In modern football, it’s very rare that a player actually says something interesting in a postmatch interview. Hours of media training and a healthy supply of versatile cliches mean players can usually get through a three-minute interview without really saying anything at all. However, Theo Walcott’s chat after Arsenal’s latest humiliation, a 3-0 embarrassment at Crystal Palace on Monday, was remarkable for its sheer candour. Asked why Crystal Palace had been able to brush a superior team aside, Walcott appeared to admit that Arsenal simply weren’t up for the fight. Taking on a suitably sombre tone, Walcott told the television…
Author: David Folami
A rampant Juventus served Barcelona a cold dish of revenge 22 months after their defeat in the Champions League final in Berlin, outfighting and outrunning Luis Enrique’s side and showing they have one of the most exciting talents in the world in Paulo Dybala. Barca will refuse to believe they are out of the tournament after their miraculous comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the last round but Juve’s experience and power suggests the Old Lady will not be for turning. The “MSN” were starved of space and were frequently snuffed out by Juve’s own special trio at the back, the…
One by one, Barcelona’s players began to wipe their slates clean. Lionel Messi got booked before the international break against Valencia, ensuring he missed the league game against Granada. Gerard Pique was expected to follow the same plan. One Spanish radio station even ran a poll asking listeners to guess when he would pick up a yellow card. He didn’t get booked, though, and he didn’t like the poll, taking to Twitter to criticise the “fun” idea. But the next time Pique played in La Liga he did get booked, forcing him to miss Saturday’s loss at Malaga. Ivan Rakitic…
E! Network has announced that Kylie Jenner will star in and executive produce her own spinoff series titled “The Life of Kylie.” The eight-episode show will make its debut this summer,and will follow Jenner’s life as an entrepreneur, TV star and author. It will also focus on her personal life and relationships, including moments with her close friend, Jordyn Woods. “The last couple years have been such an incredible journey with the support of my fans,” Jenner, who was named one of the most influential teens by TIME Magazine said. “This show will allow me to give them a peek…
Ike Nnaebue is currently working on a new movie project titled, “Loving Danielle.” A star-studded production, the movie is being filmed in Lagos (Nigeria), Las Vegas (USA) and Antigua (Caribbean Island). Featuring International and Nigerian actors, “Loving Daniella” stars Bridget King, Jennifer Outland, Samantha Jones, Barbara Anakwa, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Joseph Benjamin, Theresa Edem, Alex Ekubo, Jide Kosoko, Rachael Oniga, Courtney Michael, Omar Mathurin, Julie Hewlett and Lauvin Phillip. The movie follows Efe and Daniella’s marriage; a unique union that supposedly exhibits the perfect example of “unconditional love.” Daniella is a beautifully alluring young women who has a borderline mental condition…
Efe, who won the 2017 Big Brother Naija reality show, has received a cheque of the 25 million Naira prize money, and a key to a brand new KIA Sorento car. The former housemate received the prize at a press conference which held on April 11, 2017, at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. The press conference was attended by the Big Brother Naija runner-up, Bisola. Former housemates including Bally, Soma, Gifty, TTT, Jon, CocoIce and Bassey were also in attendance. Speaking at the event, Regional Director M-Net/Africa Magic, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, revealed that the recently concluded Big Brother Naija show recorded…
The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Ali Modu Sheriff to stop calling party meetings. The Makarfi faction also told Sheriff to stop parading himself as the party’s chairman. “The National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi has appealed the Judgment of the February 17, 2017 at the Supreme Court and in the eyes of the law, until the Appeal is set aside by the Supreme Court, the National Caretaker Committee remains in charge of the affairs of the PDP,” the faction said via a statement by its spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye. “So, Senator Sheriff…
Comrade Timi Frank says if given the opportunity, he can manage the APC better than the party’s current national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun. In a statement made available to Pulse on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, Frank described as shameful postponement of APC’s mini national convention under Oyegun’s watch. “I have said it in the past that if I am given opportunity I can run APC better than Oyegun,” Frank announced. “Oyegun’s leadership has failed. How can the National Working Committee (NWC) under him fixed a date for national convention when they knew they didn’t have money? Who did they consult before…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed its convention, which was scheduled to hold April 29. The announcement was made by National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, while speaking with journalists at the APC headquarters in Abuja. “Well, the party would hold a caucus meeting on April 24, NEC on April 25 and it is NEC that would decide the date for the convention,” Oyegun said according to Daily Post. The APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet on April 25 to decide on a new date for the convention.
The President of the 8th Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, has vowed to do all within his powers to ensure President Muhammadu Buhari led administration does not fail. In his words: “For some of us, this government cannot be allowed to fail. We left one party with our supporters and embarked on this journey.” Continuing the Senate President said: “We must be able to go back to them and tell them that that journey was worth it. If God forbid this government fails, what will I go back and tell them? It is in my personal political interest to see that…
Gov Willie Obiano of Anambra has inaugurated an airport city project worth over two billio dollars (N800bn) at Ifite-Umueri in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state. Inaugurating the project on Tuesday, Obiano said it was an important step in expanding the frontiers of excellence in the state. He disclosed that the project was a public private partnership investment by the state government, Orient Petroleum Resources Limited and Sinoking Enterprises Investments Ltd. of China. “It would accommodate an airport with two runways, an aviation fuel dump, an airport hotel, an industrial business park, an international convention centre as well…
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to expedite negotiations for the release of the remaining Chibok school girls still in Boko Haram’s captivity. This followed a motion under matter of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Asabe Bashir (Borno-APC). Moving the motion, Bashir said three years after the abduction, 195 abducted school girls were still in captivity while negotiations for their release seemed to be taking too long. She expressed concern that the girls could be subjected to more hardship, slavery, molestation, abuse, rape and forceful marriage in the hands of their abductors. Bashir asked the…
Steven Gerrard is set to take charge of Liverpool under-18s next season, according to multiple reports. The former club captain rejoined the Merseyside outfit as an academy coach in a floating role for various age groups at the beginning of 2017. The Times and Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that the 36-year-old will manage the age group at the start of the 2017-18 campaign. Neil Critchley is the current manager of the U18s and has been in charge since September 2013. Sources at Liverpool have said that no announcement is due on Gerrard’s appointment at the moment. Liverpool do have…
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said the club had been in advanced talks with Philipp Lahm over the vacant sporting director post and were surprised he turned it down. Lahm, 33, retires from playing at the end of the season and was linked with the sporting director post, which has been unoccupied since Matthias Sammer resigned last summer. However, both the 2014 World Cup winner and Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl have ruled themselves out. Rummenigge told dpa: “There has been much speculation around this. “It’s a fact that we were in advanced talks with Philipp Lahm and…
Manchester City are determined to beat Manchester United to the signing of Alexis Sanchez if he leaves Arsenal this summer, sources have said. Cooperativa in Chile has reported that Sanchez wants to leave but remain in England, with City his preferred destination, and a source said that Pep Guardiola’s side are hopeful of success but face strong competition from United. Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are also reportedly interested in the 28-year-old, who will have just one year remaining on his current contract at the end of the season. Another source said that the Chile international is frustrated at the lack…
Barcelona need another Nou Camp miracle if they are to reach the Champions League semifinals after a crushing 3-0 loss to Juventus in Turin. Paulo Dybala struck twice in a stunning first half and Giorgio Chiellini added a third after the break as the hosts claimed a commanding advantage ahead of next week’s second leg. Dismal Barcelona’s only hope is to repeat their feat of the previous round, when they recovered from a 4-0 first-leg loss to Paris Saint-Germain by beating the French side 6-1 at home. But on the evidence of Tuesday night a second comeback looks highly unlikely…
Luis Enrique said he was “100 percent responsible” after Barcelona suffered another damaging away defeat in the Champions League, this time at the hands of Juventus. Barca lost 4-0 at Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, only to win the return leg 6-1 and go through 6-5 on aggregate — the first time such a first-leg deficit had ever been overturned in the European Cup. They will now need another miracle back at Camp Nou, although Juve are likely to prove a sterner test than PSG when they take a 3-0 lead to Spain next week. “It was a…
Barcelona will be without Neymar for this month’s Clasico against Real Madrid after he was banned for three matches by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Neymar was sent off for picking up two yellow cards as Barca were beaten at Malaga on Saturday, becoming their first player to be dismissed in La Liga since October 2015. The dismissal was Neymar’s first in his four seasons with the club. His first booking was for obstructing the taking of a free-kick by tying his laces and the second was for a late challenge on Roberto Rosales. That carries a one-match ban…
Bayern Munich host Real Madrid in Wednesday’s blockbuster Champions League quarter-final first leg. Here are five key battles to look out for in the Allianz Arena clash: Robert Lewandowski v Cristiano Ronaldo Lewandowski netted twice in Bayern’s 4-1 thrashing of Borussia Dortmund to take his goals tally for the season to 38, but he gave his side a scare when he came off clutching his shoulder in the second half. The Polish striker is expected to be fit though and Real fans know all about Lewandowski, who scored all four goals for ex-club Dortmund in their 4-1 win in the…
Atletico Madrid have grown accustomed to slaying Europe’s giants in the Champions League under Diego Simeone, but ending Leicester City’s run may prove even tougher than ousting Barcelona or Bayern Munich, according to Filipe Luis. “We’re not favourites. We don’t believe that,” said the Brazilian left-back on Monday despite the vast gulf in Champions League experience between the sides. Atletico are in their fourth straight quarter-final and missed out by the narrowest of margins in two final defeats to cross-city rivals Real Madrid in the past three years. However, the Spanish side are all too aware of what Leicester are…