Sports

Saka’s Development Excites Wenger, Tips France To Beat England

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is flattered by forward Bukayo Saka’s comments over the the positive influence the legendary tactician has had on him and has also tipped France to beat England in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Anglo-Nigerian Saka who is currently representing England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar admitted that he has never met the Frenchman who is now serving as the FIFA’s Director of Development.

Wenger who was in charge of the Gunners from 1996 through to 2018 and won four titles with the north London side spoke with France top media outfit L’Equipe ahead of France versus England’s quarterfinals clash on Saturday evening.

“That’s very nice of him. We’ll end up meeting each other one day, of course,” Wenger told L’Equipe.

“I’m happy about his development and the fact he’s still playing at Arsenal. I was told about him when I was still at the club, he was one of two or three guys who were coming through. I heard some very good things about him, I’m told he has a very good mentality.

“That’s reassuring because these days, players are glorified so quickly that it’s important for them to have good foundations.”

The FIFA’s Director of Development however tips France to overcome England in Saturday’s quarterfinals clash at the Al-Bayt Stadium.

“For six months, I’ve been saying that France can retain their title,”

“It’s a young squad, that’s hungry, which is not at the end of the road,” Wenger noted.

The winner of the England versus France tie will face either Morocco or Portugal who will face off in the first quarterfinals match of Saturday.

Saka has scored three goals in the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and has been tipped to start Saturday night.

The kick off is 8pm Nigerian time.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.