Arsenal don sack dia head doctor Zafar Iqbal just days afta di Champions League final defeat. Di club call am for meeting last Monday and tell am say e go leave immediately.
Dr Iqbal, wey be 51 years old, na respected sports medicine practitioner wey join di club for February 2024. But di decision come as big surprise to am and oda medical staff.
E be di chief executive Richard Garlick wey tell Dr Iqbal di news. Garlick na Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan, promote for September to lead di club.
Telegraph Sport report last month say di club don commission Spanish physiotherapist Joaquín Acedo, wey get long association with Mikel Arteta, to look at di club injury record dis season. But e no clear weda Dr Iqbal sacking get any connection wit dat review.
Inside di club, many people don yarn about why Arsenal lose key players like Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Kai Havertz for long periods of di Premier League-winning season. Di talk dey about training, team selection, rotation, and medical care.
Arsenal play 63 games across four competitions plus five pre-season friendlies, including three for Far East at di end of July. Di intensity of Arteta approach to training well known for di game. E believe say to prepare for matches by playing at similar tempo.
Dat finally give Arsenal dia first Premier League title in 22 years and place for Champions League final. But e still plenty ask of many players for wetin be gruelling title race. Some injuries come from impact – like Mikel Merino wey break im foot for January and no play again until di final day of di season.
Dr Iqbal lead major department at Arsenal as head of sports medicine and performance. E do similar role before at Crystal Palace for almost eight years. Before dat, e spend more dan four years at Liverpool, become head of sports medicine. Earlier, e dey at Tottenham Hotspur, first as academy doctor and den wit di first team.
E be di chair of di Football Association Medical Society, wey dey support sports medicine professionals for di game.
