As managing director of S.A.B. Mining, Barry Kevin O ‘Rourke guides goldfield extraction activities in Guyana. A football enthusiast who earned an A-level sports science degree in the United Kingdom, Barry Kevin O ‘Rourke continues to follow the sport in his free time.
A major development in English Premier League soccer in late 2021 was the decision by Manchester United to fire coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Despite a winning record, he was seen as helming an underperforming squad, particularly given their roster of superstars. Named as interim manager, German coach Ralf Rangnick came to the team promising to breathe new life into the system and find ways to maximize the potential of star athletes such as Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In his debut as coach, Rangnick squeaked out a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace in a game that went scoreless for a full 76 minutes. Ultimately, Fred found a way to break through the tenacious Palace backline, finding space on the edge and bending the ball expertly into the net. The game was reminiscent of the type of matches that characterized the Solskjaer era, although one noteworthy development was the intensity with which 36-year-old Ronaldo took to his assignment on the pitch.
The win was not extremely important, given that Manchester has already clinched Group F. But it gave heart to fans that worried that the absence of six players, including injured Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial, would leave the team unable to win.
