EPL: Arsenal Fans Hate Me, I Had Packed My Bags – Xhaka

Swiss professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Premier League club, Arsenal, Granit Xhaka has opened up on hatred by fans of the club.

The 29-year-old player said he endured a degree of hatred from fans at the North London club whenever they lost a match.

Xhaka told reporters that he was vexed with the lack of support and hatred by fans and had packed his bag to dump the club, Naija News reports.

The midfielder revealed how he had written off his stay with the Gunners in 2019.

In 2022, Xhaka who is still at the London side claims he is now ‘finished’ with the Gunners and that he can still see the faces of angry fans even when he closes his eyes’.

Speaking further about his career with the club, Xhaka told Players’ Tribune that: “I had barely begun to move when I heard the boos.”

He said: “And it was not just a few guys in the corner – it was a lot of people. I was shocked. I had never experienced anything like this.

“This is hate. Pure hate. I am really not exaggerating this.

“To feel that level of hatred and disrespect – I wouldn’t want it for my worst enemy,” he said.

“Still to this day, if we have lost, I hate walking those last metres to the tunnel, because I still recognise the faces. The same people are sitting there.

“So now, I just keep my head down. I lived through that nightmare once. I don’t ever want to do it again.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Salisu Yusuf as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles B (otherwise known as CHAN team) as well as the U23 (Olympics) team.

Yusuf, who was Head Coach of the Super Eagles B when the team emerged runner-up of the African Nations Championship in Morocco in 2018, will work with Kennedy Boboye (Assistant Coach); Fatai Osho (Assistant Coach); Abubakar Bala Mohammed (Assistant Coach); Fidelis Ikechukwu (Assistant Coach); Eboboritse Uwejamomere (Match Analyst) and Ike Shorounmu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer) and Suleiman Shuaibu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer 2).

In other appointments, Ladan Bosso retains his position as Head Coach of the U20 Boys. He will work with former U17 Head Coach, Fatai Amao (Assistant Coach); Oladuni Oyekale (Assistant Coach); Jolomi Atune Alli (Assistant Coach) and; Baruwa Olatunji Abideen (Goalkeepers’ Trainer).

This article was originally published on Nigeria News