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Ghana international Prince Tagoe explained he was deployed in an unfamiliar role at the 2010 World Cup, culminating in his nondescript performance at the championship.

Then on the books of German side Hoffenheim, the 33-year-old, who made his breakthrough as a central striker, was deployed on the right wing on Ghana's second appearance at the global showpiece.

Coach Milovan Rajevac preferred Asamoah Gyan as a lone striker in his one-top system.

Tagoe started all three group games - against Serbia, Australia and Germany - but his lack of match influence and goals relegated him to the bench when the Black Stars faced the USA and Uruguay in the knock-out stage.

“I was played out of my natural position at the World Cup. That wasn’t the case during the qualifiers," Tagoe told TV3.

"When you check the records, when we were playing the qualifiers, I was playing in my comfortable position, which is a striking role.

“In Ghana, if you are a striker known for scoring goals and the goals are no more coming, the fans will definitely come at you regardless of the position you are being played at.

"The coach [Milovan Rajevac] told me 'Prince, Asamoah [Gyan] is at the top and when you get the ball at the wings, make sure he gets it, and when you lose the ball, come back to the centre or a little closer to the right-back'. So, most people didn’t know that was my job.

“If the World Cup were to be held today, I will tell the coach to put me and Asamoah at the top. It will be a dangerous pair.

“During my days with the Black Meteors [Ghana U23s] where Asamoah Gyan was playing with me, we were playing as two top, as in two strikers. But in the Black Stars, I was played out of position, the coach used me as a winger which I was doing double work.”

Tagoe lasted for the entire 90 minutes as Ghana pipped Serbia 1-0 in the tournament opener, courtesy of an 85th-minute Gyan penalty.

In the 1-1 draw with Australia on matchday two, the former Hearts of Oak man saw 55 minutes of action. Against Germany in what ended in a 1-0 loss, he played until the 63rd minute.

Ghana ultimately finished second in Group D to qualify for the Round of 16 where a 2-1 victory over the USA set the Black Stars up for a quarter-final date with Uruguay. Tagoe watched both matches from the bench.

During his time on the local scene with Hearts of Oak, Tagoe was hailed for his scoring prowess, a characteristic that earned him the popular nickname 'Prince of Goals'.

In 2005, he won the top scorer's award in the Ghana Premier League with 18 goals. 

Mike Kisaghi has claimed Liverpool will win the English Premier League title again as long as Jurgen Klopp remains the manager.

The Reds' first league title since 1990 was confirmed on Thursday after Pep Guardiola's Manchester City failed to win at Stamford Bridge after losing 2-1 to Chelsea, leaving the Reds with an unassailable lead.

Christian Pulisic's goal had given Chelsea the lead before a wonderful Kevin De Bruyne free-kick sparked hopes of a comeback, but Fernandinho's late red card led to a coolly converted penalty to win the game for Chelsea - and secure Liverpools' glory.

With seven games remaining, it is the earliest any side has ever won the Premier League title, with Klopp's men surpassing the feats of Manchester United in 2000-01 and Man City's 'centurions' of 2017-18 when both teams clinched the league with five games left.

Kisaghi, who featured for Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and also the Harambee Stars in the late 1980s, has now opined the Reds will continue to dominate the Premier League scene if Klopp stays on and also manage to keep the squad intact.

“Of course there are very promising signs of Liverpool dominating the Premier League so long as Klopp remains the manager and the team remains intact with a few additions,” Kisaghi, an ardent Liverpool fan, told Goal on Friday.

On the long wait to win the crown, Kisaghi said: “It means a lot for those who last tested the last victory in 1990. We have tried and come close on four occasions 2004, 2008, 2014 and 2019, and it is now our time to celebrate, it was a well-deserved title triumph, Liverpool were the best and they deserved it.”

Kisaghi further revealed the presence of Klopp and missing the title by a whisker last season when Man City were crowned, pushed Liverpool to do even better this campaign.

“What really drove us to the title? Obviously it’s Klopp and his enthusiasm which he imposed into the players and mostly because the team missed the previous one with a single point to City," he continued.

When asked what the turning point for Liverpool was, “Kisaghi said: “The turning point was when the Reds won the Uefa Champions League and vowed to go for the Premier League, they knew they can have a strong stub at it and also their confidence was at sky level.”

Klopp's side will now look to write even more history since they only need 15 points from their last seven matches to set a new record points total for a top-flight campaign, and can also become the first team to win every single home game in a single season. 

Five more wins will also see them set a new record for victories in a league season, after Manchester City's centurions won 32 games that season.

Anthony Martial could oust Antoine Griezmann from a central striking role with France, admits Frank Leboeuf, with the Manchester United forward currently outperforming a Barcelona superstar.

Struggles for consistency at Old Trafford led to a 24-year-old frontman being left out of Les Bleus’ triumphant squad at the 2018 World Cup.

Martial has, however, kept himself in Didier Deschamps’ thoughts and is enjoying the most productive campaign of his career to date in 2019-20.

A first senior hat-trick, recorded in his latest outing against Sheffield United, has seen a man moved into the middle by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reach 19 goals for the season.

That haul, along with the progress being made as a No.9, is considered to have Martial knocking on the door for a more prominent role at international level.

He will face fierce competition for places when it comes to a starting berth with France, but a serious claim is being staked.

Griezmann, who has been Deschamps’ go-to man for some time now, has struggled to find his spark during a testing debut campaign at Barcelona – with only 14 goals recorded on the back of a big-money move.

Olivier Giroud, another option for the world champions, is finding regular football hard to come by again at Chelsea and is now 33 years of age – although he has earned a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

With in-form options seemingly in short supply as the countdown continues to a rescheduled European Championship in 2021, Leboeuf believes Martial could be the man to take the lead for France.

The 1998 World Cup winner told ESPN FC: "Well [Martial] has a big chance to be in the squad and if he carries on like that I'm sure Didier Deschamps will think about him.

"It's true that with the problems that Griezmann is having right now at Barcelona, with Giroud getting older, there is a clear chance for Anthony Martial to be in the squad and to maybe be in the first XI.

"If he's consistent, he's going to be for sure with the national team. He already has been and he's going to be again."

Martial has earned 18 caps for France to date, with the target found just once across those outings.

European football changed forever when Jose Mourinho arrived at Chelsea declaring himself "The Special One".

The Portugal native's arrogant personality rubs plenty of people up the wrong way, but he still has plenty of admirers as he continues to stack up title after title during his career.

Though divisive, Mourinho's managerial record - which includes Champions Leagues and leagues won in four different countries - means that he has become one of football's most gilded coaches.

What sort of money does he command though? And what is his net worth? Goal brings you everything you need to know.

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What is Jose Mourinho's net worth?

Mourinho's net worth is estimated at $100 million (£80m) by the website Celebrity Net Worth, though some estimates place the figure significantly lower.

Spear's, for example, puts Mourinho's net worth at roughly £40m ($50m), but his new deal with Tottenham as well as compensation from his last job at Manchester United may have boosted that.

A long career in football, with prolonged success at the biggest clubs in the world over the course of two decades would certainly help an elite-level coach earn millions.

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How much does Jose Mourinho earn?

Mourinho is on a lucrative £15 million-a-year ($19m) contract at Tottenham, according to the Daily Mail.

That makes him one of the best-paid managers in the Premier League alongside Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. Indeed, such figures mean that Mourinho is earning similar money to the top players in the Premier League.

However, his actual earnings, once endorsement deals, image rights and so forth are taken into account, are reported to amount to over £20 million ($25m). Even in failure, Mourinho still earns plenty of money as his reported £20 million ($25m) compensation package following his departure from Manchester United attests.

The topic of Mourinho's earnings during his time as Real Madrid head became a problem for the Portuguese when he found himself at the centre of a tax fraud case. In 2019 he accepted a 12-month prison sentence (though served no time in jail) and paid a fine of close to €2.2 million (£2m/$2.5m).

Taking the reported annual salary of Mourinho at Tottenham, you can see what he earns approximately per minute, hour, day, week and month in the table below.

*Approximates

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What sponsorship deals does Jose Mourinho have?

Mourinho's high profile has made him an attractive partner for an array of companies, spanning a variety of industries.

He has worked with the likes of adidas, Braun, American Express, Jaguar and Samsung, as well as Heineken, EA Sports, Atlantis Hotels and Hublot. 

Betting company Paddy Power notably worked with Mourinho on a series of commercials which were aired in the United Kingdom. The adverts riffed on his self-styled "Special One" persona.

Other endorsement partnerships Mourinho has include one with German car company Audi and the management game app Top Eleven.

As well as working with the aforementioned corporations, Mourinho has been a prominent figure on a number of television networks, including BT Sport, Sky Sports and RT.

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What charity work does Jose Mourinho do?

Despite his prickly demeanour on the football pitch and in press conferences, Mourinho is very charitable and involves himself in promoting a number of different causes.

During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, for example, he personally delivered food parcels for Age UK and Love Your Doorstep.

He has happily signed up to take part in a number charity football matches, such as the Soccer Aid initiative and the Game4Grenfell, where he has managed teams and also played as a goalkeeper.

Mourinho was involved in Comic Relief in 2016 and visited the Street League project - set up to help unemployed young people in disadvantaged areas - as part of the drive to raise money.

He has been a global ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme, worked with children from Palestine and Israel, and donated money to Tsunami relief funds.

How many social media followers does Jose Mourinho have?

Mourinho is not really present on social media channels, but he does have an Instagram account which appears to have been set up in February 2020. He is not particularly active on the platform either and has just under 60,000 followers - a relatively low figure considering his profile.

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Eddie Nketiah states he always tries to be a “nuisance” to opposition teams after he scored in Arsenal’s 2-0 Premier League win at Southampton on Thursday.

The Gunners resumed the league on a bad note with back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion, which made their aim to close in on the top four much more difficult.

There was none of that struggle at St. Mary’s, however, with Nketiah scoring a very easy goal after a howler by Southampton goalie Alex McCarthy before Joe Willock made it 2-0.

It was Nketiah’s second goal in the Premier League since his return on loan from Leeds United and fourth in all competitions this term.

“I think that’s just the way I play. I always try to be a nuisance and throw my weight around and chase for the team and try and hold up the ball,” Nketiah told Sky Sports after the match.

“The team all worked hard together and we were unlucky not to score a few more with a couple of other chances. It’s nice to get three points.

“We were very focused. Nobody likes losing, especially us. We’ve been working so hard in the quarantine break and when we came back to training, so we needed to reward ourselves with three points. We were focused and determined to get the three points by any means necessary.”

Nketiah went on to hail fellow academy graduate Willock, who netted his first-ever Premier League goal.

“I’m delighted, he’s like my brother,” he said.

“If I score, he celebrates like me and if he scores, it’s like I scored again.

“I’m delighted for him, he did well when he came on and it was nice to wrap up the three points with us both on the scoresheet.”

On the other end, it was a miserable night for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has now gone three league games without a goal which only fuels more speculation about his future at the club.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp explained that Nketiah has a better work rate hence coach Mikel Arteta will find the Anglo-Ghanaian more useful than the Gabonese, who has 17 Premier League goals this season.

“I prefer to see Aubameyang down the middle because he will get more goals but I think it is Nketiah’s work rate that Arteta likes," Redknapp said on Sky Sports.

"Guardiola when he first came preferred Jesus to Aguero there because of his runs and it took Aguero a little while to buy into it.

“I don’t know if Aubameyang will be that striker. He thinks Nketiah works hard for the team.

“For a midfielder or defender, it’s a dream when your forward is winning balls back. A lot of strikers don’t chase lost causes.

"He did it and he deserves his goal for that reason.”

Arsenal remain in ninth place, 11 points away from the top four. Their next encounter is an FA Cup quarter-final at Sheffield United on Sunday.

Football fans in Africa are on cloud nine after Liverpool claimed their first Premier League title in 30 years on Thursday.

The Reds last won the English top-flight trophy in 1990 and their latest success after their long wait has made many proud, not just the Reds faithful.

Chelsea's 2-1 win over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge sealed their crown as the 2019-20 Premier League winners with seven games left to go.

Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia says Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs would collapse if they do not receive the monthly grant from the league.

The Team of Choice owner says they have always been forced to sell their players for them to maintain the club’s day-to-day running, but says because of the coronavirus pandemic, it has become difficult to enter the market.

Kadodia’s utterances come after the PSL chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza recently announced that should the top-flight campaign not resume, clubs must be prepared to find financial resources elsewhere.

“I must concede that 70% of the PSL teams cannot survive without the grant, and football would be doomed,” said Kadodia in a virtual media conference as quoted by Phakaaathi.

“The reality is that the grant plays a pivotal role in every team. It would be impossible to sustain the clubs without the grant.

“It is quite a difficult situation, it is challenging for everyone – football or in general. Life has changed, players basically without being active for so many weeks have their own challenges. How many weeks will they need to get back into shape?

“As Maritzburg United, we have always operated on a shoe-string budget and we cannot make any plans without a budget. Our plans have been halted. We hope we can get past this virus soon so we can be able to plan for the future.”

With Maritzburg duo of Rushine De Reuck and goalkeeper Richard Ofori have been linked with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, Kadodia will consider selling some of his players.

“I must concede that we have had a good trading model, it went very well in the past. The status financially is what I believe is a financial meltdown,” he added.

“But under the current circumstances, every club is playing the wait-and-see game. The biggest challenge is that we have to trade players again.

“It is difficult for us at this stage to enter the market, either to buy or sell the players.”

As things stand, PSL clubs receive R2, 5 million monthly grants from the league and it remains to be seen if the KwaZulu-Natal outfit will eventually part ways with De Reuck and Ofori as they look to make some money.

Barcelona continue to lean heavily on the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique, with Rivaldo adamant that an ageing squad is not a major concern for the Liga giants.

For the Blaugrana legend, seasoned professionals should be considered a positive for those at Camp Nou.

Players that have been there and done it, with there world-class talent to be found all over the field in Catalunya, should be part of the solution for Barca, not a problem.

Quique Setien also has a number of promising youngsters at his disposal, such as Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig, with the challenge being to blend youth with experience.

"These guys are important to the team, and have a bright future, but I don't think they are the ones to make the difference," Rivaldo told Betfair.

"The responsibility should lie with the veterans, those with more experience and they are the players who must give more.

"I read in the press that they have many players over 30, but I don't believe that's a problem."

While Rivaldo is not overly concerned at the make-up of Barca’s squad, he does concede that Setien has a number of issues to address.

The reigning Liga champions have been far from their best since competitive action resumed in Spain on the back of the coronavirus pandemic, with there still plenty of rust for Messi and Co to shake off.

Rivaldo said: "It's obvious that Barcelona have to improve their football, and that's up to the coach, Setien has to find a formula to do something new.

"He needs to find a way to take advantage of the quality of the players he has at his disposal.

"Of course, recent matches make everyone doubt the progress because we're used to seeing a different kind of Barcelona."

The 2002 World Cup winner added on the form of a side he once starred for: "I want to believe that the mediocre recent performances are the result of these strange times that we're living in.

"I hope that in the next two or three matches they improve their level of playing."

Barca, with seven games left to take in this season, have been nudged off the top of the Liga standings by arch-rivals Real Madrid.

They are, however, sat on the same number of points as the Blancos and will be back in action on Saturday when they take in a trip to Celta Vigo.

Virgil van Dijk is among the best centre-backs in world football according to Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng.

Former Germany international Boateng has enjoyed a renaissance at Bayern this season, impressing alongside David Alaba at the heart of defence after Hansi Flick replaced Niko Kovac as head coach to guide the Bavarian giants to an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title.

However he feels Van Dijk, now himself a top-flight champion after Liverpool clinched Premier League glory on Thursday, stands apart among the elite.

"He is up there with his consistent performance," Boateng said during a Bayern 'Fan-Talk'. "But I also like [Kalidou] Koulibaly from Napoli. [Sergio] Ramos from Real Madrid has been playing at a high level for a long time."

Van Dijk himself has declared that Liverpool took their season to "another level" after claiming a long-awaited league title. 

"It's unbelievable, what a season. We've been incredible," Van Dijk told  BT Sport.  "To be part of this group of players and part of this journey is incredible and I am very proud to be able to call myself a Premier League winner.

"Of course, I watched the [Man City/Chelsea] game. I don't watch too many games but the game felt like it was taking ages and never ended. When the free-kick went in from Kevin [De Bruyne] - what an incredible goal by the way - I was getting nervous, and I haven't been nervous in a while.

"But after that it was just celebration time and we are all proud of each other. I can't really describe the feeling to be honest.

"In the league this year we have taken it to another level. We have been so consistent and played so well."

As for his own upturn, the 31-year-old Boateng is keen to give plenty of credit to Flick.

"Since Hansi Flick became coach, you feel good in training and in everything. The fun and good mood are back," he explained. "Hansi is very special, otherwise he would not be so successful with the team.

"He gives us a lot of trust, everyone. He wants to improve everyone and he does that. He gives us an incredible amount of self-confidence."

Jurgen Klopp is Bill Shankly "reincarnated in a German body", according to former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

Liverpool clinched their first top-flight title since 1990, when Grobbelaar was part of the team, after Manchester City fell to a 2-1 loss at Chelsea on Thursday.

It is Klopp's fourth trophy since arriving at Anfield in 2015, having also won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Shankly steered Liverpool out of the second tier in 1961-62 and went on to lift three top-flight titles, two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup during 15 years at the helm, during which he enjoyed a strong relationship with the supporters.

Grobbelaar thinks Klopp has the same understanding of the fanbase, making the club's latest triumph special.

He told Stats Perform News of Klopp: "He gets the people, he gets the fans. He's Shankly reincarnated in a German body. That's how good he is, because he gets the fans so easily.

"He goes into the city, he enjoys the banter with the fans. He is a typical Liverpool manager.

"Yes, all the managers that we've had have been typical Liverpool managers, but the special ones - Shankly, Klopp - managed to go out and have drinks with the fans, that's what those two managers did. That's why I say he's Shankly reincarnated in a German body."

Liverpool lost the 2017-18 Champions League final to Real Madrid but then won that competition and finished second to City in the Premier League last term.

Grobbelaar hailed Klopp's ability to get more out of his players every year and hopes he can do the same with upcoming youngsters.

"He came in and said that he would win a trophy in four years; now we've got four trophies in those four years," said Grobbelaar.

"He makes players better. If you go back to where he came from, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, the players that he had there have gone on to bigger things, he's made them better. So wherever he's been the players have actually elevated themselves.

"He's now come to Liverpool, he's made the players elevate themselves and made sure we got over the line in every single competition that we're in, made sure that we got better.

"We won the Champions League after losing in the final, so we got better. We won the league after coming second and only losing once last season, so we got better in that.

"He demands the players every single season get better. Every time we get on the pitch the old adage in saying, 'You're only as good as your last game, make sure you're better this one'. That is what he's instilled into our team, and it's just phenomenal."

Grobbelaar added: "Please keep [Klopp] there for seven years and all the rest of the players because I tell you what, we've got some youngsters coming through that are going to get into the side and they are going to be brilliant."

Liverpool may be revelling in a Premier League title triumph, but Graeme Souness says a star-studded squad will be “angry” at having not won more when at the peak of their powers.

There is still time for Jurgen Klopp’s record-breaking side to add to their medal collection.

They have already savoured Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup success over the course of the last year.

A first English top-flight crown in 30 years has now been added to the roll of honour, with the Reds proving to be a dominant force on a domestic scene in 2019-20.

They have, however, experienced plenty of trophy pain in the recent past, with final heartache suffered in the League Cup and Europa League while also falling agonisingly short in a 2018-19 title bid.

Souness, who collected 11 major honours during his playing days at Anfield, is delighted to see Liverpool thriving once again, but feels they could have achieved even more.

The Reds legend told Sky Sports: “They won the Champions League last year and now they have won the Premier League title, but I still think Jurgen Klopp will look back at this period and feel they should have won more than two major trophies.

“Okay, there was the Club World Cup as well, but to have been so good and so consistent and yet only won two big trophies, I think the players have got to be a bit angry at themselves about that.

“The challenge for them now is to win the big trophies consistently and establish prolonged dominance like the Liverpool teams of the past.

“In five years, if they have dominated the Premier League, if they have dominated the Champions League, then they can be considered as good as any team Liverpool has ever had. But to become a legendary team, you’ve got to become serial winners.”

Liverpool are well set to establish another dynasty on Merseyside, with many of their key men at a perfect age in which to take their games to even greater heights.

Souness hopes to see them deliver on that promise, adding: “What I would say is that, given the ages of the players in that Liverpool squad now, given where they are, given the manager they’ve got and the structure in place around the team, they have the potential to go on and become serial winners.

“These players, especially the goalkeeper and the defenders, could play together for another five years easily. That is a great place to be in, knowing you’ve got that foundation.

“The signings they have made have been off the charts and Jurgen deserves huge credit for the work he has done.”

Arsenal have revealed that Gabriel Martinelli will not figure for them again this season, with a knee injury bringing his campaign to a premature conclusion.

The Brazilian youngster has enjoyed a productive first year at Emirates Stadium.

Little was known of the promising forward when he arrived in north London from Ituano in the summer of 2019.

He quickly made his presence known, though, with the 19-year-old proving to be a rare positive in what has been another testing season for most on Arsenal’s books.

Martinelli has scored 10 goals through 26 appearances in all competitions, but he will be denied the opportunity to add to that tally after an unfortunate problem picked up in training will keep him on the sidelines.

The highly-rated South American had been hoping to pick up where he left off when the green light was given for competitive football to return, but he has been forced onto the treatment table.

Mikel Arteta will now have to make do with the other attacking options at his disposal for the remainder of a fixture list that includes Premier League and FA Cup outings.

Arsenal’s latest fitness update on their official website said of Martinelli’s condition: “Left knee. Sustained injury during training on 21 June.

“Successful arthroscopic procedure undertaken to repair a lesion in the cartilage of the left knee. Will not be available for the current schedule of remaining 2019-20 matches.”

While having to report bad news when it comes to Martinelli, the outlook is more positive for the Gunners when it comes to Lucas Torreira.

They said of the combative Uruguayan midfielder: “Right ankle. Sustained fracture to right ankle during Portsmouth (a) on 2 March.

“Progressing well and aiming to return to full training in the forthcoming days.”

Arsenal have also reported that Cedric Soares, who has extended his loan spell from Southampton through to the end of the 2019-20 campaign, has recovered from a broken nose to come into contention for minutes in an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Sheffield United.

Kieran Tierney will also be available for that encounter after shaking off the cramps which troubled him during a 2-0 win over Southampton.

Pablo Mari is one of the club’s long-term absentees, with his update reading: “Left ankle. Sustained significant sprain to ankle ligaments during Manchester City (a) on Wednesday.

“Has had a successful procedure to the injury this week. Aiming to return to full training in two to three months.”

Bernd Leno is also facing up to an extended spell out of action, with the German goalkeeper having been laid low during a frustrating defeat at Brighton.

Arsenal reported on their first-choice shot-stopper: “Right knee. Sustained moderate ligament sprain during Brighton & Hove (a) on 20 June.

“Aiming to return to full training in four to six weeks.”

Andy Robertson is already planning to spend the rest of his career at Liverpool, with the Scottish full-back asking why anyone would want to leave the newly-crowned Premier League champions.

The 26-year-old defender has admitted in the recent past that he would find it difficult to turn down any opportunity to link up with boyhood club Celtic.

It may, however, be that any plans to return to Glasgow are shelved given that there is still much for Robertson to achieve at Anfield.

He is now a European, world and English title winner with the Reds, with a prominent role played in the ending of a 30-year wait for top-flight glory on Merseyside.

With Liverpool enjoying a return to the top of domestic, continental and global games, Robertson admits he would welcome the opportunity to see out his playing days in his current surroundings.

“That’s my plan,” he told talkSPORT.

“Whether I’m good enough at 33 or 34 to continue to do that, we’ll wait and see.

“But I don’t want to go anywhere, this club is so special to me in a short space of time. My family love it, I love it and I don’t want to go anywhere else.

“There’s no better team in the world just now than Liverpool, and why would any of us want to leave?

“We’ve got a young squad and we’ve got to be looking at the next five years to try and add more and more trophies.

“To start with the big two is always good and it gives us the freedom to go and add to it now, because the feeling of being champions is amazing and we don’t want it to be a one-off, we want that all the time.

“That’s what will drive us forward next season and the seasons after.

“It’s been an incredible journey for me, but I’m always one who looks forward and not back, so I’m looking to add more trophies at Liverpool. Hopefully next season we can win a couple more.”

Liverpool snapped Robertson up from Hull City for just £8 million ($10m) in the summer of 2017, with the flying full-back one of several players to have flourished under the guidance of Klopp.

“He’s like a father figure. He is the dad to all of us when we’re away,” Robertson added on his charismatic boss.

“We can have a laugh with him but he knows when to get the lads going, he knows when to motivate us and how to motivate us.”

Christian Pulisic is hoping to end his debut season at Chelsea with a flourish, with the United States international having major silverware and Champions League qualification in his sights.

It appeared at one stage as though the 21-year-old would see his first campaign in English football fizzle out.

An untimely injury had kept him stuck on the sidelines since New Year’s Day as the games started to run out for the Blues.

A coronavirus-enforced break was, however, to come at a good time for the highly-rated forward as he was able to work on his fitness.

Pulisic has returned to action with a bang, as the Blues have as a collective, with the target found in back-to-back 2-1 victories over Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Frank Lampard’s side are now well placed to secure a top-four finish, while FA Cup glory is still up for grabs.

On his ambition, Pulisic told the club’s official website: “The break was tough on a lot of people but I’m just really happy that we can come back and play football again.

“It’s a bit different without the fans but we’re really excited to be back out there.

“There are a lot of games to play. We want to go as far as we can in the FA Cup and we want to continue finishing strong so we can be secure in a Champions League spot. We have a lot to play for.”

Pulisic opened the scoring for Chelsea in their heavyweight tussle with Manchester City.

His breakaway effort was cancelled out by a stunning Kevin De Bruyne free kick, but Willian had the final say from the penalty spot - after Fernandinho was sent off for handling on the goal line – as the Blues took all three points and handed the Premier League title to Liverpool.

Pulisic added: “We looked at this game against a big opponent and we wanted to win it.

“We were at home, obviously in slightly different circumstances, but we’re happy that we came out and got a really good result.

“We have to capitalise on opportunities. I had another one in the second half as well [which was cleared off the line by Kyle Walker] but I’m just happy to help the team out by scoring. We needed it and we’re just happy to get the three points.

“We went into the game with a really confident mindset to go out and win. Obviously we want to finish the season strongly but we feel we’re capable of a lot more as well.”

Chelsea are now five points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United in the table, while they are only one back on Leicester and will be starting to look forward rather than over their shoulder.

Jurgen Klopp smiled as he re-lived the moment Liverpool were confirmed as Premier League champions on Thursday night.

The Reds boss held his first virtual conference since the club’s 19th top-flight title was secured, speaking to reporters via Zoom from Anfield. 

Klopp had watched Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Manchester City with his players at the Formby Hall golf resort near his home and, wearing a ‘Champions 19-20’ hoodie, he revealed he had video-called his family just before the final whistle at Stamford Bridge so he could share the moment.

“I called my family 10 seconds before the final whistle,” he said. “We had a Facetime call. I told them I loved them, they told me they loved me. We cannot be together, that was not nice, but that’s how it is. 

“Then I put the phone on the table and said ‘leave it on, because in four or five seconds something special will happen’. That was a really nice moment, which I enjoyed a lot.

“All the other messages, I don’t want to compare at the moment. They were great, all full of appreciation, respect, love, support, whatever. 

“Maybe I should use this opportunity to say sorry I cannot answer all of them, but I can read all of them. That’s what I will do in the next few days.”

Klopp had broken down when interviewed by Sky Sports immediately after Liverpool’s title win was confirmed, the emotion of the evening taking control.

A few hours later, though, he was able to reflect on his feelings with a little more clarity.

“I am happy,” he said. “Really happy. Relieved. 

“Last night I was overwhelmed obviously, but it’s a very good moment in my life. It’s a mix of everything. I know it is a really big achievement, and it was an incredible ride to get here. What the boys did in the time since I am here is just exceptional, and I am so happy for them that we could do that.”

He also paid tribute to the club’s supporters, whose backing he says has been key to Liverpool’s success, and to his backroom staff as well.

“I think the people had a really positive opinion of me when I came in, so that was really nice and helped a lot,” he said. “It gave us time to achieve the things we achieved in the past two-and-a-half, three years. 

“The people wanted to have their own history, like the players had to write their own history and stories. They were ready not to compare us too much with all these great, great figures in our club. They gave us time and we used the time pretty well. 

“It’s normal that people are positive about the manager of the team when you become champions, but the people know as well, like I know, how much it means to us and how important my coaches are.

“Without Pep, Peter, Vitor, John, Jack, Korny, Mona, Ray, Matt, Danielle, Julia and all the others, it would not be possible, and that’s the truth.  I am the face of it, but a lot of the work, the others do.”

Asked if he had ever doubted whether he could bring the title back to Anfield after such a long wait for the club, Klopp added: “Not doubts, but I didn’t know that it will happen because the other teams are so good. You have to change each year, bring new things, that’s how it is. A season is really long, you need to be lucky in some moments, especially with injuries, so you can never be sure. 

“I was never sure it will happen, but I knew we will become a really good football team. But others are pretty good as well.

“The consistency makes all the difference. We were good four years ago, we were really good three years, we were unbelievably good last year, the consistency we showed was incredible, and then smashing the record so far this season is absolutely exceptional, and second to none. 

“It’s all about the boys’ commitment, desire and understanding of the club’s heart and soul. That made it happen, and thankfully I am part of this.”

Liverpool’s record-breaking title triumph has seen them earn a comparison to former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, with Steve McMahon saluting the punching power of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Reds have been relentless in their march towards a first top-flight crown in 30 years, secured with seven games to go.

A 23-point lead at the summit has been established by swotting aside all before them, with 28 victories claimed from 31 outings. Rarely in the modern era has a side been so dominant, with Liverpool making amends for the pain they suffered last season in stunning style.

Former Reds midfielder McMahon, who captured three titles during his playing days at Anfield, has paid tribute to the well-oiled “machine” pieced together by Klopp, with few able to live with the strength of sporting colossus.

“We’ve seen from Manchester City and Liverpool that there are two ways to win the championship, and Liverpool are just so, so good, they’re just relentless,” McMahon told talkSPORT. “You wouldn’t want to take them on in a fight. They’re like Mike Tyson

“You’ve got Muhammad Ali who boxes his way through, and then you’ve got Mike Tyson who just punches his way, and that’s been Liverpool this season. City are wonderful to watch, but Liverpool are a machine.”

While acknowledging that Liverpool have been far and away the best side in English football this season, McMahon believes further reinforcement will be required in the next transfer window in order for the Reds to remain clear of the chasing pack.

The ex-England international added: “I don’t care what people say, Liverpool do need three or four top quality players. When you take anybody out of Liverpool’s side it weakens them.

“With City, you look at their bench and it actually makes them stronger when they make changes, and I don’t think Liverpool can afford to do that. When they make a change they’re not stronger, they’re actually a little bit weaker.

“The best time to buy is when you’re winning, when you’re up there. That’s always been Liverpool’s policy, when you’re good and when you’re really good, then buy and make you even better. This is the time to do so.

“I do believe Liverpool need to sign four or five players, they have to improve, they can’t stand still. Standing still is going backwards in the Premier League now. Man United will get better, Man City will get better, Chelsea are already getting better, so you’ve got to improve, you can’t stand still.”

Posta Rangers coach Sammy Omollo feels teams should be allowed to complete the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Shield Cup competition.

The competition was halted in March owing to Covid-19 outbreak and the Federation went on to state it might not be played to a conclusion. The former defender has however stated some African nations have set precedents which should be emulated.

"We have Tanzania and recently Zambia who have resumed footballing activities which gives us hope as well," Omollo told Goal on Friday.

"It was a rushed decision to end the season but we can amend it by playing the domestic competition. We have teams that are desperate to represent the country in the Caf Confederation Cup.

"The Federation should sit with the Government and seek special permission for the remaining matches to be played, without fans. It is very possible."

In the last 16, apart from KCB, who pulled out of the competition, Gor Mahia failed to turn up for their game against Posta Rangers at Afraha Stadium while defending champions Bandari FC were also a no-show at Mbaraki Stadium where they were scheduled to play Sofapaka.

National Super League side Bidco United also failed to travel to Kianyaga Stadium where they were to play Fortune Sacco with Keroka Technical University failed to honour their game against Kisumu All-Stars.

In the matches played, AFC Leopards survived a Ushuru FC scare to advance to the next round. After a goalless draw in regulation time, Ingwe advanced after winning the penalty shootout 4-2.

Ulinzi defeated Migori Youth by a solitary goal while Kariobangi Sharks claimed a 4-1 win against Migori Youth.

"Football is sweeter when it is played on the pitch," Omollo continued.

"Everyone has been affected by Covid-19 and we should by now have accepted that it is not going away anytime soon. The clubs that made it to the latter stages of the competition should be given a chance to play."

In an earlier interview, FKF CEO Barry Otieno had stated Kenya might not field a representative in the Caf Confederation Cup.

"We could not manage to give a name [of a club] for the competition because we don’t have rules which govern the domestic Cup [FKF Shield Cup]," Otieno told Goal.

"It was easier to submit Gor Mahia’s name for Champions League participation because we used rule six of the FKF statutes but in the domestic Cup we don’t have any rules that can be applied and that is why Kenya is likely to miss a representative next season."

Jurgen Klopp says he is “not interested in a statue” outside Anfield, despite leading Liverpool to their first title triumph in 30 years.

The German was appointed by the Reds in October 2015 in the hope that he could be the man to bring good times back to Merseyside.

It took him a while to get going, with final heartache suffered along the way, but a wait for major silverware came to a close when a Champions League crown was wrapped up in 2019.

The floodgates have opened since then, with the Premier League trophy now added to a cabinet alongside UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup honours.

Klopp has been showered with plaudits for the manner in which he has gone about his business, with the 53-year-old now firmly established as one of the finest coaching brains in the game.

A larger-than-life character has always remained humble, though, and claims to have no desire to take up a standing alongside the legendary figures that have gone before him at Liverpool.

“I want to live for 30 or 40 years so I am not interested in a statue, for sure not in my lifetime – I don't want to pass anything like that,” Klopp told reporters.

“I am the manager of this team and we won the league so people see this as positive I can imagine. I am very positive about that as well but you don't have to compare me with these iconic figures.”

While he may be eager to avoid the limelight, Klopp does now occupy a title-winning bracket on Merseyside alongside the likes of Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly.

There will be no resting on laurels from him or his side, though, with the plan being to build from this point and ensure that there is not another lengthy barren run on the silverware front to come.

“The history is no burden anymore. The history is now our wonderful background for the basis of what we are doing,” Klopp added.

“When I came in, we had to say 'don't compare us anymore with anybody', with these wonderful, fantastic people who played for this club and won everything for this club in the past. We cannot - the world's changed. 

“We need to get the opportunity from you actually, our supporters, to find our own way. This is only possible because nobody lost patience with us in any moment. Football manager is a nice job but a difficult one as well because we cannot really ask for time. 

“We have to deliver immediately, people have to see the steps we make and people saw them because they wanted to see them. So the story was possible.

“We are in a good moment, we are all young enough to still go for something. This is not the final destination. It’s a moment like last year’s Champions League final. From that moment you carry on, and that’s what we’ll do now.”