Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger should consider retiring from international football, according to his former teammate Michael Ballack in a column for Germany’s Express. Schweinsteiger and Ballack played together for both Bayern Munich and the Germany national team, but the latter joined Chelsea in May 2006 and his international career was then ended in June 2011. But Ballack says that Schweinsteiger has a battle on his hands to secure his future in the United team, and believes it would also be a good time for the midfielder, 31, to retire from the Germany national side. “I know that he [Schweinsteiger]…
Author: David Folami
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has indicated that his squad could be set for further changes before the end of the summer transfer window. Mourinho has signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly so far this summer. But the former Chelsea boss said during his first news conference at Manchester United that he and the club had “made a nucleus of four priorities, four positions, to give a certain balance to the squad,” with sources telling ESPN FC that Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba remains a target. The only first-team players to leave Old Trafford since the end of last…
Paul Pogba’s agent has said Juventus want to renew the midfielder’s contract and that he remains happy in Turin, cooling speculation that a move to Manchester United is edging closer. Sources have said in recent days that United are hoping to speak to Pogba, 23, this week to try to convince him to return to Old Trafford, with intermediaries already having agreed basic terms with both Juventus and the player’s agent. Their hopes of signing the France international, whose preference had been to join Real Madrid, were given a further boost as Sky Sports News reported on Sunday that the…
Tottenham Hotspur players racked up more minutes at Euro 2016 than those from any other Premier League club. The English top flight was by far the most heavily-represented domestic division at the tournament, with 106 of the 552 players who travelled to France currently plying their trade there. And a Press Association survey found that Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs clocked up a total of 3,544 minutes — over 900 more than their north London rivals Arsenal, the English club with the second-most minutes played. There were 11 Tottenham players who saw action at Euro 2016 in total, with 38 starts overall,…
Antoine Griezmann believes he will lose out to Cristiano Ronaldo for this year’s Ballon d’Or award as a result of France being beaten 1-0 by Portugal in the Euro 2016 final. Griezmann, 25, finished with the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer. However, the French striker failed to add to his six goals in the hosts’ extra-time defeat at the Stade de France on Sunday. The Atletico Madrid forward saw a first-half header wonderfully saved by Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, before heading a much easier chance over the bar later in the game. The final had been billed in…
France star Dimitri Payet has insisted that he did not go out to hurt Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo during Sunday’s Euro 2016 final. Ronaldo was forced off in the 25th minute of Portugal’s extra-time win over the hosts after being on the receiving end of a robust early challenge from Payet. But West Ham playmaker Payet, 29, said after the game that he had nothing to apologise for with regard to his eighth-minute tackle on Real Madrid forward Ronaldo. “I came in for a tackle, full stop,” Payet told reporters after Portugal’s 1-0 win at the Stade de France. “I…
Cristiano Ronaldo gave the Portuguese squad what has been described as an “unbelievable” half-time speech, telling his teammates he was “sure” they would beat France in their 1-0 Euro 2016 final victory despite having to go off injured after 25 minutes, Cedric Soares has revealed. The full-back also said that Portugal were “in shock” when their star captain had to be substituted but that, far from being dejected, a “fantastic” Ronaldo helped motivate the players. “It was a very tough moment,” Soares said. “I remember, for me and the team, everybody was a little bit in shock I think. “In…
Uefa on Monday named French forward and tournament top scorer Antoine Griezmann as the best player of Euro 2016, a day after the hosts’ 1-0 final defeat to Portugal. “Antoine Griezmann was a threat in every game he played. He works hard for his team and possesses technique, vision and quality finishing,” said Uefa chief technical officer Ioan Lupescu, who led the panel that picked the striker. Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United manager, was among Uefa’s 13-strong panel of technical observers. Atletico Madrid man Griezmann, 25, for whom Sunday’s defeat was a second major final loss in a month…
The All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ekiti has alleged that the state governor, Ayodele Fayose is making plans to recruit thugs against President Muhammadu Buhari. According to Taiwo Olatubosun, the Ekiti APC’s publicity secretary, Fayose had concluded plans to recruit thugs from neighboring Ondo and Oyo state for a rally against President Buhari on Friday, July 8, 2016. Olatubosun made the claims during a recent protest by students, artisans and several residents of the state demanding the Governor’s resignation. Speaking further, Olatubosun urged the EFCC to beam its searchlight on the Governor’s governance of Ekiti State. “It is obvious that…
The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun, has revealed that it is difficult to accept the emergence of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member – Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President. He said “Saraki is a member of the APC, much as the main line of the party would have wished a different result and a different scenario but we all find it very, very difficult to accept the emergence of a PDP person as his deputy.” The APC chairman said the party was shocked when Ekweremadu was elected as the Deputy Senate President. Odigie-Oyegun also…
The Chief of Army staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has revealed that members of the Boko Haram sect have fled from Nigeria. Buratai also said the Multi-National Task Force has chased away the terrorists operating around Nigeria’s borders. The Army chief said “We are further consolidating the successes by opening roads to allow people move about freely without the fear of any attack. We will continue to do that. Yesterday I was in Maiduguri and a day before yesterday. “We have been able to open the Dikwa road up to Gamboru Ngala. We must certify that all the routes…
Residents of Ekiti state from all works of life in, trooped out to hold a rally in support of Governor Ayo Fayose. The residents were protesting the blocking of Fayose’s bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Members of the private sector union, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Okada Riders Association of Nigeria, and other groups in the state were represented. The Daily Sun reports that the Ekiti state RTEAN chairman, Samuel Agbede, said “It is our view that in every election, the choice remains that of the…
Senator Buruji Kashamu hs alleged that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is plotting to abduct him. The Senator also said the plan was to attack him on the street or at any social function. The NDLEA formally applied for the extradition of the Senator on June 2, 2015, but a Lagos court restrained the agency and other security agencies from arresting Senator Kashamu. Speaking on the alleged plot by NDLEA, the Senator said “I do not know what I have done to them that they want to do as if Nigeria is a Banana Republic. If anyone thinks…
The Aso Villa has been feeling the heat from the alleged power tussle between the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, and the Director General of State Security Services (DSS), Lawal Daura. Premium Times reports that the two top security chiefs do not see eye to eye, and have been at each other’s throats over some personal differences. A source said the problem started when the NSA, Monguno allegedly expelled the DSS representative in the arms purchase panel. An issue that angered the DSS boss, Daura, who vowed to take his own pound of flesh. The source said “The DG…
The Nasarawa state Governor, Tanko Al-Makura has threatened to sack striking workers in the state. Al-Makura also said he will replace the workers with fresh graduates if they do not return to work. The Governor said the government took the decision to reduce workers’ salaries so the government can focus on other sectors of the state’s economy. He also called on the striking workers to call end the industrial action and return to work. Al-Makura said “I want to appeal to the striking workers to go back to work as the decision by the state government to review their salary…
President Buhari has approved the appointment of, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Saliu Usman, as the new Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI). Usman will take over the running of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), from Major General John Saduana Davies. The new CDI “Eight months ago, I was posted from here (DIA), to the NAF headquarters. I never knew that I will come back this way. I have taken it as an act of God. My doors will be open to all and I will be fair to all and I will carry everybody along”, he told officers and men of…
Some prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Osun state visited the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) in his palace on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, to plead with him to forgive Senator Iyiola Omisore. Omisore, who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over allegations of N700m fraud, was arrested by the anti-graft agency on Sunday, July 3, 2016, in Abuja. The serving Senator and former deputy Governor of Osun state had denied having any hand in the alleged arms purchase scandal involving the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. Reports say…
Some kinsmen of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, have called on President Buhari to stop persecuting their son. Ekweremadu is on trial, along with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for allegedly forging the Senate standing order. Daily Post reports that they said this during a protest in Awgu, Enugu state on Saturday, July 9, 2016. The protesters also said they would hold the President responsible for anything that happens to the Deputy Senate President, adding that they will resist any attempt by the All Progressives Congress to remove him from office. They also marched to the house of a…
The Nigerian Army has announced that its men killed 16 Boko Haram members during a shoot-out in Kala Balge local government area of Borno State. The Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman said the terrorists attacked the troops on Saturday, July 9, 2016, around 5:00pm. Usman said the terrorists were well armed, adding that the gun battle lasted for several hours. The Army spokesman also said 5 soldiers were injured during the attacks, adding that the troops’ morale is high. Usman said “Yesterday evening remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in their numbers attacked our troops location at Rann, Kala Balge…
Rap Mogul Jay Z pours out his heart on this song titled ‘Spiritual’, a song addressing the recurrent cases of police brutality against black Americans in the United States of America. According to online site, The Verge, Beyoncé led the way yesterday in asking her fans to convert their sorrow and anger at recent police brutality into democratic action by petitioning their state and national lawmakers for change. Today her husband, Jay Z, is joining the effort by releasing a song he says he never got to finish, but which he says would sadly always be relevant. Titled ‘Spiritual,’ the…