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Walter Samuel was offered the role of assistant manager to Cristian Chivu at Inter, confirmed Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, but turned them down.
The reports had suggested that Samuel was approached to join the staff of the new Nerazzurri boss , as they were teammates in the team that won the Treble under Jose Mourinho in the 2009-10 campaign.
This was confirmed by Scaloni during a press conference this afternoon, but at the same time also noted that Samuel had turned it down.
“Inter called, it was his former teammate, a friend, an important stage in his career, but he has a commitment to us,” said the Argentina manager.
“Walter appreciated it, but he has decided to stay with us. I thank him, it is a sign of affection and professionalism.”
Samuel an icon at Inter
Walter ‘The Wall’ Samuel is now 47 years old and has been assistant manager to Scaloni for Argentina since August 2018.
He had already been assistant manager at Inter, under Stefano Pioli and then caretaker Stefano Vecchi in the 2016-17 campaign.
Inter had turned to the Argentine after Chivu’s first choice assistant, Giovanni Martusciello, expressed doubts about the move.
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Why has Juventus suffered so many injuries this season?
Juventus is experiencing a successful season compared to the previous campaign, during which they encountered numerous off-field issues that adversely impacted their on-pitch performances. Under the management of Massimiliano Allegri, the Bianconeri have remained competitive in the Serie A title race, effectively utilising the available resources at their disposal. Allegri’s adeptness in adapting to varying circumstances has contributed significantly to Juventus’ performance. Allegri’s proficiency in adapting to diverse situations and optimising available resources is noteworthy. In recent times, Juventus has refrained from substantial spending on new players, aiming to achieve success with their existing squad. Juventus has grappled with injuries to key players throughout the current season, with a significant portion of the squad spending time on the sidelines due to various injuries. The frequency of injuries among Juventus players prompts speculation regarding the club’s training methods and their potential correlation with the injury rate. Now, before we get into Juve’s training methods, it must be said that it is not like the bad old days when drugs were prevalent within the game. Over the last decade, dozens of footballers across Italy’s top leagues have tested positive for banned substances, tarnishing the sport’s reputation. According to CasinoAlpha, at least 8 Serie A players faced doping-related suspensions. These cases of cheating not only undermine fair competition and athlete health but also significantly impact gambling, as manipulated matches and performances distort betting odds and markets. With millions wagered weekly on Italian football, both legally and illegally, the ripple effects of doping scandals go far beyond just the pitch. That cannot be aimed at Juventus this time because the testing regimes are so thorough, so why has Juve been impacted so heavily by injuries this season? Interestingly, most player injuries do not occur during matches, with many players sustaining injuries during training sessions before games. Despite Allegri’s reputation as an esteemed coach who understands the nuances of preparing players for matches, there are indications that training intensity at Juventus may not be as rigorous as that of other clubs, as evidenced by Julian Nagelsmann’s observation about Matthijs de Ligt when he signed for Bayern Munich. The prevalence of injuries raises questions about the overall physical preparedness of the players, indicating a potential discrepancy between training intensity and match demands. Given these circumstances, it may not be prudent to immediately advocate for a reduction in training intensity. Instead, Juventus should conduct a thorough investigation to identify potential causes of the high injury rate, such as the presence of injury-prone players or dietary issues impacting player fitness. Addressing these underlying issues is crucial for mitigating the risk of injuries and optimising player performance.
Ranking the top 5 Toronto Maple Leafs enforcers in franchise history
It was announced on Friday that Toronto Marlies and former Toronto Maple Leafs forward and enforcer, Kyle Clifford, would be retiring from the sport of hockey. It was later confirmed that he would be stepping into a player development role with the Leafs. While Clifford only played a total of 41 games with Toronto’s NHL club, he took part in nine fights during that brief span, making him an iconic enforcer for the team despite his limited games. With Clifford’s retirement and the trade that sent existing Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks, it seems like the lineage of Toronto enforcers may be at its end. But while we wait to see if GM Brad Treliving brings in someone new to slot into the enforcer role, let’s take a look back at the top five greatest enforcers that the Leafs have had in their franchise history. We will be looking at the total number of fights, the total penalty minutes, as well as the player’s overall notoriety within the Leafs franchise, in order to fairly rank this list. Let’s get to it. 5. Colton Orr (56 fights, 637 PIM) As will be the case with most of the players on this list, Orr by no means lit up the stat sheet during his career, but what he did do was step up to fight whenever his team needed him to. But during the dark ages of Leafs hockey before the team drafted Auston Matthews in 2016, Orr was the most iconic Leafs enforcer. Orr initially went undrafted before getting picked up by the Boston Bruins in 2003–04, but it was not until the 2009–10 season that Orr joined the Maple Leafs after signing with them in July of 2009. Orr immediately made the Leafs one of the more physical teams in the league when he came on board, and he even had a league-high 23 fights in his first season with the team. While there was only one team playoff appearance during Orr’s time with the Leafs–an appearance that resulted in a first-round exit–his physical play at least made the tough times more interesting. 4. Wade Belak (67 fights, 763 PIM) Belak had a long 15-year NHL career, and around six of those were spent as a Maple Leaf. And during that time with Toronto, Belak was an impeccable enforcer whenever he was called upon. During his Leafs tenure, Belak had an astonishing 67 fights, and in each of his seasons with the team, he never fought fewer than nine times per season. Unfortunately, Belak died in August of 2011, a victim of suicide. While he is no longer with us, his legacy definitely lives on through the grit and skill he brought to the Leafs and the rest of the NHL during the early 2000s. 3. Dave “Tiger” Williams (114 fights, 1,670 PIM) Williams was a second-round pick by the Leafs in 1974, and he immediately became a key piece of a Leafs team that made the playoffs every year he was on the team. Unlike the previous two players on this list, Williams was a fairly solid scorer with his best season with the Leafs coming in 1977–78 when he put up 31 assists and 50 points in 78 games. It was during the 1977–78 season that Williams took part in 36 fights, his most as a Leaf, and coincidentally, the Leafs also reached the conference final that season, a postseason that saw Williams fight five times. And adding even more to that season, Williams registered 351 penalty minutes, a career high during his years with the Leafs, and the 25th highest total in NHL history. 2. Wendel Clark (108 fights, 1,535 PIM) It was a toss-up between Clark and Williams for the No. 2 spot, but we are giving the edge to Clark for his overall notoriety among not just Leafs fans, but Toronto sports fans as a whole. Clark was one of the most iconic Leafs players of all time, and he put up solid point totals during his 12 seasons with Toronto, most notably during the 1993–94 season when he put up an impressive 46 goals and 76 points in just 64 games. Pure skill aside, Clarke was never afraid to drop the gloves with opponents. He had 108 career fights, and 30 of those took place during the 1986–87 regular season, a season in which he also scored 60 points. And Clark is the only player on this list who also served as the Leafs’ captain. 1. Tie Domi (188 fights, 2,265 PIM) Domi isn’t just the greatest Leafs enforcer of all time, but he is arguably one of the greatest enforcers in NHL history. Domi played nearly 11 seasons with the Leafs, and it is no coincidence that his time with the team also saw the team reach the conference final three times. Although his scoring was nothing to write home about, Domi’s physical presence made him an instant fan favourite in Toronto, and he was always willing to throw down with the opposition’s top enforcers. Excluding his final season in Toronto, Domi never took part in fewer than 13 fights during each of his seasons with the Leafs. There’s a reason why Domi is seen as one of the most iconic players in the Leafs’ franchise history.
Jordan Love's thumb surgery comes at inopportune time for Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a cause for concern with Jordan Love in the preseason. The quarterback suffered a thumb injury during the Packers' 30-10 loss to the New York Jets on Saturday. Love went 1-of-5 passing for seven yards and took a sack for -3 yards in the defeat. Both of his drives ended in punts. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Love is set to have surgery on his thumb after seeing how it held up at practice on Monday. General manager Brian Gutekunst believes Love will be ready for Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. "Gutekunst sounded adamant that Love will be ready for Week 1 against the Lions," Schneidman wrote. "Hit his left hand on a helmet on that half-scramble vs. Jets. Wanted to see how it felt at practice yesterday and decided to get it fixed to avoid future issues. Will be with team in Indianapolis. "Brian Gutekunst says Jordan Love is having a procedure done on his left thumb. It’s a 'ligament thing.' Hurt it in the preseason opener. Gutekunst hopes he returns to practice next week." The injury comes at an inopportune time for the Packers. Love and the majority of his receivers have not been in sync during training camp and in the preseason game. Like last season, Packers' receivers have dropped passes during practices and did so in the preseason opener against the Jets. Green Bay needs Love on the field, gaining chemistry with his pass-catching targets, including first-round pick Matthew Golden, before it plays the Lions.
Milwaukee Brewers Force Paul Skenes Into Unfiltered Admission About Brew Crew After 14-0 Beatdown
Najee Harris may have role reduced after fireworks accident
Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris still has yet to return to action after a July 4 fireworks accident, and it sounds like he does not necessarily have a job guaranteed to him when he does. Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman admitted Tuesday that the team is planning a steady rotation at running back whether or not Harris is available to play in Week 1. First-round draft pick Omarion Hampton, however, is the player who has part of the rotation locked down, not Harris. The Chargers likely intended to use Harris as a part-time back no matter what. However, he certainly cannot have helped himself with his eye injury. The issue was described as superficial after it happened and Harris was expected to be ready for the season, but he is still on the non-football injury list and has yet to participate in a full practice. Harris, 27, is entering his first season with the Chargers after signing with them in March. He can earn up to $9.25 million on his one-year deal, but that will require him to remain part of the rotation with Hampton.
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