Whether or not they go on to emulate Manchester United’s fabled “Class of ’92” and provide the backbone for a glittering future, the emergence of some excellent young players has been one bright spot in a difficult season for the club. Marcus Rashford has become a poster boy for the latest generation of United youngsters, who may one day become known as the “Class of ’16”. The 18-year-old has scored five goals in his first 10 appearances, including two on his debut against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League in February. United’s under-21 manager Warren Joyce, who oversees the development…
Author: David Folami
Cristiano Ronaldo’s fifth Champions League hat-trick inspired Real Madrid to a 3-0 comeback victory over VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday that clinched a place in the semifinals for a sixth successive season. The prolific Portuguese got the 10-times European champions, 2-0 down from the first leg, off to a perfect start by tapping in Daniel Carvajal’s cross after 16 minutes and heading a second goal less than a minute later from Toni Kroos’s corner. Ronaldo capped a 3-2 win on aggregate when he curled in a free kick after 77 minutes, his 16th goal in this season’s competition taking him within…
Representatives of John Obi Mikel have denied reports that the Nigerian midfielder will be leaving Chelsea this season. Mikel joined Chelsea in the summer of 2006 and has become an important player under interim boss, Guss Hiddink. Following the appointment of Antonio Conte as boss of Chelsea from this summer, it has been that the Super Eagles captain will be sold alongside Oscar, Eden Hazard and Loic Remy, to generate funds for the purchase of Paul Pogba from Juventus His reps have however denied the reports revealing that the midfielder has been handed a new contract but is waiting till…
Atletico Madrid president has reiterated that he would love to bring Chelsea striker Diego Costa back to the club this summer, though he admits that any such move would be “difficult” to make happen. Costa has won a Premier League title and League Cup as well as becoming a fan favourite since moving to Stamford Bridge from Atletico in the summer of 2014, but reports persist that the 27-year-old has failed to settle in England and has grown frustrated with media coverage of his provocative style of play. Last month, sources told Theinfostride that Costa is considering a summer move…
Louis van Gaal admits West Ham striker Andy Carroll could run riot in Wednesday’s FA Cup quarterfinal replay if his Manchester United defence does not improve. Carroll scored a brilliant hat trick against Arsenal on Saturday, terrorising the Gunners’ back-line in what was only the striker’s first league start since January. The 6-foot-3 forward’s performance has pushed him back into the reckoning for England’s Euro 2016 squad this summer and he will be confident of capitalising again versus a United side vulnerable after a 3-0 drubbing at Tottenham. The defeat saw the Red Devils concede three times in six minutes…
Real Madrid defender Pepe has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to become one of the best players ever, and says his teammate for club and country is “light years ahead of anyone else” currently. Three-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has scored 43 goals in 41 appearances for Real Madrid this season, and has helped lead Los Blancos to the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the sixth straight season. With a goal in Real’s 4-0 defeat of Eibar on Saturday, Ronaldo became the first player to score 30 goals over six straight seasons in Spain’s top division. An in interview with the…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic would star in the Premier League, according to Manchester City’s Fernandinho, though the Paris Saint-Germain striker’s teammate Thiago Silva says moving to England would be a “step down.” Man City face PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday, with the tie level at 2-2. The French side are counting on the 34-year-old to deliver them to victory at the Etihad Stadium, which happens to be a possible destination for the sought-after Ibrahimovic. Fernandinho told Omnisport he would welcome a player of Ibrahimovic’s stature to the Premier League. “Undoubtedly, he would be a special…
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy says he is not allowed to participate in shooting practice during training. Vardy, 29, has played a major role in Leicester’s Premier League title challenge this season, with his 21 goals helping the club sit seven points clear at the top of the table with just five games left to play. However, the England international has revealed he is not permitted to practice his shooting skills during the week as Foxes manager Claudio Ranieri would prefer him to rest up in preparation for the club’s next game. “I don’t really get the chance to practice…
The former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said the party is no longer exciting. He also described happenings in the party as embarrassing. Nwodo was reacting to stories in the media that he has dumped the former ruling party and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress. Nwodo, a pioneer National Secretary of PDP and former Governor of old Enugu State who stated this in a statement he signed in Abuja on Monday, said that it was his wife who defected to the APC. He said, “It is improper for the media to stand merely…
The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, on Monday opened his defence before a Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is being prosecuted for money laundering and charges bordering on the N400m he received from the Office of the National Security Adviser. Metuh’s first witness, Mr. Ike Abonyi, who described himself as a journalist and a public relations consultant, said in his testimony that the N400m was released to the PDP spokesperson by the ONSA in 2014 on the instruction of the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Abonyi said the then President informed Metuh…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has criticised moves by the Federal Government to secure foreign loans to fund the deficit in the 2016 budget. The President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge, while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday, argued that the government could generate the deficit from unpaid taxes by wealthy Nigerians, property owners and recovered stolen public assets in the country. Fagge added that the Federal Government could get some money from funds illegally allocated as security vote to governors, illegal sale of government properties and unremitted revenue from the sale of government assets. He said, “Of…
The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States has ruled that it has the jurisdiction to hear a suit filed by former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to challenge his alleged unlawful detention. Dasuki was arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Services on December 29, 2015, shortly after he was released on bail from Kuje Prison with respect to the various charges pending against him. The ex-NSA has since then remained in the custody of the DSS. In a ruling by a three-man bench on Monday, the ECOWAS Court dismissed the Federal Government’s objection…
The Lagos State Government says it is set to prosecute no fewer than 28 alleged tax defaulters in the state. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, on Monday said the state had filed all the necessary information of the case before the high court. The commissioner said among the 28 alleged tax defaulters were those who failed to file and furnish the state with their tax returns and others who refused to pay their personal taxes to the state. He said, “The culprits were handed over to the Ministry of Justice’s Rapid Tax…
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Monday said the abuse of the Federal Character principle was partly responsible for Nigeria’s retarding progress over the years. He noted that the nation would require a drastic reform of the principle, especially in public sector recruitments, if the country must make meaningful progress. This suggestion is one of several recommendations contained in a new book titled, “Who will love my country: Ideas of building the Nigeria of our dreams,” to be presented to the public later this month. According to excerpts of the book sighted in Abuja, Ekweremadu argued that champions of…
The Edo state Governor. Adams Oshiomhole has warned Fulani herdsmen in the state against causing trouble. He also set up committees that will go to various local governments in the state to resolve any crisis involving the herdsmen. Oshiomhole said “Edo State Government will prosecute any rapist, any kidnapper, any rustler, who takes people’s cows. I think listening to all the stakeholders, whether royal fathers, farmers, Fulani herdsmen, everybody agreed that neither rape nor robbery, nor destruction of farms, nor rustling of cattle is acceptable. “I think we are all committed to ensuring that we put an end to any…
According to the Political Science professors, ethnicity and religion are still the trademarks of politicians in Nigeria adding that hate speeches featured prominently during the 2015 general elections and were relayed by social media. In a communiqué issued after an international conference held at the department of Political Science and International Studies, Faculty of Social Science, ABU, Zaria and obtained by Pulse on Tuesday, April 11 2016, the professors advised politicians to shun hate speech. The communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman Communiqué Committee of the Conference, Prof. Hudu Abdullahi, and the Chairman, Local Organizing Committee, Prof. R. Ayo Dunmoye,…
Sokoto has become one of the beneficiaries of the 100 agricultural projects to be sited in developing countries which was announced by the Chinese President, Ji Xinping during the South-South Cooperation meeting held in September 2015. It would involve the application of new technology for cultivation of crops such as corn, wheat, tomatoes and onions, it was gathered. In a statement issued from China by Imam Imam, the spokesman to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, said the agreement also provides room for experts from Sokoto and Henan Province to carry out joint analysis and study of climatic conditions, soil moisture status,…
Former Senator President, David Mark, has attributed the People’s Democratic Party’s loss in the in the 2015 general elections to imposition of candidates. Mark said for the party to return to power in 2019, it must not make the same mistake again. Speaking at a meeting with PDP members on Monday, April 11, in Otukpo, Benue State, ahead of the party’s convention, Mark stressed the need for repositioning if the party would stand a chance to win in the next general election. “We must come to terms with reality that PDP lost the last general election because of over bearing…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has accused the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole of reckless spending. Ize-Iyamu also accused Oshiomhole of abandoning the cement factory that was started by former Governor Lucky Igbinedion. He said the Governor did not have any developmental plan for Edo state. Ize-Iyamu said “Today, even the market women and poor sachet water sellers are not left out of the multiple taxation of the Oshiomhole administration in Edo State. “A state that rakes in over N2 billion internally generated revenue and over N3 billion from the Federation Account is…
Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume has berated some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senators saying the opposition party would produce Bukola Saraki’s successor if removed. Ndume said Saraki was brought in by God and He alone would know who will be Saraki’s successor if he is ever convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). “PDP should not play God. It is God that gave power to Senate President Saraki and it is only God that can take it from him; only God will know who will take it from him, not even a party, not even the PDP can do…