Brazil legend Zico has criticised Neymar’s captaincy of the country’s Olympic side, and says he fears further embarrassment for the nation with another group exit looming. Brazil went into this summer’s Olympic football tournament as huge favourites, with Barcelona star Neymar just one of a number of top talents who were widely expected to take the gold medal, especially with most other countries not sending stars as their allotted three over-age players. (Olympic soccer players must be 23 and younger.) However, Rogerio Micale’s side have drawn both their opening group games 0-0, the first against 10-man South Africa and the…
Author: David Folami
Paul Pogba is eyeing a glory-laden future after opting to make a world-record return to Manchester United despite strong interest from Real Madrid. Months of speculation, negotiations and deliberation bore fruit in the early hours of Tuesday morning as the open secret of the 23-year-old’s United return was made official. Four years on from departing Old Trafford without making a first-team start, Pogba signed a five-year contract with the option of a sixth season after United agreed to pay an eye-watering €105 million (£89 million). Juventus revealed the deal could increase by a further €5m (£4.25m) depending on targets being…
Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was convinced to join the club in part thanks to former Sweden teammate Jonas Olsson, according to the West Bromwich Albion defender. Olsson felt that Ibrahimovic could emulate Eric Cantona at Old Trafford with his strong personality, so he encouraged the forward to make the move on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. Ibrahimovic, 34, has already made an impact at United, scoring on his debut against Galatasaray then netting the winning goal in the 2-1 Community Shield victory over Leicester City last Sunday. Olson told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet: “Zlatan thought twice before he signed…
Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic has praised Paul Pogba following his former club mate’s world record transfer to Manchester United. Pogba’s return to his old club United was confirmed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with the French international costing a fee of £89 million, according to British media reports. “Paul did very well here,” Pjanic told Sky Sport Italia, “leaving beautiful memories for the club, the fans and his teammates. “Sometimes there comes a point when a player feels like they need a change of scene. We wish him good luck.” Midfielder Pogba won four Serie A titles and…
Uli Hoeness is poised to return as Bayern Munich president after the German champions said he had decided to stand for election following his release from prison in February after serving a sentence for tax evasion. The 64-year-old Hoeness, who lifted the World Cup with West Germany in 1974, won three German titles and a hat-trick of European Cups with Bayern during his playing career before becoming the Bundesliga giants’ general director. Hoeness was credited with building Bayern into a global brand and was appointed club president in 2009 until being convicted of tax evasion in March 2014. He served…
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique believes his current squad is the strongest he has ever had and he is very confident of retaining the La Liga and King’s Cup titles. The Spanish champions have recruited Andre Gomes, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Digne and Denis Suarez since the end of last season while Marc Bartra, Thomas Vermaelen, Adriano Correia and Sandro Ramirez have departed. “On paper, this is the best squad that I have had in my three years at Barca,” Luis Enrique told the club’s website. “We have a squad that has been strengthened brilliantly. “All the new players have settled in…
Soccer agent Mino Raiola, who brokered the deal that saw Paul Pogba return to Manchester United for a world-record fee on Tuesday, may be loved by the players he represents, but he is not exactly held in high esteem by the clubs who employ them. “I distrusted him from the moment I met him,” former United manager Alex Ferguson said of Raiola after he struck a deal to move Pogba to Juventus in 2012. “There are one or two football agents I simply do not like – and Mino Raiola is one of them.” Raiola fired back: “I put Pogba’s…
Luis Hernandez believes Leicester City’s performance in last Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester United proves that, despite the result, the reigning champions will again be a match for the Premier League’s biggest sides this season. The summer signing from Sporting Gijon has urged his teammates to take encouragement from their 2-1 defeat in Sunday’s traditional English football season opener at Wembley and to use their near miss as motivation in their Premier League opener against Hull City on Saturday. ”It is important that we have the hurt in the next game next Saturday,” the 27-year-old told LCFC TV on Tuesday.…
Nigeria have appointed Gernot Rohr as their new head coach, the country’s football federation confirmed on Tuesday. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) stated that the German has signed a “two-year contract to work as technical adviser (head coach) of the Super Eagles.” “BREAKING: Mr. Gernot Rohr signs two-year contract to work with the NFF as Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles,” the NFF announced via its Twitter account. Rohr has described his new job as “a big challenge.” “I am enthusiastic to get to work. This is a big challenge because Nigeria has big players everywhere and has the ability…
Manager Claudio Ranieri has signed a new contract with Leicester City that would keep him at the club until June 2020, the Premier League champions announced on Wednesday. Appointed in July, 2015, the 64-year-old Italian helped the club defy pre-season odds of 5000/1 to win the league, the first top-flight title in Leicester’s 132-year history. “Claudio’s qualities, both as a man and as a coach, have been very clear since the moment he arrived – qualities that have helped Leicester City to progress on every level,” club vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said in a statement. Key players including goalkeeper Kasper…
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has not ruled out making further signings this summer, but believes his team is already strong enough to contend for every title in the 2016-17 season. The Spanish giants have been quiet in the transfer market, with the club re-signing Spanish striker Alvaro Morata from Juventus while selling Jese Rodriguez and Denis Cheryshev to Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal. Perez, whose side beat Sevilla 3-2 in extra-time on Tuesday to lift its third Uefa Super Cup, said on the club’s official website: “Up until 31 August anything can happen, but we’re really satisfied with the players…
With Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Manchester threatens to become the centre of the footballing universe during the new Premier League season. The cultured Catalan and provocative Portuguese contested a bitter rivalry during their time in Spain and with 44 top-level trophies between them, they are the biggest managers in the game. Now charged with the responsibility of hauling the two Manchester clubs back to the top of the table, the outcome of their personal duel could determine who succeeds Leicester City as champions. “It’s United or City. You can’t look past those two…
The whole world may be waiting to watch Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin renew their rivalry in the Olympic 100 metre final, but Michael Johnson says it is barely a contest. Gatlin is seen as the main obstacle between Bolt and a historic ‘triple triple’ of sprint gold medals at Rio 2016, the American having signalled his intent by running the fastest time of the year in July. His 9.80 seconds at the US Olympic trials in Eugene showed Gatlin – who has served two doping bans in his career – is ready to pressurise Bolt, the Jamaican having only…
Usain Bolt has set his sights on becoming the first person to run the 200 metres in less than 19 seconds. The Jamaican sprint superstar holds the world record in the event (19.19secs, set in 2009) and is defending the title at the Rio Olympics. Despite a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the Games, the 29-year-old wants to smash the mark he set in Berlin. “I’ve always wanted to run a sub-19,” Bolt said on Monday. Of the customary hysteria that has greeted his presence in Brazil added: “To me it’s always great when you come to a country…
Extended Play – Love Vs Money Artiste – Emma Nyra Guests – Cynthia Morgan, Victoria Kimani, Fiokee, Banky W, Patoranking, Dammy Krane, Producers – Princeton, Fliptyce, DJ Coublon, Giggz, Dospeaks Record Label – Nyra Nation, Nyra Empire, Krystal O. Diamond (2016) Duration – 32 Minutes It’s the mark of greatness for people to rise up after they fall. Emma Nyra had the most ignominious of exits when she was kicked off her comfort zone at Made Men Music Group. Her entrance and survival in the house had always been linked to the whims and emotions of the label boss –…
Seyi Shay’s ‘Airbrush’ throws the spotlight on the reality that exists behind the seemingly ‘perfect’ appearances people put up. The gifted vocalist takes it from an angle of a strained relationship between a certain couple as the visuals of the song shows. Like we’ve never seen before from her, she shows a deep emotional side of hers in her latest music, something that may have come from a personal place and experience of hers. The ‘Irawo’ singer goes “…You can’t airbrush reality”, addressing the fake show people sometimes put up to make others believe everything is rosy when it actually…
Album – Gold Artiste – Adekunle Gold Producers – Seyikeyz, Oscar, Pheelz, B Banks, Sleekamo, Masterkraft Record Label – YBNL (2016) Duration: 55 Minutes When the year rounds off in style, and the best albums for 2016 are collated and celebrated, Adekunle Gold’s “Gold” album has to be a part of the party, that’s if it doesn’t lead the credits. Coming from a humble stead, recognition has been both organic and viral for the YBNL lover boy, who is fast shedding that to become a ‘good’ and relatable’ guy who speaks for more than just his heart, but for the…
Resident doctors in University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) say the they are still on strike because the management of the hospital has yet to comply with agreement to pay doctors’ entitlements. The National Association of Resident Doctors, UUTH chapter, alleged that the hospital management did not comply with directives of the Federal Ministry of Health and National Salaries and Wages Commission to pay them their full salaries. The president of the association’s chapter Dr Christian Adeneye, told newsmen in Uyo on Sunday that the association was not happy with the management on the development. The association also accused the…
At least, 41 children are reportedly disease that has thrown a new challenge the World Health Organization, FCT public health department and the FCT Primary Health Care Development Board. According to a report by Daily Trust, several children in Abuja have been affected by the unknown disease. It was further reported that the epidemic has seen the Health authorities in Abuja declaring a public health emergency in the settlement of Angwan Hausawa, a slum neighbourhood of Abuja Municipal Area Council. The report further revealed that nine children had died of the yet undiagnosed disease while at least 32 others in…
Sen. Shehu Sani has called for massive investments in the health sector to block the annual $1.5 billion capital flight for medical tourism by political elites. Sani made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after he inspected facilities at the National Ear Care Centre (NECC) on Monday in Kaduna. “Medical tourism by the political class has destroyed our public health system. Our elites spend more than $1.5 billion annually seeking medical attention abroad. “Nigerian elites are the ones sustaining hospitals in Germany, India, Egypt and Dubai, among others, due to the state of…