Antonio Conte has revealed that he struggles to sleep after watching his teams lose and says he wants Chelsea to follow the example of Leicester’s team spirit to become challengers for the Premier League title. Chelsea begin their campaign at home to West Ham on Monday, with Conte hoping to revive the club’s fortunes after the most disappointing season of the Roman Abramovich era and return them to title contention. The 47-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer with a reputation as a fierce competitor and serial winner, having claimed three consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus before leading a…
Author: David Folami
Neymar scored from a long free kick and Brazil reached the men’s soccer semifinals at the Olympics with a testy 2-0 win over Colombia on Saturday. With the host nation under extreme pressure to deliver a first Olympic men’s gold in its most popular sport, Brazil’s biggest star came through with a free kick that found a way through the Colombia wall in the 12th minute. “Neymar is experienced and he did well controlling the game,” said Luan, who scored Brazil’s late second goal. “But the whole team deserves credit for being able to keep it together and get the…
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has told the Daily Mirror he believes the club’s world record £89.3 signing of Paul Pogba could “be looked upon as cheap” in years to come. Pogba arrived from Juventus earlier this summer, returning to the club he left in 2012, and Neville believes it will be another two or three years before the France midfielder reaches his peak. Managers including Arsene Wenger of Arsenal and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp have voiced concerns over the size of the fee. But Neville said: “Manchester United have always broken transfer records for players who are of a…
Wayne Rooney said that he has “nothing to prove” after scoring in Manchester United’s 3-1 win away at Bournemouth on Sunday. Rooney’s place in the side has been a subject of debate and he made amends for missing a close-range chance by heading United’s second goal. “I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone,” Rooney told Sky Sports: “I’ve played this game a long time. I believe in my ability. If I play the way I played today, I’ll score goals.” Rooney is in positive mood after a summer in which United have spent big in the transfer market, with Paul…
Zlatan Ibrahomovic scored on his Premier League debut as Jose Mourinho’s tenure got off to a fine start with a 3-1 win away at Bournemouth. Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney also got on the scoresheet as Mourinho’s team had far too much power. The first half was a disappointing affair with very few clear openings. United’s first real chance came just before the half hour when Mata shifted the ball to Rooney, but the striker’s effort was low and straight at Artur Boruc in the Bournemouth goal. Harry Arter then fired over from 35 yards in a show of frustration…
Bayern Munich’s attacking midfielder Arjen Robben, who injured himself in July during pre-season, resumed physical training on Saturday, a day before the Bundesliga side face Borussia Dortmund in the German Supercup. The Dutchman has had recurring injuries to his hamstrings throughout his career and hasn’t featured for Bayern in a competitive match since March. Nursing an injury to his right hamstring, Robben will not be fit in time to face Dortmund on Sunday or for the start of the Bundesliga season against Werder Bremen on August 26.
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer says he is baffled as to why Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has demoted World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger and banished him from United’s senior squad. “I can’t understand it. Bastian is a super player and an important figure with a lot of experience, who is very important for the team,” Bayern Munich’s goalkeeper Neuer told German daily Die Welt on Sunday. “Therefore I can’t comprehend the decision at all.” The 32-year-old Schweinsteiger joined United a year ago from Bayern Munich after being signed by ex-United boss Louis van Gaal. But 12 months on and after…
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino believes his players might take a little longer to completely recover from their international exertions after they salvaged a 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday. Pochettino was happy with the second-half comeback that earned his side a point in their opening match of the Premier League season, yet a flat first-half display led to some tough talk from the Argentine at half-time in the visiting dressing room. And Pochettino believes the lack of energy before the interval might well have been down to his players shaking off the effects of international duty during the close-season.…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the door was not closed for club stalwarts like Joe Hart and Yaya Toure despite dropping them for his first Premier League game. Guardiola picked Willy Caballero in goal for Saturday’s narrow 2-1 win over Sunderland instead of Hart, whose future at the club is in doubt, while Toure did not even make the match-day squad. France internationals Eliaquim Mangala and Samir Nasri, meanwhile, were omitted from the squad for City’s Champions League play-off match at Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday, the latter over concerns about his weight. But Guardiola said: “I don’t have any…
Claudio Ranieri admitted his Leicester City side were suffering from nerves after they began their Premier League title defence with a surprise 2-1 defeat at managerless Hull City. Ranieri’s team suffered only three league defeats all season on the way to winning the title for the first time in their history last May as they finished 10 points clear of runners-up Arsenal. But they looked disjointed and anxious as they were beaten at the KCOM Stadium on Saturday by Hull, a team with only 13 fit senior players and in turmoil off the pitch. The Tigers’ supporters protested before and…
Manchester United made a brilliant start to the Jose Mourinho era as goals from Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sealed a 3-1 win in their Premier League opener at Bournemouth on Sunday. Mourinho is desperate to restore his tarnished reputation after being sacked by Chelsea last season and the United manager enjoyed an encouraging return to the touchline in his first league match since a December defeat at Leicester City triggered his exit from Stamford Bridge. In the absence of Paul Pogba, their world record signing, United eased to victory after Mata punished a horrible mistake by Bournemouth…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola dropped goalkeeper Joe Hart in favour of Willy Caballero for his opening Premier League game against Sunderland on Saturday. Guardiola has been linked with German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who plays for his former club Barcelona, and cast doubt on Hart’s future during a press conference on Friday. “Joe is a player I’m so happy about his qualities, his behaviour, what he means to this club,” Guardiola said. “After, we are going to decide inside the doors. Now, he is a player of us.” Hart, 29, has been City’s first-choice goalkeeper for the past six…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of stealing Nigeria dry. The Delta APC made the comments after state PDP Chairman, Kingsley Esiso said the ruling party brought negative change to Nigeria. Esiso also said that the PDP would overthrow the APC during the 2019 general elections. The Delta APC’s comments were contained in a statement released by Chairman, Jones Erue. The statement reads: If President Goodluck Jonathan was still in power, fathers would have been selling their children for them to get their daily bread. What Esiso should be doing is…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is clueless on how to handle Nigeria’s economy. The PDP made the comment via a statement released by new media spokesman, Deji Adeyanju on Thursday, August 11, 2016. The statement reads: “The facts stated this morning by Professor Osinbajo are confirmation of the negative effects of the failed & incoherent policies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration since inception. “For the avoidance of doubt, we will repeat some of them. Foreign Investment fell by 56% from $395m in Q1 2015 to $175m in Q1 2016. Foreign Investment in the Stock…
Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, has appealed to the national leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to do away with personal interests for the sake of peace. Dankwambo, who spoke in Abuja on Friday, August 12, at the North-East Zonal Caucus meeting of the party, now is the best time to make sacrifices for the party. He said: “In the past, so many things had remained issues of great concern. Now is the time to make sacrifice for all of us on old or new things that come our way, as a duty to the party. “Everybody is weeping…
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun-Adigie, has said that the party had no idea the economy was completely depleted before it took over power. Oyegun, however, said the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari was a blessing from God. He stated this on Friday, August 12, at a surprise 77th birthday party held for him by staff of the APC national secretariat in Abuja. Oyegun said: “It has been tough times for the nation. When we were campaigning and it is necessary to continue to hammer on this part, we were not in government. “We knew things…
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on economic matters, Ayodele Adu, is reportedly dead. Details were still sketchy as at press time, but Adu was said to have passed today, August 12. The Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi confirmed the incident with a condolence message released by his special assistant on media, Olayinka Oyebode. Fayemi, who expressed shock and sadness, described Adu’s death as a personal loss to him and a major loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “He was a distinguished Nigerian, an honourable…
President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration’s commitment to improve the quality of life and create opportunities for Nigerian youths. In his message on Friday, August 12, to mark the 2016 International Youth Day, Buhari said he will not forget the roles played by the Nigerian youths in his election as President. “Those young people are immensely energetic and talented, consistently blazing the trail in the arts, sports, business and technology,” he said. “We are proud of what you have done and what you are able to do.’’ According to the president, his administration belongs to the Nigerian youths. He…
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has described the late former Minister of transport, Mr Ojo Maduekwe, as a polished man and an embodiment of humility. Amaechi said this at the night of tributes organised by the ministry of transportation and the family of the late former minister in Abuja. He stressed that Maduekwe, when he served as the minister of transport brought his intellect to bear on solving pressing problems of national development. According to him, Maduekwe has transited from our mortal environment and his soul has returned to his maker. “To sum up what the late hero…
Ex-Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has written an article comparing ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with the current dispensation. The spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation claims unemployment has soared in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration while banks and manufacturing companies keep retrenching staff as a result of hardship in the country. Read his full article here. “Their HATE for President Goodluck Jonathan justifies the suffering in the land. Recession matters not. Hunger matters not. Loss of jobs matter not. Polio matters not. Making a mess of the naira matters not. Fulani Herdsmen matter not. High cost of foodstuffs matter not.…