England manager Roy Hodgson and his 23-man squad arrived at their Euro 2016 hotel in Chantilly, north of Paris, on Monday, having earlier landed at Le Bourget airport. Amid great pomp and beneath hazy sunshine, the team bus was led down a cobbled street to the entrance of the luxury Auberge du Jeu de Paume hotel by five horsewomen. To a musical backdrop provided by a three-strong brass band dressed in red hunting uniforms, Hodgson was the first to alight outside the hotel, which is a stone’s throw from the picturesque Chateau de Chantilly and Chantilly Hippodrome. The rest of…
Author: David Folami
Argentina’s Lionel Messi has unfinished business going into the Centenary Copa America that is being staged in the United States with the Barcelona star keen to help his nation capture a first major title in 23 years. After finishing runners-up at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and at last year’s Copa America in Chile, Argentina are favourites to lift the Copa America for the 15th time in their history and first time since 1993. “This Copa America is a very special tournament for me and more so after losing last year’s final. That is why I want to win…
Spain can learn from their 2014 World Cup nightmare and become the first side to win a third successive European Championship, coach Vicente del Bosque said. After capturing the European title in 2008 and 2012 and a first World Cup in 2010, Spain did not cope with the pressure of being favourites in Brazil and were knocked out in the first round. “One has to differentiate between an aim and an obligation,” Del Bosque told Marca on Monday. “To win the title cannot be an obligation. There is always an important lesson to be learned when you lose.” Spain lost…
Portugal coach Fernando Santos has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo will not be fully fit at Euro 2016, and believes it is unrealistic to think all players can be at 100 percent at this stage of the season. Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 50 games for club and country in all competitions this season, but ended hampered by injury issues as he pushed his body to the limit. The current situation is now strikingly similar to two years ago, when he was below his best during the Champions League final but still stole the headlines by netting as Madrid won the…
Chelsea forward Pedro Rodriguez says it would be a “big loss” for the club should Diego Costa leave to return to Atletico Madrid this summer. Costa, 27, was a key player for Atletico as they won the 2013 Copa del Rey and 2013-14 La Liga titles but he opted to move to Chelsea two years ago. The Spain international’s first season at Stamford Bridge brought a Premier League medal while scoring 20 goals in 26 appearances, but his second campaign was less successful for both the player and team. Sources said in March that Costa was considering a summer exit…
Manchester United are one of several clubs to have made an approach for Mexico winger Hirving Lozano, according to the vice president of the player’s club Pachuca. We reported in April that the club had confirmed that United had scouted the player in Veracruz, Torreon and Guadalajara and had been impressed. Lozano came through the club’s youth system and made his international debut against Senegal in February. When asked about United’s interest in the 20-year-old, the Mexican club’s vice president Andres Fassi told Record MX: “There have been approaches. There will be time to focus on the future of Hirving…
Arsenal remain confident of signing Jamie Vardy despite Leicester City fighting to keep the England striker, a source close to the London club has said. Sources confirmed on Friday that Arsenal have triggered Vardy’s release clause at Leicester and that the 29-year-old was due to have a medical on Sunday. A source has said that Vardy has now undergone the first stage of his medical but Leicester are reluctant to lose him and have made a counter offer in effort to convince him to stay. Vardy was considering his options on Monday as he prepared to fly out to France…
Jose Mourinho is expected to be cross-examined at an employment tribunal brought by former Chelsea first team doctor Eva Carneiro, which opened on Monday. The public tribunal heard that new Manchester United manager Mourinho is likely to be questioned for at least a day during the case. Carneiro is claiming constructive dismissal against Chelsea and a connected, personal legal action against Mourinho, who left the Blues in December, for alleged victimisation and discrimination. The parties failed to agree a settlement which would have prevented a public hearing. The case at the London South Employment Tribunal in suburban Croydon is expected…
Pele was Unicef’s guest of honour and Mourinho posted a photo on his Instagram account of him and the Brazil legend as they shook hands in front of a Manchester United badge in the players’ tunnel. The caption to Mourinho’s photo read: “An honour to host Pele at my new house” and he also posted a picture of himself standing in the tunnel looking towards the pitch. Mourinho gave an interview to ITV before kick-off, but his microphone broke before he could get into full flow. “I’m very happy to be here, and especially alongside Ranieri, who won the Premier…
Jose Mourinho enjoyed a raucous reception as he watched a charity match from the stands on Sunday in his first appearance at Old Trafford since being named Manchester United manager. Just nine days after the official confirmation of Mourinho’s appointment, the 53-year-old was in Manchester to give his support to Unicef, who use the Soccer Aid friendly to raise money for children in danger across the world. The former Chelsea boss originally agreed to manage an “England” team consisting of former internationals, musicians, actors and other celebrities, against a Rest of the World team coached by Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri and…
American billionaire, Bill Gates is reportedly willing to invest N9billion ($50m) annually on the Nigerian health sector. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho made this revelation in a recent interview. On meeting Gates, Senator Tejuosho disclosed that he had attended a World Bank Programme in Washington DC, when he and the Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole were invited for a sideline meeting which was organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Senator representing Ogun State Central Senatorial district further said that it was at the meeting that he met with Bill Gates, who revealed his…
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that Nigeria would continue consultations within the country regarding its stance on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between ECOWAS and the European Union. Osinbajo said this at the 49th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Dakar, Senegal, a statement issued by the Vice Presidential Spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande, said on Sunday. According to him there are ongoing negotiations on it and government is discussing with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and some other key economic players about it. The vice president, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at…
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has directed the Muslim Ummah to commence the Ramadan fast on June 6. The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the Sultan gave the directive in Sokoto on Sunday, sequel to the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan, 1437 AH. The Sultan said that the new moon was sighted in various states of the federation. Abubakar further said that the sighting of the new Moon had been duly verified by the National Moon Sighting Committee, and that of Sokoto. ”Today, 29th Day of Shaaban, 1437 AH, equivalent to June,…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday in Abuja advised Muslims to use the holy month of Ramadan as a great opportunity for seeking forgiveness and getting closer to Allah through worship and good deeds. The President, who was speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, gave the advice in his message to mark the beginning of the Ramadan fasting period. According to the president, the month of Ramadan is a time of spiritual reawakening which demands not only abstention from food and drinks, but also all wrongdoing in their lives. The President frowned at the…
Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, one of the richest women in Africa, has urged women to engage in entrepreneurship and businesses that are cost effective to better their lives. She made the call in Enugu on Sunday at a mentorship conference tagged “The Meeting”, organised by an NGO, Ace Foundation in collaboration with Today’s Woman magazine. Alakija, who advised women to equip themselves with genuine skills and trade in the face of the current economic downturn, added that “there are businesses that require small capital to start. It must not be something big. “You have to start from little and then grow…
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Sunday urged Muslims in Borno to be vigilant and wary of beggars around Mosques during the fasting month of Ramadan to prevent suspected attacks from Boko Haram members. The state’s NSCDC Commandant, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri. Abdullahi said people must be wary of such people in tattered clothes, trying to beg in Mosques “because Boko Haram members have been trying to use every type of ploy to penetrate gatherings to perpetrate havoc. “Any Mosque you go, there…
The Jigawa State Governor, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, has boasted of his administration’s ability to pay workers salary for the next six months. In a recent report by Daily Trust, Abubakar said Jigawa is among the few states not owing salaries to civil servants at both state and local government levels despite the dwindling revenue from the federation account. Badaru reportedly made the disclosure during a radio programme in Dutse, Jigawa on Sunday, June 5, 2016 He was further reported to have said the feat was achieved by a prudent fiscal administration that enabled his government to save over N5 billion…
Only N12 million in cash was stolen from Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s home in Kwara State, his media aide has said. Saraki made the disclosure to counter reports that N300 million was stolen from his Ilorin home during a robbery which took place about two weeks ago. “Unknown persons broke into the safe in the Administrative Office and stole the N12m. The incident had since been reported to the police and the Kwara State Police Command is investigating the matter with a view to nailing the culprits,” Saraki’s aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said via a statement. “There is therefore no truth…
According to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the president deserves to be praised for refusing to name persons who stole public funds despite an earlier promise to do so. Adesina made the comment while appearing on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics. “Well, the president said he will mention names, but even if he erred, it’s better to err on the side of caution. It’s always better to err on the side of caution. It (naming those who returned stolen assets) came up and legal opinion was that it was premature to mention those names,” he…
President Muhammadu Buhari, today, June 6, 2016, left Nigeria for London to seek medical attention for an ear infection. Buhari will visit an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist and will expectedly spend 10 days in the United Kingdom. This had earlier been disclosed by Buhari’s aide, Femi Adesina who also said that the president would use the opportunity to rest.