🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Tottenham Hotspur to appoint performance psychologist amid relegation concerns
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
Tottenham Hotspur plans to hire a lead performance psychologist for their men’s first team to address a decline in form and confidence. The club, currently in the Premier League relegation zone with five matches remaining, has not won a league game in 15 attempts, extending into 2026. New head coach Roberto de Zerbi, appointed in late March, has emphasized the need for a “change in mentality.” The advertised role seeks an “outstanding performance psychologist” to provide evidence-based psychological support to elite players and foster a psychologically informed performance culture. Tottenham is also recruiting a sport psychologist for its women’s team. Defender Micky van de Ven described the situation as “mentally tough,” indicating players are “suffering” during the slump. The club is combining managerial changes with specialist psychological support to try and improve their season.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe African Travel Commission has extended its condolences to Uganda following a road crash on July 16, 2026, in Chekwatit Village, Kapchorwa District, which resulted in the deaths of students and school officials from King David Junior School during an educational excursion to Sipi Falls. In a statement signed by Executive Director Lucky George, the commission expressed sympathy to the affected families and solidarity with the Ugandan government and tourism bodies. Ola Awakan, Chairman of the African Travel Commission and Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, highlighted the tragedy as a call to action for African tourism authorities and stakeholders to enhance safety protocols for educational and tourism-related travel. Awakan emphasized the necessity of risk assessments, vehicle safety inspections, the use of qualified drivers, emergency response plans, adequate adult supervision, and strict adherence to road safety regulations for all organized trips involving children. The commission commended emergency responders and expressed confidence that Ugandan authorities would investigate the accident thoroughly to prevent future tragedies, reaffirming its commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism across Africa.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has requested the Lagos State House of Assembly's approval to raise N200bn through a bond issuance and access approximately $17m in infrastructure financing. These funds are intended to finance key projects before the end of his administration. The requests, detailed in two letters from Commissioner for Finance Abayomi Oluyomi, were read in the House. Speaker Mudashiru Obasa referred both requests to the Joint Committee on Economic Planning and Budget and the Committee on Finance for scrutiny. The first request seeks authorization for Lagos to participate in the Federation Account Allocation Committee Receivables Discounting Programme, which would provide immediate liquidity by leveraging future FAAC allocations to finance critical infrastructure and other capital projects, enabling access to about $17m in third-party funding. The second request seeks legislative approval to issue a N200bn Series V bond under its N1tn Debt and Hybrid Instruments Issuance Programme. Proceeds from this bond would fund priority projects such as the New Massey Children’s Hospital, Lagos Island General Hospital, the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Line, the Omu Creek Bridge, and other strategic infrastructure projects. The Commissioner assured the Assembly of the government’s commitment to prudent financial management and sustainable infrastructure development.
The House of Representatives has intensified its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council PFIPC, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs accused of obstructing the probe. The House Ad-hoc Committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, warned that it would use its constitutional powers to compel compliance if MDAs fail to appear with requested documents and officials. Gagdi stated that the refusal of some agencies to honor invitations is an affront to the National Assembly's oversight powers and undermines efforts to establish facts about the controversial body. He emphasized that invitations from House committees are legally binding under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution. The committee has directed all defaulting MDAs to appear on Thursday, marking the final opportunity for voluntary compliance, and warned of sanctions against non-compliant entities. The investigation aims to establish facts, protect public administration integrity, and ensure adherence to the Constitution, not to victimize individuals or institutions. The committee reaffirmed its commitment to impartial and professional conduct. This development comes amid other twists, including the House committee insisting on Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu's appearance, despite a representative attending. Additionally, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana withdrew from representing Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged Director-General of