‘Loew blocked from meeting Ozil at Arsenal training’
Pickford pens new six-year deal at Everton
BERLIN, Sept 26, (Agencies): Germany head coach Joachim Loew was reportedly blocked from meeting Mesut Ozil at Arsenal’s training ground on Monday to discuss the midfielder’s fiery retirement from international duty.
Loew and Germany’s team director Oliver Bierhoff were in London at the weekend to take part in a FIFA coaching congress and then visited Arsenal’s training ground in Colney, north of London, for clear-the-air talks with Ozil.
According to German daily Bild, Loew and Bierhoff were turned away at the entrance to Arsenal’s training ground, on the orders of Gunners’ head coach Unai Emery, while the squad was put through a recovery session.
The visit had been previously arranged, so Loew and Bierhoff later met the Gunners’ Germany internationals Bernd Leno and Shkodran Mustafi at the club’s visitors centre without speaking to Ozil.
“We would have liked to have spoken to Mesut, but we have to accept that at the moment he doesn’t want to have this conversation with us,” said Bierhoff.
Ozil’s agent Erkut Sogut, who Bierhoff had reportedly contacted before the visit, declined to comment on the reason for the rejection.
At the start of the month, Loew said he has often already tried to contact Ozil, but without success.
After 92 appearances, 23 goals and 40 assists for Germany, Ozil retired from international duty in July, citing ‘disrespect and racism’ within the German Football Association (DFB), taking direct aim at president Reinhard Grindel.
“In the eyes of Grindel and his supporters, I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” the 2014 World Cup winner, who was born in Germany to Turkish parents, wrote in a statement.
Having been the target of xenophobic comments on social media and singled out for blame in the wake of Germany’s woeful World Cup display, Ozil, 29, received little public support from Loew or Germany’s stars.
Loew only responded publically to Ozil’s claims at the end of August when he rejected any notion of racism within the national team.
England number one Jordan Pickford said he believes moving to Everton was the key factor in him starring at the World Cup as he signed a new six-year deal with The Toffees.
Pickford didn’t make his England debut until after joining Everton from Sunderland for £30 million ($39 million) in June 2017, but just a year later played a major part in Russia as the Three Lions reached the semifinals for the first time in 28 years.
“When I made the move last year, I thought Everton would be a great club to come to and the right step in my career,” said Pickford.
“Getting the opportunity to become England’s number one was down to being at Everton, I believe, and being able to put in solid performances week in and week out.
“Coming to Everton, a massive club with a massive history and seeing how passionate and determined the fans are, it’s inspired me to perform week in and week out and it’s moved my career on,
Ozil
without question.”
Things haven’t yet gone as well at club level for Pickford, though, as Everton finished a disappointing campaign in eighth last season and are currently 12th in the Premier League after six league games under new boss Marco Silva.
However, Pickford wants to go onto become a “legend” at Goodison Park.
“This is a great club for me and, hopefully, we can get the success for the fans to earn the right to be a legend at Everton one day, each and every one of us.”
Brighton and Hove Albion have appointed the English Football Association’s technical director Dan Ashworth in a similar role, the Premier League club announced.
Ashworth, 47, is set to take charge early next year and will oversee the club’s soccer development as well as their academy and medical departments. He will also be involved in player recruitment at all levels.
“We met some outstanding candidates along the way, both in the UK and overseas, but we’ve ended up with our preferred choice,” Brighton’s chief executive Paul Barber said.