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Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Man Utd title winner, 47, to join Mikel Arteta's Arsenal coaching staff in a surprise move to replace Carlos Cuesta
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MIKEL ARTETA is appointing Manchester United title winner Gabriel Heinze to his Arsenal staff. The former Argentina star, 47, will join the group after 29-year-old Carlos Cuesta left his role as assistant coach to become manager of Parma. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Gabriel Heinz is on the verge of returning to the Premier League with Arsenal Credit: Getty 2 Mikel Arteta has lost his assistant coach Carlos Cuesto Credit: Getty Heinze spent three years with the Red Devils after joining from PSG - where he played with a teenage Arteta. The defender has been described by the Gunners boss as one of the "unbelievable players" he played with, and an "inspiration". Arteta previously said: 'The other inspirations were (Mauricio) Pochettino and Heinze, those two were next to me all the time, behind me, and they were guiding me in everything I had to do in my professional life, how I had to understand the game and they were inspirational to me.' Heinze will join the backroom staff alongside assistant Albert Stuivenberg, goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover and first-team coach Miguel Molina. READ MORE IN ARSENAL GO TIME Arsenal 'could sign Rodrygo or Gordon'… but must offload fan-favourite first Heinze moved to Old Trafford for £6.9million in 2004 and became a cult hero among fans - scoring on his debut against Bolton. But a lengthy injury lay-off saw Sir Alex Ferguson sign Patrice Evra, who became first-choice left-back in the title-winning 2006-07 season. He left Man Utd after 83 games under a cloud after trying to force a move to bitter rivals Liverpool before eventually being shipped to Real Madrid. As well as winning the Premier League he won domestic titles in France, Spain and Argentina as well as Olympic gold. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS He made 72 appearances for Argentina, including at two Fifa World Cups and the Copa America. Heinze has had managerial spells at five clubs since 2015, leaving his most recent stint at Newell's Old Boys in his homeland in 2023. Arsenal's 2025/26 lightning bolt away kit 'leaked' as fans say 'this strip was literally made for Eze' ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest rumours from the Emirates
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Man Utd title winner, 47, to join Mikel Arteta's Arsenal coaching staff in a surprise move to replace Carlos Cuesta
MIKEL ARTETA is appointing Manchester United title winner Gabriel Heinze to his Arsenal staff. The former Argentina star, 47, will join the group after 29-year-old 2 Gabriel Heinz is on the verge of returning to the Premier League with Arsenal Credit: Getty 2 Mikel Arteta has lost his assistant coach Carlos Cuesto Credit: Getty Heinze spent three years with the Red Devils after joining from PSG - where he played with a teenage The defender has been described by the Gunners boss as one of the "unbelievable players" he played with, and an "inspiration". Arteta previously said: 'The other inspirations were (Mauricio) Pochettino and Heinze, those two were next to me all the time, behind me, and they were guiding me in everything I had to do in my professional life, how I had to understand the game and they were inspirational to me.' Heinze will join the backroom staff alongside assistant Albert Stuivenberg, goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover and first-team coach Miguel Molina. READ MORE IN ARSENAL Heinze moved to Old Trafford for £6.9million in 2004 and became a cult hero among fans - scoring on his debut against Bolton. But a lengthy injury lay-off saw Sir He left As well as winning the Premier League he won domestic titles in France, Spain and Argentina as well as Olympic gold. Most read in Football JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS He made 72 appearances for Argentina, including at two Fifa World Cups and the Copa America. Heinze has had managerial spells at five clubs since 2015, leaving his most recent stint at Newell's Old Boys in his homeland in 2023. Arsenal's 2025/26 lightning bolt away kit 'leaked' as fans say 'this strip was literally made for Eze' ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest rumours from the Emirates
Otago Daily Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
NZ keeper signs with Phoenix
Victoria Esson is returning to New Zealand after a successful seven seasons in Europe. The Football Ferns goalkeeper has signed with the Wellington Phoenix for the 2025-26 A-League season. Esson, 34, has spent the past three seasons at Rangers in Scotland, where she has won five trophies alongside fellow new signing Tessel Middag, after previously playing in Germany and Norway. She has been capped 28 times by New Zealand at senior level and started all of the Ferns' internationals in 2025. Interim Phoenix head coach Amy Shepherd is thrilled to have secured Esson's signature. "She brings a wealth of experience from the international stage — including Fifa World Cups and Olympic Games — as well as from top-level club football, most recently with Rangers FC," Shepherd said. "Vic's leadership from the back and her passion for driving both this club and the women's game forward are qualities that will be vital for the 2025-2026 season. "She brings a winning mindset and high-performance standards, shaped by her recent successes. "As a goalkeeper, she is courageous, commanding, and proactive — always ready to take charge of her box. "We are excited to welcome her back home to New Zealand." Esson has long dreamed of playing professionally in New Zealand, but it wasn't an option for her in 2019, so she had to go offshore in order to pursue a full-time football career. "I'm grateful for the opportunity the Phoenix have provided me to come home and continue to play professional football," Esson said. "It's amazing that young Kiwis can now aspire to play for a New Zealand team in the A-League. "For me it's still a bit unimaginable being able to play professionally in my home country. "It's going to be the first time my family and friends will be able to watch me play games at club level on a weekly basis. It's pretty exciting that this is about to become my reality. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity and I hope we can make it a season to remember." Esson was impressed by the club's vision after meeting with Shepherd and academy director Emma Humphries, who has been assisting the Phoenix women with recruitment. "I liked the strong ambitions that were presented. I think it had substance to it and truth to it." She believes she can contribute to the team's success on and off the pitch. "I hope to bring good goalkeeping, clean sheets and competitiveness in training and in games. "Having played in America, Norway, Germany and Scotland I think I've become a more rounded person and a more rounded footballer. "I am confident my experiences will help me to get along well with the visa players and being a Kiwi I hope I can connect well with the local players too." Esson is the 13th player confirmed in the Wellington Phoenix women's squad for the 2025-26 A-League. — APL
NZ Herald
17-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Auckland FC v Melbourne Victory: The key factors as Auckland's A-League finals quest begins
Auckland may be new to this arena but won't be fazed. Look at some of their resumes: captain Hiroki Sakai at Fifa World Cups, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga, Louis Verstraete in big Belgium derbies, Dan Hall in consecutive A League grand finals, Jake Brimmer with eight seasons at Victory and the South American trio (Guillermo May, Felipe Gallegos and Neyder Moreno), who are veterans of high pressure occasions on that continent. However, as a collective group it is a novel and different test, while it may also be an eye-opener for the younger members of the squad. Formation It's expected Auckland FC will revert to a 3-5-2 shape tonight, used in the last clash with Victory. It means more bodies in central midfield, a stronger defensive shape and more chances for the wide players, particularly Francis de Vries, to get forward. However, it can be tricky, given they have favoured 4-4-2 for most of the campaign and it is imperative that the wing backs resist the temptation to sit too deep. Brimmer is likely to start alongside Gallegos and Verstraete to form the midfield axis, while Jesse Randall will be used up front alongside May, in the absence of Max Mata, who didn't travel due to a hamstring strain. Preparation Auckland FC have benefited from a week off and are refreshed and ready to go. A planned intra-squad match last Friday was called off after 20 minutes due to torrential rain but coach Steve Corica has been pleased with the work this week, while those close to the squad have noted the extra intensity. May hasn't trained fully this week due to a knee knock but will start. The team trained close to the central city yesterday – at the home of the Port Melbourne Sharks – before the players had a free afternoon to relax. Conditions The forecast isn't great for tonight. The weather has closed in here in Melbourne, with rain expected most of the day. It is something that Auckland haven't had to deal with for most of their season, with the vast majority of matches played under sunny skies. The AAMI Park field will also be heavier, cut up by yesterday's first semifinal between Melbourne City and Western United. Striking first It's a cliché but opening the scoring is crucial tonight. Auckland FC are great frontrunners – as they have shown all season – and are adept in transition if the opposition needs to chase the game. All 15 of their victories this season have come after they scored first. They haven't trailed many times this campaign but are yet to retrieve a deficit and come back and win. The finals quest Across their proud history Wellington Phoenix have never won a finals match in Australia, despite having some impressive squads down the years. That underlines the scale of tonight's task for Auckland FC, if they want to make history as a New Zealand side in the playoffs. Of course, a victory on Saturday is not imperative but the main focus will be going back to Go Media Stadium with something, as a draw would also be a solid base ahead of next week. The travelling fans There is expected to be a decent contingent of Auckland colour in the grandstands. A few hundred have made the trip over – some with a painful experience of the 6am flight from Auckland yesterday, with issues at Qantas check-in terminals resulting in massive queues – and they will be supplemented by expatriates taking the chance to see the Black Knights. The mentality Discipline, focus and especially concentration will be key tonight, as any lapses can have massive consequences. That was shown in last night's AAMI Park match, in the other semifinal. The first half was an even affair – with Melbourne City ahead 1-0 at the break – but Western United paid a harsh price for two poor moments in the second spell and the 3-0 defeat means the tie is all but over.
