Luis Suarez is 30 today, but can the former Liverpool and current Barcelona striker now be considered the best No. 9 in the game? We asked our Liverpool and Barcelona correspondents for their thoughts. Luis Suarez’s £65 million arrival at Barcelona was full of doubts. After biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, there were plenty of questions over whether he would be able to control his behaviour at Camp Nou. How would his bad boy image on the pitch be perceived at a club whose star players in recent years — Xavi Hernandez, Andres…
Author: David Folami
Nobody has scored more goals than Wayne Rooney in Manchester United history — so should he get a statue outside Old Trafford? Rooney surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton’s record when he made it 250 for United with a strike against Stoke last Saturday. After joining in 2004, he has gone on to win the Premier League five times as well as the Champions League in a glittering 13-year career. With the Holy Trinity of George Best, Denis Law and Charlton outside Old Trafford, as well as statues for Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson, there have been calls for Rooney…
Chelsea striker Diego Costa is “perfect” for the Premier League leaders, according to teammate Pedro. A row with manager Antonio Conte and his staff, as well as speculation over a move to the Chinese Super League, had little impact on Costa in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Hull. The 28-year-old striker scored his 52nd Chelsea goal on his 100th appearance and celebrated by gesturing about the speculation surrounding his future missing the win at Leicester due to a back injury. Former Barcelona forward Pedro said: “He is perfect for this team. I have played with important people, important players like [Zlatan]…
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted to having a long talk with his squad following the Reds’ 3-2 loss to Swansea on Saturday. The Swans, who sat bottom of the Premier League at kickoff, became the first club since Manchester United last year to beat Liverpool at Anfield, riding a pair of Fernando Llorente goals and another strike from Gylfi Sigurdsson to maximum points. And the German manager said he discussed a perceived lack of enthusiasm with his team during the reunion. “We had a very intense period around Christmas and new year,” the Liverpool manager told The Guardian. “Fair enough,…
Liverpool’s interim under-23s manager Mike Garrity considers the club’s academy to be an attractive proposition at the moment following Steven Gerrard’s appointment as a coach and the first-team opportunities currently on offer. It was announced on Friday that Gerrard will return to his boyhood club in a coaching capacity, starting his full-time position at the club’s Kirkby academy in February. Meanwhile, manager Jurgen Klopp has given 19 players debuts during his tenure at Anfield — 12 of which have been to players under the age of 23 and who were already at the club when he took over. Harry Wilson…
Wayne Rooney has “shut people up over the years” on the way to becoming Manchester United’s all-time record goal scorer, captain Michael Carrick has said. Rooney reached 250 career goals for United, surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s total of 249, when he curled home a late free-kick in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stoke City on Saturday. Carrick told BBC Radio 5 Live: “To play at the level he has done for so long — not just for his club but for his country as well — you can’t underestimate how tough it is to play so many games and have that…
Recently, Kayode Salako, husband to popular Nigerian actress Foluke Daramola–Salako said he cannot stop talking to other women just because he is married and that people should stop trying to put a strain on his marriage by texting his wife whenever he is spotted out with another lady. His wife has now come out to defend her husband’s statement saying critics should leave her marriage alone. In an interview with Tribune, Foluke Daramola-Salako said: ‘I want people to mind their business concerning my marriage. It’s over flogged already, everything about me is my marriage, my marriage, marriage! The pressure that…
But for an Alexis Sanchez penalty, eight minutes into stoppage time, to give Arsenal a 2-1 win against Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Chelsea may well have started planning for their Premier League title parade in SW6. Until Sanchez denied Burnley a dramatic late point with his contentious spot-kick, it had been the perfect weekend for the Stamford Bridge side. Before Antonio Conte’s players had even kicked a ball, Liverpool had suffered their first home defeat in 12 months, 3-2 against bottom club Swansea City; Manchester United were forced to rely on a stoppage time — and record-breaking…
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has condemned Senator Buruji Kashamu for speaking against his emergence as the leader of the PDP Governors’ Forum. Kashamu, on Sunday, January 22, described Fayose as a “liability, a loud mouth and an immature politician” via a statement. Fayose gave his response to the comment on Sunday while appearing on Channels TV. “Kashamu is just a Senator, when he comes up and becomes a Governor, he will learn how to talk like a Governor,” Fayose said. Fayose also said during the interview that the Chibok girls’ abduction was faked to prevent the re-election of former…
Senator Buruji Kashamu has said that Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose is not fit to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum. Fayose was appointed Chairman of the PDP governors’ forum on Thursday, January 19, 2017. Kashamu, in a statement released on Sunday, January 22, described Fayose as a “liability, a loud mouth and an immature politician.” The statement reads: “It was a misnomer that the governors of an opposition party that is in need of rebranding and repositioning could chose a liability, a loud mouth and an immature politician like Fayose as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’…
The Dutse Education Forum in Jigawa said it had trained no fewer than 3,000 youths on various income-generation trades in the area. Its Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Muhammad, said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday. Muhammad said the beneficiaries of the scheme were drawn from Dutse, Basirka, Shuwarin and Gantsa Districts, under the emirate council. He explained that the beneficiaries were trained in shoemaking, knitting, carpentry, automobile mechanics, electrical installations, plumbing and building. The chairman said the gesture was to reduce the level of unemployment and restiveness among youths in the area.…
President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted the Nigerian media for performing its duties diligently. The President, who made his position known on his Twitter handle, @MBuhari, on Sunday in London, said he was always in touch with news from home. President Buhari, whose picture was also posted in the tweet, specifically named Channels TV as one of his favorite Television stations. He said: “Wherever I am, I keep up with news from home. Channels TV is one of my favorites. I’m proud of what the Nigerian media are achieving.’’ The post has, therefore, dispelled the insinuation about the President’s health conditions.…
Big Brother Nigeria has kicked off, and there are expectations. Theinfostride have put together five things to expect from the show which kicked off on Sunday, January 22, 2017. Here we go; Drama A surface look at the Big Brother Naija housemates who were introduced on Sunday, January 22, 2017, it was obvious that the judges selected contestants whose escapades will appal and entertain viewers in appropriate measure during the 78 days. While some of the contestants are in the house to ‘sell their market,’ some others for the drama and exposure, some others are in it for the prize…
Organizers of the Africa Movies Academy Awards 2017 (AMAA) have extended the submission date for entries from filmmakers to January 25, 2017. AMAA had previously called on interested filmmakers to submit their films for over thirty categories for the upcoming awards ceremony. Nominees of the 2017 AMMA are to be revealed on April 15, 2017. The 13th edition of awards ceremony will hold on June 3, 2017. The city/venue of where it will be held is yet to be revealed. The 2016 edition held in the Rivers state capital, Port Harcourt while the 2015 edition held in South Africa. Winners…
Dammy Krane and Davido team up once again for this new video. Titled ‘Ladies’, Davido and Dammy Krane walk through a club, where they enjoy a high-octane party with the usual number of women and booze. This is Dammy Krane’s first release in many months after he signed a deal with Davido’s record label in 2016. The duo have a long history of working together, and have found measured success in ‘In Case of incasity’, ‘Izzue’ and ‘Gbetiti’. ‘Ladies’ is produced by Scarface, the video was shot by HD Genesis in Atlanta.
Former referees Keith Hackett and Graham Poll are calling for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to get a lengthy ban for pushing the fourth official after he was sent to the stands during Sunday’s dramatic 2-1 win over Burnley. Wenger appeared to push Anthony Taylor twice after the fourth official told the Frenchman to leave the tunnel, where he had stopped to watch Burnley’s Andre Gray take an injury-time penalty. Wenger had been sent off for protesting that decision by referee Jon Moss, even though Francis Coquelin had clearly fouled Ashley Barnes in the box. He apologised after the game but…
Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal says he “feels bad” and “must take a break” if he is to have any chance of playing in the Champions League against Arsenal next month. Vidal, 29, initially suffered a rib injury during Bayern’s 2017 Telekom Cup success during their winter break on Jan. 14. But the Chile international was passed fit to play in the Bundesliga champions’ first competitive game of 2017 against Freiburg on Friday, despite missing most of last week’s training due to injury. Vidal, however, aggravated his rib problem in Bayern’s 2-1 win and was replaced by Germany international Joshua…
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said it would be difficult to make changes to his side despite recent dropped points due to the quality of the players’ performances. United’s nine-game winning run in all competitions ended when they drew 1-1 against Liverpool at Old Trafford and that was followed by another 1-1 draw, away against Stoke City, on Saturday. Anthony Martial, last season’s top scorer, was not selected in the matchday squad at Stoke. Mourinho told reporters: “Sometimes we are playing so well and creating chances — it is not easy to make changes. “It is easy to make…
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has said that all those found culpable in the killing of innocent people in the recent crisis in Southern Kaduna will be prosecuted. He described the incident as unfortunate and condemnable. He said this when the Council of Traditional Chiefs and Emirs, led by Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, paid him a solidarity visit. “This is not something to talk about because I am not the first governor to receive this kind of treatment, every governor in the last 15 years in this state has been treated this way and it is part…
Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State on Sunday enjoined teachers, parents and community leaders to inculcate good morals and discipline in children. Masari gave the task at the graduation ceremony of 82 Islamiyya students that have successfully memorised the Holy Qur’an held at Madarasatul Hidayatul Islam Wa Tahfizul Qur’an in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state. The governor was represented by the Chairman, Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission (KATSIEC), Alhaji Ibrahim Bako. Masari emphasised the significance of both modern education and religious knowledge in the overall development of children in the society. The governor also called for the establishment…