Sports
Mourinho Running Out Of Excuses At Tottenham -O’Hara
Jose Mourinho is “running out of excuses” for Tottenham’s poor form, according to Jamie O’Hara, who can see the club bringing Mauricio Pochettino back if results do not improve quickly.
Spurs suffered their fourth successive defeat across all competitions at home to Norwich on Wednesday night, exiting the FA Cup at the fifth-round stage in the process.
The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes as Jan Vertonghen’s early header was cancelled out by a Josip Drmic goal deep into the second half, and the two sides couldn’t be separated after 30 minutes of extra time.
Penalty kicks were ultimately needed to decide the contest, with Norwich coming out on top 3-2 thanks to heroics from goalkeeper Tim Krul, who kept out efforts from Eric Lamela and Gedson Fernandes.
Mourinho pointed to a lack of options up front once again in the absence of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son during his post-match interview, and suggested he will have to rest a number of key figures for a trip to Burnley tomorrow.
O’Hara believes Spurs still have enough strength in depth to get consistent results, and says that Mourinho should be trying to lift his players instead of adopting a defeatist attitude.
“I’m getting a bit sick and tired of the excuses,” the ex-Tottenham midfielder told Tidesports source.
“I’ve backed him over the fact he’s lost Harry Kane and Heung-min Son and he’s trying to find a way to win and it hasn’t quite happened.
“But the negativity and the mentality of, ‘let’s all feel sorry for us and we’ve got injuries, Moura wants to come off and Bergwijn wants to come off, let’s all feel sorry for Tottenham’ – NO!
“Come on! You need to get results and you need to pick it up, you’ve still got a good enough squad there to beat Norwich and to get results.
“Now there are no excuses left for Mourinho.
“He was brought in to win a trophy but gets knocked out by Norwich in the FA Cup – it really puts the season into perspective with where we’re going.
“I don’t think they’re going to get through against RB Leipzig [in the Champions League last 16] either, so it could be season over by next week.
“He’s getting paid a lot of money and he’s got to be able to find results.
“There’s still a very good squad of players at Tottenham and you need to find a way to lift them up and give them the confidence to believe they can go and win games.”
Mourinho was drafted in to replace Pochettino back in November, following a poor run of form which had left Spurs languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi began his 2026 season with victory at the Orlen Cup in ?ód?, producing a dominant 20.82m throw to win the men’s shot put at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver meeting in Poland, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Africa record holder finished ahead of Romania’s Andrei Toader, who placed second with 20.55m, while Serbia’s Armin Sinan?evi? took third on 19.93m.
Poland’s Szymon Mazur, the best-placed home athlete, finished fourth with 19.69m, with Italy’s Nick Ponzio completing the top five on 19.58m.
The rest of the field was headed by Piotr Go?dziewicz (18.02m), Jakub Korejba (17.55m), Wojciech Marok (17.48m), Damian Rodziak (17.23m) and Ukraine’s Maksym Lebediuk (15.75m).
Enekwechi’s winning mark gave him a clear margin over the field and underlined his status as one of world’s leading throwers, as he laid down an early marker for the new campaign in his traditional season-opening competition.
The result also marked an improvement shift in his Orlen Cup history. This was his third consecutive appearance at the meeting and his third straight season opener with the event, having previously finished second in 2024 with 21.14m and again in 2025 with 20.88m.
On this occasion, he converted consistency into victory, finally standing on the top step of the podium in ?ód?.
Enekwechi is the reigning two-time African champion in the shot put, a silver medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a two-time African Games champion, having won titles in 2019 and 2023.
His performance in Poland continues a career trajectory that has established him as Nigeria’s leading figure in the event and one of the continent’s most reliable performers on the global circuit.
The women’s competition at the meeting was won by Poland’s Zuzanna Ma?lana.
With the 2026 season now under way, Enekwechi’s opening victory at the Orlen Cup sets an early tone for the year ahead, as he builds momentum towards major continental and international championships.
The next edition of the Orlen Cup is scheduled to take place in ?ód? in February 2027.
Tanzanian giants Simba have opened discussions over a potential move for Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali as they look to reinforce their squad following an injury to first-choice shot-stopper Moussa Camara, Tidesports source reports.
The 29-year-old, who plays for South Africa Premiership side Chippa United, is in the final six months of his contract and is eligible to enter pre-contract negotiations with foreign clubs.
Foot Africa reported that Simba are exploring the possibility of bringing Nwabali to Dar es Salaam either during the current window or on a free transfer at the end of the season, although no agreement has been reached.
“Sources have indicated that Simba are in active talks with the player’s camp in a bid to lure him to Dar es Salaam in the ongoing window or on a free transfer – but no agreement reached,” Foot Africa reported.
Simba’s interest has been accelerated by Camara’s knee injury, which prompted the club to move quickly to sign Mahamadou Tanja Kassila from Niger’s AS FAN.
The club are reportedly considering deregistering Camara to accommodate the new foreign signing, a situation that has frustrated the Guinea international, who has asked for the remaining six months of his contract to be terminated.
In their search for a longer-term solution, Simba identified Nwabali as a prime target, although formal negotiations with his club have yet to begin.
“Simba identified Nwabali as the ideal successor to Camara, but the club is yet to submit a formal bid to Chippa United, who are open to offers,” Foot Africa added.
Nwabali’s profile has continued to rise following his performances for Nigeria, most notably at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he kept four clean sheets in seven matches as the Super Eagles secured a bronze medal.
Oyo State is set to return to the continental football spotlight as it prepares to host Nigeria’s Falconets in a crucial 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying match against Senegal’s Lioness of Teranga.
The highly anticipated encounter is scheduled for Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan. The Oyo State Government said the state was selected for the fixture following its successful hosting of a previous Falconets’ qualifier, further underlining its growing profile as a destination for international sporting events.
In a statement on Monday Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, confirmed that preparations were in top gear to ensure a hitch-free match. She said the choice of Oyo State as host was a reflection of confidence in the state’s sporting infrastructure, organisational competence and security architecture.
She recalled the emphatic victory recorded by the Falconets against Rwanda at the same venue last year, describing the match as a testament to the state’s readiness to stage major sporting events.
“The successful hosting of the Falconets against Rwanda showcased Oyo State’s world-class facilities and our capacity to organise international fixtures that meet global standards,” Adegoke said. “The Lekan Salami Stadium has continued to serve as a fortress for our national teams, and we are confident the Falconets will once again make the nation proud.”
Adegoke also disclosed that the Falconets are expected to arrive in Ibadan today ahead of the qualifier, to allow ample time for acclimatisation and final preparations. She added that the team would enjoy full logistical support from the state throughout their stay.
The Falconets, who reached the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Japan 14 years ago, will go into the last round of the qualifying series if they win this encounter, to confront the winner of the Guinea-Bissau/Malawi fixture, for one of Africa’s four tickets at the final tournament.
The 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in Poland, from September 5 to 27, 2026.
-
Politics3 days agoPFN Rejects Call For INEC Chairman’s Removal Over Genocide Comments
-
Rivers3 days agoFasthire, PHCCIMA, CIPM Host CareerFest 2026 In PH
-
Sports3 days agoEnekwechi wins Orlen Cup in season opener
-
Sports3 days agoFalconets, Senegalese Lionesses arrive Ibadan for qualifier
-
Politics3 days agoHoodlums Disrupt LP-ADC Defection Event In Lagos
-
Sports3 days agoSimba open Nwabali talks
-
Education3 days agoBUK Taps Content Creators to Expand Its Digital Footprint
-
Niger Delta3 days agoTinubu, Jonathan, Diri Pay Last Respect To Ewhrudjakpo