Latest news with #Idowu
Daily Record
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Roland Idowu confirms that permanent St Mirren stay was always on his mind
The Irishman turned his loan deal into a permanent one at the Saints earlier in the summer window. By Kyle Gunn Roland Idowu has outlined the reason behind his permanent move to St Mirren as he says he knew exactly where he wanted to play football this season. The 23-year-old spent the last campaign on loan in Paisley from EFL League Two side Shrewsbury Town, playing a major part in the Saints' top six finish — scoring a dramatic late winner in the final pre-split game against Ross County. And he has returned on fine form, scoring a brace in Saturday's 4-0 victory over Dumbarton in their first pre-season game. He told the Paisley Daily Express: 'I really liked it here last year. I loved playing with the boys, and I had good confidence [from management and my team mates who are all] invested in my career here, so I'm really happy to be back.' The Dubliner says he has already learned a lot from his time in the Black and White stripes and is keen to show that on the pitch this season. 'I had an up and down season last year,' he said. 'Towards the end I started to get to grips with things, and I think my plan now going into this season is to take my experience and lessons from last season and try and implement them; to have a more confident and positive season.' The Buddies are currently on a warm-weather pre-season fitness camp in Murcia, Spain. But Idowu says he has been training throughout the break to maintain his form. 'Obviously, if you're away, you're still doing that stuff,' he said. 'I was back in Dublin training again. 'I feel like I always do look after myself fitness-wise. Also, it wasn't as long a break, so there wasn't as long a time to lose fitness really.' Idowu is just one of six permanent deals to be added to Stephen Robinson's squad this summer so far, with fellow Irishman Killian Phillips also making his loan deal permanent in Paisley. The new faces in the squad are Liam Donnelly, Jayden Richardson, Ryan Mullen, and Richard King, who have come in to strengthen areas. Idowu has thrown his support behind all his new teammates that have joined, as he says that everyone settles in at different speeds, as he explained his own journey. He said: 'Everyone's different. People take longer to settle and for some people, it takes just one game, one session. So, that's definitely something that needs to be more taken into account. 'I was playing in Ireland before and I had a short stint at Shrewsbury. 'So, I hadn't really been a player for long enough to be up to speed with fitness and technical stuff [before I came here]. 'Well, I think now I've caught up and feel physically good and technically good and confident on the pitch.' Robbo's men will take on MK Dons on Saturday to wrap up their week-long stint in the heat.
Daily Record
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Brian Kerr hails Roland Idowu's qualities after shining in first friendly win
The Irishman netted twice in the Saints 4-0 win over Dumbarton on Saturday in the Buddies first pre-season game of the new campaign By Kyle Gunn St Mirren assistant boss Brian Kerr was full of praise for Roland Idowu after his double against Dumbarton. The Saints stepped up their preparations for the new season with a 4-0 victory away to the Sons on Saturday. Mikael Mandron headed the Paisley side in front in the first half after an inviting ball in from the left from the Scottish League One player of the year last season, Evan Mooney. In the second half, Idowu – who made his loan deal from EFL League Two side Shrewsbury Town permanent this summer – scored a brace in what was a performance that excited the fans. The Irishman joined the Paisley side on a two-year deal after a successful loan last campaign. James Scott, who will be eager to be more involved this season after having limited minutes last term, closed off the game with the fourth and final goal. Buddies assistant manager Brian Kerr was delighted to have the team back out on the pitch in what is the first of three pre-season games ahead of the Premier Sports Cup opener against Arbroath on July 12. And Kerr has heaped praise on Idowu for his performance as he explains why they are okay with the Irishman losing the ball on occasions. 'We know what you get from him. He's a winger type,' he told Express Sport. 'He's going to go and try and beat men time after time. Even today, he loses the ball on occasions, but when you get the quality that he has on the other side and in the two goals, then you've got to accept that sometimes he's going to lose the ball. 'We know that we can accept him losing the ball four or five times if he's able to fire two balls into the back of the net the way he did today. 'That's what we know, and the boys know it as well. Sometimes, you've got to accept match winners. 'They know, the boys, the maverick types that Roland tends to be, and the other boys will do the job getting him the ball and hopefully he produces that magic.' New boys Liam Donnelly and Jayden Richardson featured from the start of Saturday's game, with new goalkeeper Ryan Mullen not being used. Richard King is yet to touch down in Scotland after being on international duty with Jamaica at the Concacaf Gold Cup. Kerr went on to add his thoughts on the strong win in West Dunbartonshire. He said: 'It was a good exercise, which is the most important bit. We knew the boys were all going to get their 45 minutes in so it was important that we saw the work rate more than anything else. 'There was some great quality, there were some great goals and bits and pieces, but most importantly it was to get some minutes in the legs.' Stephen Robinson's men flew out to Spain yesterday to further ramp up their fitness.
Boston Globe
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
At Embrace Ideas Festival, Black Bostonians discussed politics, art, business
Advertisement Margaret Breeden, daughter of Boston civil rights leader Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'My parents really ingrained social justice in me every day at the kitchen table, so I came here to figure out what I could do to help,' she said. In the first panel of the day, State Senator Liz Miranda and Segun Idowu, chief of economic opportunity and inclusion for the City of Boston discussed how they were using government policy to uplift Black Bostonians in light of the new presidential administration. Miranda represents the 2nd Suffolk district which includes parts of Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester and Northeastern University or 'the Blackest district in the Commonwealth' in her words. Idowu, a member of Mayor Wu's cabinet, Advertisement Idowu said that Trump's tariffs and executive orders would impact the 'five pillars' of Massachusetts' and the city of Boston's economy — medical institutions, educational institutions, life science research, tourism and climate technology. Idowu also said Trump's tariffs were impacting community projects in the city like the P3 project, a plan to build affordable housing and a research lab on the site of a vacant lot in Roxbury. Miranda was critical of the Trump administration's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. She said Trump's actions would hurt sectors like medical research. 'It's not just symbolic, it's sidelining brilliant people,' Miranda said. Miranda also said that even when DEI policies were not under attack, Massachusetts' government was not representative. 'I'm one of four Black women in the entire legislature of 200 people … we're not even represented in the bluest state in the country,' Miranda said. Miranda encouraged attendees to boycott companies that rolled back DEI efforts and to contact their alma maters if the institutions were abandoning programs to foster diversity. The politicians also told the audience policy wins they're proud of. Miranda said that she's proud of a bill she passed last year that addresses the higher morbidity rate that Black mothers face compared to white mothers. 'Six years ago when I first started talking about this issue, everyone told me 'there's no problem here,' here in the public health Mecca of the world,' Miranda said sarcastically. Advertisement Idowu said that he felt proud that people of color have started businesses in almost every neighborhood in the city and no longer feel limited to Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury. 'The whole city belongs to us … we can go to establishments in other neighborhoods now and not feel policed,' Idowu said. Priscilla Douglas, an executive coach and author who recently stepped down from the board of the Boston Public Library, attended the Embrace Ideas Festival. She is a lifelong resident of the city who went to Northeastern University and worked at the Roxbury YMCA and the Urban League growing up, but said the festival was eye-opening. 'Listening to the policy panel, I had no idea that 17 percent of Boston residents live in poverty,' Douglas said. At the last panel of the day, Jeneé Osterheldt, deputy managing editor for culture, talent and development at The Boston Globe interviewed entrepreneur Morgan DeBaun about her new self-help book and her career. DeBaun is the founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., a digital media company geared to Black millennials. DeBaun said that she had the idea to start a company focused on Black people when she was working for Intuit in Silicon Valley because she didn't see anyone building technology with Black users as the primary customer they were targeting. DeBaun, who is originally from Missouri, said that the murder of Ferguson teenager Mike Brown at the hands of the police in 2014 also led to her wanting to work with Black people. Advertisement 'I was sitting in a cubicle in San Francisco after Mike Brown and the people around me were asking 'what's for lunch,' they just were not seeing what I was seeing,' DeBaun said. In the audience, Laurie Nicolas resonated with DeBaun's experiences of working in predominantly white offices. Nicolas works in the healthcare space but started her own nonprofit called Pink Sunday which focuses on physical fitness for women. Nicolas learned about the Embrace festival after the inauguration of the Embrace statue in Boston Commons in 2023. She said she appreciated the diversity of the speakers at the festival. 'I want to focus on cultivating spaces where people feel included, not just people who look like me, but all kinds of diversity and I learned a lot from this event,' Nicolas. This story was produced by the Globe's team, which covers the racial wealth gap in Greater Boston. You can sign up for the newsletter . Angela Mathew can be reached at
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Former Ireland youth international Roland Idowu seals permanent move to St Mirren after successful loan spell
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Hemming returned to Paisley for a second loan spell in January and helped Saints to a third consecutive top-six finish in the William Hill Premiership. Alebiosu also arrived in January from Belgian side Kortrijk. Irish attacker Idowu, who netted four goals in 34 appearances on a season-long loan from Shrewsbury, joined the Buddies permanently on Thursday. In an end-of-season squad update issued before Idowu's move was confirmed, St Mirren said: 'Ryan Alebiosu, Zach Hemming and Roland Idowu all return to their respective parent clubs following the expiry of their loan deals. 'Discussions are ongoing with all three players' parent clubs as we look to bring them back to the club for next season. 'The club is continuing the hard work behind the scenes to add to the core of players already under contract for next season.' Saints have triggered their obligation to buy Killian Phillips from Crystal Palace after an impressive loan spell for the midfielder. 'The 23-year-old, who has just received his first call up for Republic of Ireland, will be under contract until summer 2026,' the statement said. 'The club also holds a year option to extend the deal until summer 2027. Dennis Adeniran, Caolan Boyd-Munce, Elvis Bwomono, Owen Foster, Gallagher Lennon and Richard Taylor will move on following the end of their contracts. Taylor and Boyd-Munce have been key players this season but the club could not deliver contract offers to match alternative options. Midfielder Boyd-Munce said in a club video: 'It's a very special place. My son was born here, we grew as a family here, and as a person. There are people here who will always be very close to me and I've loved every minute.'
Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Only in an election year would a lover's spat turn into a political hit job
So why is Idowu's name even out there? Advertisement If you ask me, it feels like a political hit job. Well, Huang worked in the city department Idowu runs, though he did not report directly to Idowu. According to the police report, Huang confronted Khudaynazar, accusing her of going 'on a date with my boss.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Segun Idowu, the city's chief of economic opportunity and inclusion, has drawn fire from critics of Mayor Michelle Wu for his alleged role in a domestic dispute between two City Hall staffers. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Here's what really happened, according to people who've talked to Idowu. It's true Khudaynazar and Idowu were out together one night last week at Hue, a Back Bay restaurant-lounge. But they were not out on a date; Idowu is a regular at Hue, and they ran into each other. There was friendly social banter, but not much more than that, according to people briefed by Idowu. Advertisement Thirty-six and single, Idowu eats out about five nights a week, sometimes alone, at a rotation of Boston restaurants where he holds 'office hours' to give people a chance to talk to him about the city, according to Imari Paris Jeffries, a longtime friend and Boston nonprofit leader. When 'He's such a square guy,' said Jeffries. That's my impression of Idowu too. He's always in a suit and tie. I first got to know him as the president of the Jeffries is speaking out to defend Idowu and tamp down on the innuendo that has the city rumor mill running amok. 'I know that it's not rooted in any truth,' said Jeffries. 'It's rooted in political motivation trying to advance a story or an agenda.' A letter in support of Idowu is also making the rounds. It has already been signed by Black leaders including John Barros, Herby Duverné, Malia Lazu, Colette Phillips, Richard Taylor, and Teri Williams. 'As Black business leaders, we stand firmly with Mayor Wu and Chief Idowu. We urge all leaders — public and private — to remain focused on progress, not division,' they wrote. 'At a time when equity is under attack across the country, we must protect and uplift those doing the work to ensure Boston is a city where everyone can thrive." Advertisement Here's another reason why the political knives are out for Idowu. He's a potential future mayoral candidate himself. City Councilor Ed Flynn, left, has called for a full investigation into a domestic incident involving two City Hall staffers last week. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff So is it any surprise that the first shots came from City Councilor Ed Flynn, who himself harbors Flynn went on I called Flynn to question his motivation, and he said his intentions are pure. He said he's concerned about workplace culture at City Hall and called on the mayor to conduct an independent investigation. 'This incident where two people were recently fired represented a toxic work environment through many city departments,' Flynn said. 'I realize this is very controversial. I do believe I have the obligation to address difficult issues. The last thing on my mind is politics.' On Tuesday morning, the city issued a statement saying that after completing an internal review, that two That means Idowu was cleared of any impropriety. The city's code of conduct does not prohibit employees from dating one another, though employees must ensure their actions do not pose conflicts of interest such as a supervisor being in a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate. Advertisement Idowu and Khudaynazar did not work together. And even if the two were out on a date, how do we know Idowu knew she was in a relationship with Huang? Based on what I know, I don't see an ethics violation here. At most, it is a case of poor judgement on Idowu's part, not a fireable offense. Another thing I know is that salacious details in the police report have imaginations on overdrive, which may be what Wu's political opponents are after. According to the police report, Khudaynazar called 911 after Huang allegedly took her phone and car keys. Huang had confronted Khudaynazar accusing her of cheating on him with his boss and told police 'they booked a hotel room and she came here to rub it in my face.' Chulan Huang, center, was a neighborhood liason for Chinatown until he was fired this week in the wake of a domestic dispute with another City Hall staffer. Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe When cops arrived at 2 a.m. at Huang's apartment, they found Khudaynazar drunk and slurring her words. They also found bite marks all over Huang. Khudaynazar alleges that Huang restrained her wrists so she bit him in self defense. When the cops told Khudaynazar to leave Huang's Chinatown apartment, she refused and hit a police officer. It's an ugly quarrel for two young lovers who, yes, both work at City Hall. But is this a I don't think so. Trust me, no one would be calling for one Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
