Football
Super Eagles boss speaks on new players for AFCON qualifiers
Gernot Rohr has made his reservations known about calling up new players for next month’s AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho. The Eagles will make the short trip to Benin on March 22 and then welcome Lesotho to Lagos on March 30 to conclude the qualifying campaign for the 2021 AFCON. They need at least a point from the two matches to advance to the final tournament in Cameroon next year. Rohr has already announced that he will announce his squad for the games by the end of the month, but he was cautious about calling up uncapped players because the time between the matches is too short to see these players in action. “The time between the two games is too short to really look at new players,” he commented. Rohr has hinted on calling up the likes of Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniy...
Big Sam explains why West Brom abandoned Ahmed Musa deal
West Brom manager Sam Allardyce has revealed the reason behind the Baggies decision not to offer Ahmed Musa a contract at the end of his trials with the club. Allardyce insists West Brom weren’t in a position to sign Musa on a short-term deal after the loan captures of Mbaye Diagne, Okay Yokuslu and Ainsley Maitland-Niles towards the end of the January transfer window. The 28-year-old has been without a club since leaving Saudi side Al-Nassr in October of last year but has previous Premier League experience having joined Leicester City in the summer after they were crowned champions in 2016. “We’d already brought four players in, so it didn’t fall within our budget anymore,” Allardyce was quoted by Birmingham Live. “More players would have had to have left to have funded that one. It’s a s...
Manchester United boss backs one-leg Europa League ties after venue change for Sociedad clash
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has called for the Europa League knockout rounds to be played over one leg after Manchester United’s away game at Real Sociedad was moved to Turin. The first of United’s two-legged tie against the Liga side has been moved to Italy due to current travel restrictions imposed by the Spanish government over Covid-19, preventing the team from flying in for the game without the need for quarantine. Real Sociedad’s director of football Roberto Olabe hit out at UEFA over the ruling which saw the Spanish side have to find an alternative venue for next week’s game, claiming Manchester United had an unfair advantage – and Solskjaer agreed, adding that he would have backed it being a one-legged occasion. Solskjaer said: “With Europe, we hope it’s going to be sustainable. Different...
AC Milan ready to pay €30 million for Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz
AC Milan are willing to pay as much as €30 million (£26m/$36m) to land Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz, with the 21-year-old having made a positive impact during his loan spell with the Serie A side. Goal can reveal that Milan bosses are keen to make the loan move permanent and, although they do not have a purchase option, they are keen to discuss a transfer with Madrid. While Brahim has always wanted to succeed at the Bernabeu, Madrid will now weigh up whether to keep him beyond the end of the 2020-21 campaign or sell for what would be a significant amount amid the coronavirus crisis. Following his loan switch to Milan in September 2020, Brahim immediately took to life in Italy and has become an important member of Stefano Pioli’s first-team squad. He has made 25 appearances in all compet...
Super Eagles boss wants Ahmed Musa to sort out his career before Afcon qualifiers
Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr hopes to see his captain Ahmed Musa back to action ahead of their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March. The three-time African champions will take on the Republic of Benin and Lesotho in their last Afcon qualifying games next month. Musa has been without a club since October when he left Saudi Arabian side Al Nass by mutual agreement. The forward starred for Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow before moving to England to team up with Leicester City. The Super Eagles winger struggled to establish himself at the King Power Stadium and in an effort to enjoy more playing time, he left for Saudi in 2018. The forward is now looking to returning to Europe and has been heavily linked to Premier League club West Bromwich Albion. Rohr is hopeful ...
Thiago Silva reveals ‘nice surprise’ from Frank Lampard after Chelsea move
Thiago Silva says a “nice surprise” from Frank Lampard immediately assured him he made the right choice when joining Chelsea over the summer. The Brazil defender moved to the Premier League shortly before his 36th birthday, bringing to an end his eight-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain. Silva says he had no doubts about his decision to head to Stamford Bridge, but appreciated a gesture he received from his new manager as he prepared for the move. What did Lampard send Thiago Silva? “As soon as I said yes, he sent me a picture of us both shaking hands as national team captains in 2013,” Silva told FourFourTwo. “It was a nice surprise. He understood exactly what I needed at this stage of my career, probably because he had made a similar move when he was also 36, from Chelsea to Manchester Ci...
Ex-Golden Eaglets star joins South African side Stellenbosch FC
Former Nigeria’s Under-17 star, Ibraheem Jabaar, has pitched tents with a South African club, Stellenbosch FC. Jabaar, a member of the Golden Eaglets squad that made it to the quarter-finals stage of the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup, is an exciting addition in attack to Steve Barker’s team. ✍️✅🛅 Deal Sealed. The club is excited to announce the signing of this young Nigerian International who puts pen to paper with #Sfc 🍇 🤝 🇳🇬 Welcome Ibraheem Jabaar (18 y/o)👏 Jabaar is…#ProudlyStellenbosch#StellenboschFC pic.twitter.com/g0Vf7y05nx — Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) February 9, 2021 The 18-year-old talent joined the South African side from Ijebu United on a long-term contract. Confirming the signing of the Nigerian midfielder ...
Power to the People: Amanda Gorman Honored Pandemic Heroes During Super Bowl LIV
Source: Rob Carr / Getty Super Bowl LIV‘s performers are being championed for “setting the tone” of the highly anticipated showdown and among those who graced the stage, was 22-year old Amanda Gorman. On Sunday (Feb 7), the world watched the battle of the titans go down as the Tampa Bay Buccanneers faced off against the seemingly unstoppable Kansas City Cheifs but it was the artistry of the performers that stole the show, including Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman, who once again made history as the first person to ever perform an original poem during the game, chose to share her spotlight with the hard workers on the frontline of the pandemic. “Poetry at the Super Bowl is a feat for art and our country because it means we’re thinking imaginatively about human connection even when we feel silo...
Liverpool fullback: I haven’t been good enough this season
Liverpool fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold admits his performances haven’t been up to standard this season. Alexander-Arnold has claimed there is no excuses for his below-par showings and has claimed he is committed to rediscovering his best form. In an interview with Sky Sports, he was asked if he was playing at the top level this season: “Me? No. “There’s been times this season I felt like I’ve been playing quite well. Recently I’ve been trying to get back into that rhythm I was talking about earlier from a personal point of view. “It’s been a tough reason in that respect in just trying to find that rhythm and get back into it and just letting things happen naturally. It’s been quite difficult. “But again there’s no excuses. I want to try to make things happen for the team and perform as ...
Leeds United coach: ‘No formula’ to stop Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa said Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is a player they must stop in Monday’s Premier League fixture, but there is “no formula” for them to neutralise him. Eze was a thorn in the flesh for the Whites when the teams battled at Selhurst Park back in November as he opened his Premier League goal account and provided an assist in their emphatic 4-1 win. The 22-year-old’s stunning free-kick won Crystal Palace’s Goal of the Month for November but narrowly missed out on the Premier League award to Super Eagles defender Ola Aina. Aside from the Nigerian playmaker, Bielsa is also wary of Wilfried Zaha’s threat, though the Ivorian forward won’t be available for the game due to a hamstring injury. “I’m trying to find an answer that would be worth it,” Bielsa was quo...
Odion Ighalo: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave me the chance to live my dream
Nigeria’s Odion Jude Ighalo will forever be grateful to Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for supporting him to live his dream with the Old Trafford squad. Speaking for the first time after he moved from Saudi Arabian side, Al-Shabab, Ighalo expressed his love and admiration to the coach who believed in him and gave him the chance to live his childhood dream of playing for the Red Devils in any capacity. “Every player wants to play, but I always respect my coach. I’m a hard worker in training and match situations, It’s painful though, but the decision is not yours,” Ighalo informed 88.9 sports radion. “No player wants to be on the bench, particularly when you know you are fit or even better than those selected ahead of you. “But, I respect Ole. He gave me the chance to live m...
Paul Pogba limps off injured in Manchester United’s clash vs Everton
Manchester United have been dealt a blow as Paul Pogba limped off injured after 39 minutes of the Premier League clash with Everton. The France international has been in excellent form in recent weeks, but he looks set for a spell on the sidelines. He was on the ball and played a simple pass towards Victor Lindelof, only to immediately pull up in discomfort. He pointed to his right thigh as he received treatment before being replaced by Fred and limping down the Old Trafford tunnel. Midfield is one area of strength for Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the likes of Fred, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Nemamja Matic and Donny van de Beek ensuring there are ample options to choose from. However, in what is a congested season any absence will be keenly felt. Following the clash wi...
