Liverpool game
on Saturday night, which I’ve
never seen before in the Premier
League.
“So obviously all of this
moaning and moaning puts
pressure on the authorities to
give him what he wants, and he
has got what he wants on many
occasions.”
Former world champion,
Joseph King Kong
Agbeko, has blamed
the Ghana Boxing
Federation (GBF) for
trying to influence selection of
the national armature boxing
team for the Commonwealth
Games in Birmingham next
month.
The GBF named 9 boxers
which included 8 male boxers
and 1 female boxer to represent
Ghana for the tournament
which commences from July 28
to August 8.
According to Agbeko, the
GBF used unfair ways to drop
Theophilus Allotey from the
national team despite winning
gold in the qualifiers to select
boxers for the Black Bombers.
The former IBF
Bantamweight champion
believes Allotey’s inclusion in
the team could win a medal for
Ghana at the tournament.
“These things [interference
in team selection] must stop in
this modern era and I believe
we need to reward hard work
as a country to eliminate such
practices. Theophilus Allotey
has worked hard to win gold at
the individual championship,
so how do you overlook him for
someone else? This is not right
and must be reversed,” Agbeko
told Graphic Sports.
He added, “I have watched
this boxer train and I believe he
- Everton’s Townsend
is one of Ghana’s surest bets to
Bechem United
forward, Augustine
Okrah, has rendered
an unqualified apology
for headbutting
an assistant referee, Stephen
Balanguena, during the Sunday
June 26 MTN FA Cup final
between his club and Accra
Hearts of Oak.
In a June 27 statement, the
player expressed remorse over
his unethical behavior adding
that he feels ashamed to have
Sports
Joseph Agbeko accuses
selection of boxers for
Commonwealth games
‘Forgive me one last time’
- Bechem United's Augustine Okrah
apologizes for headbutting referee
win a medal in Birmingham if we
allow him to compete.”
Yaw Addo was reportedly
chosen over Allotey by the nineacted
in such a manner.
He also used the opportunity
to ask for forgiveness from
the entire management of
Bechem United, the fanbase and
teammates for the harm his
actions may have caused them.
“I tender an unconditional
apology for the unethical
behavior that caused my early
exit from the FA Cup final
between Hearts of Oak and
Bechem United at the Baba Yara
Sports Stadium on Sunday.
member Black Bombers team
for the games because of his
experience, according to sources
close to the GBF.
“I am extremely sorry and
remorseful for the harm this
have caused including hurting
sentiments. I am ashamed of
myself for having behaved in
such a manner,” part of the
statement read.
“To Mr. Kingsley Owusu
Achau, The Patrons, The
Management, My Indefatigable
teammates, The Entire fans
(Hunters), Friends of Bechem
United, The good people of Ahafo
Region and the entire sporting
fraternity, please forgive me this
one last time. I am sorry for my
behaviour and apologize from the
core of my heart” the statement
concluded.
Augustine Okrah was shown
a red card in the 68th minute of
the much-anticipated FA Cup
finals after a throw in which
he thought should have gone
his way was called against him
instead.
With Bechem already down
by 2-1 at that point, the former
Asante Kotoko man, who had a
decent game before the incident,
could not keep his cool as he
headbutted assistant referee
Balanguena after furiously
complaining about the call.
The Hunters lost the game
2-1 as many blamed the defeat on
Okrah.
Others condemned the
winger and called for sanctions
to be applied, saying that his
actions were inappropriate.