₦airaland Forum

Former Barcelona goalie has been named the best in the history of the Spanish la liga.

According to a recent research carried out by the Centre for Research of Football History and Spanish Statistics (CIHEFE), analyzed keepers since 1928.

He beat Thibuat Courtois (Athletico Madrid), Francisco Liano (Racing, Sport and Sporting), Roberto Rodriguez, ''Rodri'' (Atletico Madrid and Celta) and Mariano Garcia Remon (Real Madrid).

Despite winning 160 caps for Spain, compared to Valdes' meagre 20, Real Madrid's Casillas is ranked way down the list in 20th place.

Read more here, but do you agree?
http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/12/victor-valdez-is-best-goalkeeper-in-la.html

Thierry Henry has been in the new lately after he ended his four-years contact at New Yor Red Bull in the MLS.

Reports have it that the former Arsenal player is being considered by the coach of Les Blues,
Didier Deschamps for next year's international friendly against Brazil, in March, 2015.



"It has become such a big media subject," Deschamps told RMC. "Thierry Henry is a great player.
He has marked the history of the France team, as have some others.

"It is worth thinking about. I'll take the time to discuss it with the federation president.

"After people have ideas, they end up in the press. I won't close the door but I don't want to put pressure on this issue.

"We will take the time to discuss it. This is not for tomorrow. It will keep going. Thierry Henry is Thierry Henry."

Henry 37, made his debut for the national team in 2007 becoming the country's leading scorer with 51 goals in 123 appearances.

Read more stories here http://sportstalkwithamos..com/

It could be said without fear of contradiction that the League Bloggers
are part of those who strongly believe that actors in the Nigerian Football League
should be rewarded and celebrated.

To this end, the League Bloggers Awards for end of 2014 season has been scheduled
for December 15th in Lagos, where all the actors in the topflight league, Coaches,
Players and Clubs will vie for different categories of awards.

As usual, there is the category for Best Player of the season, Highest Goal Scorer,
Best Manager of the season and every other ''best'' you can easily figure out.
This is good! In fact that is how it is at the highest level of football after a football tourney.

Frankly speaking, it is not enough to just participate in the league.
This what the League Bloggers are drumming into the heart and
ears of the who-is-who in the league system. These days, football lovers
are more interested in affair beyond the playing field.

Fans want access their favourite club's website to read about the club,
players, history and match fixtures. They also want to follow via twitter
for exclusive information, get to know how the players are faring on daily basis,
which player is being recognized by the club as the ''player of the week or month''
as the case may be and steps the club management is taking in certain situations.

This is how it is in developed world.

At a conference organized by the Sports Writers Association (Lagos Chapter) in 2013,
which had Sport Journalist, Club Media Officers and Stakeholder in the
Nigeria football scene in attendance, o ne of the speakers, Editor of Kickoff.com,
Colin Udoh charged that the power of the social media and other fast evolving media in providing information be harnessed.

Again, that is how it is in other climes.

It is however worthy of note that a few clubs have taken the driver's seat
in achieving the aforementioned which has propelled the League Blogger to recognize
and encourage such steps.
If the League Bloggers now deem it fit to create categories such as the following,
do you not think it's a round peg in a round hole?

The Fair Play Award, Best Use of Social Media (for clubs), Best Website,
Best Designed Jersey, Best New Goalkeeper (NPFL), Best Draft from Development Team,
Best Development Team, Best New Player, Best Goalkeeper, Best Foreigner,
Best Promoted Team and Best National Team Player.

Doing it abnormal to achieve the normal, all to set Nigeria football on the right lane.

Have your say, what do you think?

Written by Amos Joseph
http://sportstalkwithamos..com/

Footballers can be busy, but Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa has made out time
for family hanging out with his beautiful wife and kid.

The CSKA Moscow of Russia player is among the final five nominees for
Africa Footballer of the Year Award along side fellow Nigeria Vincent Enyeama.

He shared the photo on his instagram account ''what a lovely day''.

More here>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/12/picture-of-ahmed-musa-family-hang-out.html

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has hailed his fellow team mate Alexis Sanchez
for his positioning and attitude which paid off in the later minutes of the match
as he scored to help the Gunners see off Southampton by a lone goal on Wednesday.


''He never gives up and he was in the right place at the right time again.
It took us until the 88th minute to break them down but we did it in the end,- the Welshman said.

Unfortunately for the Saints, they were reduced to 10-men after
Toby Alderweireld picked up an hamstring injury and could not be replace
because the visitors had exhausted their substitution.

On the numerical advantage, Ramsey said, ''We tried to do that anyway.
We never go into a game wanting to draw it, we always want to try and win the game.
It took until the latter stages of the game but we kept believing and it finally paid off.''

Read more here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/12/ramsey-heaps-praises-on-alexis-sanchez.html

hahahhahaha ''tear down ourselves'' you said.
lol

@Goke, I respect ur opinion.
I also think many Nigerians voted, but obviously we didn't do enough.
For my as a blogger, i published, twitted and shared on my fb pages
and am sure some of my followers and friends did too.
I fear if anyone can snatch the Glo award from Yaya.
Lets just hope the future will be better, thats what we are left with.

Despite not winning the BBC Africa Footballer of the year, Nigeria and Lille FC goalie,
Vincent Enyeama has sent out congratulatory message to Algeria's Yacine Brahimi for winning the BBC award.

The Super Eagles goalkeeper also thanked everyone who cast a vote for him during the selection process.

''I want to say a big thank you to everyone that made a shout out for me,that voted for me for the bbcafricnfootballeroftheyear2014.''- Enyeama said on his Instagram page.

''God bless una well well and congratulations to the Algerian guy #yacine brahimi who won it #proudlyafrica.''

Yacine Brahimi plies his trade in the Portuguese league for FC Porto and he beat Enyema and Ivorian Yaya Toure to clinch the award as voted by football fans across the globe.

In the spirit of sportsmanship, this is good.

Read more strories here>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/

Jose Mourinho on Sunderland: ''Only one team tried to win from the beginning, the other team didn’t. They defended a lot and they defended well. Defending a lot and well is not a crime. It is a strategy and it was successful for them.''

The Bus manager himself complaining. Funny!

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has stated clearly that he’s not considering retirement yet.

The 36 year old who returned to Chelsea after two years away told, Oma Akatugba,
an international football expert after the Champions League match
against Schalke on Tuesday night in Gelsenkirchen Germany
that he would to think about retirement soon and make decisions on life after playing career.

''I have to think about it's soon ehn...laughs..but I try to
to enjoy the moment and on day for sure it would have to come, - said the Chelsea forward.

''You cannot continue forever, it has to stop one day.''

Read the full interview here>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/im-not-thinking-retirement-didier-drogba.html

Jack Wilshere has successfully had a surgery on his left ankle and
the London club will be without the midfielder for about three months.


The England international sustained the injury while playing against
Manchester United on Saturday in a Barclays Premier League match.

According to report on the club website, the 22-year old was assessed by
a specialist and was confirmed for an operation which he had in London on Thursday afternoon.

Jack will now commence his injury rehabilitation programme with the Arsenal medical team.
Read more latest stories here http://sportstalkwithamos..com/

Confederations of Africa Football CAF Adidas have presented the official tournament match ball,
Marhaba, for the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea 2015.

The official presentation will be done come December 3 during the draw of
the final tournament at the Sipopo Convention Center in Malabo

Reports on the football body's website have it that the design is ''inspired by
the history of the tournament and it's famously passionate fans.

''The distinctive gold and blue colouring on the ball represents the contrasting
landscape of the continent, from the Sahara desert to the bright azure sky of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean.''

Read more here http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/breaking-caf-and-adidas-present-marhaba.html

Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho has sent out an encouraging message to Schalke
after his team bashed the Germans 5-0 in a UCL game on Tuesday night.

The Germans went down five nil at the comfort zone yet Mourinho feels
the team should take solace in the fact that they lost to a ''very good Chelsea team''.

''I think we should have scored even more,'' – said the Chelsea manager.

''Obviously Schalke must be very sad with the result, the only comfort they can take is that they lost against a very good Chelsea team.''

Mourinho further hailed his side for the impressive performance terming the result as abnormal.


''To win 5-0 away in the Champions League is not normal. To win 5-0 in Germany is even more not normal.

''The performance was complete. It was very impressive.''

My Take: Why he no go make mouth ?? ehn? Yeye man
read more here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/be-of-good-cheer-schalke-you-lost-to.html

Manchester City secured an important three points at the Etihad Stadium against Bayern Munich
to rekindle their hopes of seeing the last 16 of the UCL this term.

The Etihad stadium came alive after Sergio Aguero was brought down in the box by Benatia
who got sent off and reduced to see the visitors reduced to 10-men.
The Argentine striker put City ahead scoring from the penalty spot to begin his eventual hatrick.

Before long, Birthday Boy Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski scored to see 10-man Bayern go into the break with a 2-1 lead.

The real drama began when the birthday-boy's pass saw his pass intercepted by Aguero who made no mistake to set the match at per at 85th minute but also benefited from another mistake by Jerome Boateng to secure City's much needed victory.

Read more here>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/it-was-xabi-alonsos-birthday-but-aguero.html

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are well represented in the shortlist of players for the UEFA Team of The Year 2014 Award.
The Spanish club boast of 7 players while the Germans have a larger number of 9 players.

According to UEFA, more than 6.3 million votes were cast in the UEFA.com users' Team
of the Year 2013 poll, the final XI featured four players from FC Bayern München and
a record eighth appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo.

View full list here>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/bayern-munich-real-madrid-dominate-uefa.html

Perfect prediction. Send ur phone number and ur name
to communeamos@gmail.com man, apologies for the late response.

It was a weekend with lots of expectation as the Nigerian club football season
was capped with the Federation Cup on Sunday 23rd November.

Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere Lagos hosted the men from the East and
all football lovers who troop to the commercial never of the nation to be thrilled
with raw football skills as Enyimba and Dolphins FC took the center stage
right after the female category saw Rivers Angels dazzled the Queens from the Sunshine State, Akure.

Of course the creme de la creme in the Nigerian football scene graced the occasion.
Without much ado, From the blast of the whistle, Dolphins FC seemed the better side
as Emem Eduok continued to trouble the Enyimba defense, but Goalkeeper Femi Thomas
was at his best to stop all Dolphin efforts at goal.

Dolphins had a couple of scoring opportunities that could have seen them
throw Enyimba off balance but Eduok was left alone to wander in the den of Lions,
a defense led by a no nonsense Udoji.

Someone should have told Dolphins the story of Arsenal just a day before their match
how Gunners had plethora of chances begging to be buried against rivals Manchester United.

Read full report here >>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/like-dolphins-like-arsenal-as-enyimba.html

Please be specific. Thank you

Dolphins FC and Enyimba FC will battle for the Federations Cup title today, right inside the Teslim balogun Stadium Surulere Lagos.


Both teams finished strong in the league and would be representing at the continental club games. Enyimba, CAF Champions League while Dolphins will play in the Confederations Cup.

Dolphins FC are four time champions of the Federations Cup and they are going into the cracker with Emem Eduok who has a total of 20 league goals in the recently concluded season.

Enyimba International are holders and three-time winners of the federations cup. They also have a marksman in Mfon Udoh who has made a name for himself as all-time highest goal scorer with 23 league goals.

Here's the deal, Predict the correct score and win recharge cards
NOTE: Prediction closes at 3pm today, First 2 correct enteries to be rewarded.

predictions here >>>http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/predict-and-win-enyimba-vs-dolphins-fc.html?m=1

England forward Danny Welbeck was considered surplus to requirement by
manager Louis Van Gaal and was sold to rival club Arsenal football club,
but Paul Scholes sees the move as one which United will pay for.

Welbeck faces his former club for the first time since he left and
would be ready to play his heart out on Saturday.

Read scholes' views here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/scholes-believes-manchester-unites-is.html

also share ur views.

This same Musa scored two goals for us against Sudan on his Birthday fa. Chai!!!

Chelsea star Willian Borges shares a pic of himself and fellowe teammate Oscar
along side Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini and QPR's Adel Tarabat at the recent
Dolce and Gabana Christmas Tree Event in London.

Willian posted on his account @willianborges88 ''Dolce&Gabbana Xmas event!
with @adeltaarabt23 @oscar_emboaba #Flamini''

Footballers got swag, see this pic and you won't argue >>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/willian-oscar-flamini-and-adel-tarabat.html

Despite ensuring that Nigeria did not qualify for the 2015 Equatorial Guinea Africa cup of Nations, South Africa coach Shakes Mashaba believes the Africa champions were lucky to have draw the game.

The men from the south shocked the home side just before half time and pulled another in the second half through Toke Rantie but thanks to Hull City midfielder Sone Aluko who "savaged" the situation scoring twice to see the match end in stalemate.

"The boys did everything right until referee’s optional time at the end of the game – we lost shape and the goalkeeper was obscured at the second goal,” said Mashaba in an interview with Super Sport after the match.

“It is a question of luck (the fact that South Africa have not beaten Nigeria) – we should have beaten them at home and this one as well.

“They had a little bit of luck to come back against us in the referee’s optional time, but they are a good side.”

So this man want beat us for real, do you agree that the Eagles were lucky?
Share your thoughts here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/nigeria-had-bit-of-luck-to-have-gotten.html?m=1

Coach of South Africa, Shakes Mashaba has named his starting line up for
the game against Nigeria in their last round of AFCON qualifying match which will kick of 6pm in Uyo.

The Bafanna Bafana have qualified and sits atop the group while
the Super Eagles need to win on the day, or draw if Congo fail to beat Sudan.

Bafana XI: Darren Keet, Sibusiso Khumalo, Anele Ngcongca, Eric Mathoho, Tefu Mashamaite, Dean Furman, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Oupa Manyisa, Mandla Masango, Bongani Ndulula, Tokelo Rantie.
Subs: Brilliant Khuzwayo, Rivaldo Coetzee, Ntsikelelo Nyauza, Themba Zwane, Kermit Erasmus, Andile Jali, Lehlohonolo Majoro

Stay with us for the Eagles ine up when it's out >>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/

Sharks Football Club midfielder Joseph Nathaniel has been invited into the Super Eagles by coach Stephen Keshi as replacement for injured Hope Akpan ahead of the last Afcon 2015 qualifying clash against South African.


Joseph was at the heart of the midfield in a friendly match between the home-based Eagles and Ghana U-23 team which saw the Eagle launch the Akwa Ibom stadium with a 1-0 victory over the Meteors.
Read more here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/keshi-calls-joseph-nathaniel-as.html

Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr are some of the top international football players
who have patnered with the world football governing body, FIFA, CAF and
Health organizations to raise a voice and against the spread of Ebola Virus in the world.

FIFA released a statement on its website on Monday stating that the football is not
left out in the course to ending the deadly disease which has claimed many lives especially in West Africa.

Some top players which also include John Mikel Obi, Didier Drogba, Philip Lahm and
others have been selected to promotes 11 simple health messages selected with the
help of doctors and health experts from Africa, the World Bank Group and the
World Health Organization who are tackling the outbreak in West Africa, in the campaign tagged ''11 against Ebola''.

According to the FIFA Chief Medical Officer Prof. Jiří Dvořák, MD the popularity of football and its top players has proven to be a powerful way to connect with a wide audience and to transmit public health messages.

Full report here >>> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/ebola-football-world-patner-health.html

Super Eagles defender Godfrey Oboabona will not taste action when Nigeria trade tackles
with South Africa in the win or burst Africa cup of nations qualifying game on Wednesday evening.

The Rizespor of Turkey defender was handed a yellow card for handling the ball in the area
in Saturday'sgame against the Red devils of Congo.

He join Reading midfielder on the sidelines while Kenneth Omeruo might make his
return back into the squad after he had missed Congo clash due to injury.

Red more latest here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/oboabona-out-omeruo-in-for-south-africa.html

Manchester United travel to Arsenal on Saturday for their next
premier league game and this would not be the best of news
they expect right now after Daley Blind suffered a suspected knee ligament
injury during Holland’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Latvia on Sunday night.

The 24-year-old left the pitch without a stretcher, after a challenge
with Eduards Visnakovs in the first half and was replaced with Jordy Clasie.

Dutch manager Guus Hiddink already gave an insight to what the midfielder might have suffered.
''It doesn’t look good. It’s his medial ligament. It could be a strain, but it could also be a tear. So that’s a big blow''

Michael Carrick, who played in Blind’s role, also pulled out of England’s squad with a minor groin problem while David Da Gea broke his finger during training with Spain.

United fans won't like this but for Arsenal fans, you never can tell.

Next year will be better i believe.

The League Management Company has revealed that N75m will be shared
among the 20 Glo Premier League Clubs, an amount which surpasses
last season's N50m from the Financial Merit Award.

The merit award represents cash earnings shared to the 20 clubs in the Nigeria
Professional Football League (NPFL) sponsored by Globacom Limited in
accordance with their placing on the final league table ratified by the league body.

League Champions Kano Pillars will recieve N15m as opposed to N10m
awarded to the champions last season, LMC Chairman Nduka Irabor revealed
in a report on the league body's website.

Runner-up Enyimba will smile to the bank with N11.25m while Warri Wolves who finished third gets N7.5m.
And whereas the least placed club got N1m last season, the earning this season is N1.5m, the breakdown further showed.


The distribution order shows that the 4th placed team will receive N3.75m
while N3.15m, N2.925M and N2.85m will go to the fifth, sixth and seventh placed teams.
Others are N2.775m, N2.7m, N2.625m and N2.55m for the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th placed clubs.

click to see how much others from 12th downward will rake in here >>http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/kano-pillars-get-lion-share-as-glo.html

Peradventure you missed the game between the Red devils of Congo and our Super Eagles, i would say you misssed a great deal.

Some say in football you need some luck, i'll say that was what came to play on the day. Thanks to recalled Villareal striker Ike Uche who converted a penalty won by Emmanuel Emenike in the 58th minute before the man who plies his trade China Aaron Samuel, whom many have criticized coach Stephen Keshi for inviting, ''relatively unknown'' as he was then branded.

Both goals came in the second half, after a fruitless encounter in the first 45 minutes that would have seen the Eagles gone behind but for the wastefulness of the devils, glad they never scored anyway, it would have been worse. Being fully aware of the importance of the outcome of the game, the devils played purposefully with finesse and panache from the blast of the whistle, They looked like a team with a plan as they took our team to the cleaners, enjoying so much of the ball in the middle down to the wings but for some brilliance exhibied by the Eagles shot-stopper, Vincent Enyeama.
Soon after the Eagles the first goal, the devils were awarded a lifeline to put the game back on track for themselves and their already disturbed fans, but to their amazement, Vincent Enyeam stepped his game up, ha it saved and it was play continue.

Ike Uche made his presence known, not because he scored from the spot but for the way he kept the attack alive, holding on to balls when necessary, intelligently taking on defens and attempting to score when called up. His ball control was topnotched, you can tell where he plies his trade.

Lets just say getting the three points was very important and is all that matter right now, the Eagles didnt get better as a team until the introduction of Sone Aluko and Aaron Samuel who changed the game and the team began to string a couple of passes. The needful then was someone who could connect easily with the forward which we did not get to see earlier, thanks to the wasteful long balls from the back and the midfield held by John Obi Mikel, Ogenyi Onazi and Hope Akpan who later got injured and was substituted for Aluko.

For me, the attack found it difficult to get balls at their feet as they had to struggle to come alive, until Mikel realised that going forward was best.

Frankly speaking, i really do not blam those who have been calling for the introduction of the likes of Kelechi iheanacho.Our Eagles need to play exciting football like we see other teams do, reference to the teams that have made it through to the competition already like Algeria, Senegal et al. Some individual intelligence, players who could make something happen with less struggles for the attackers.

Did I hear you say we miss Jay Jay, yes and Papilo? Yes! That was the song on everyone's lips where i watched the game. No one is saying play good football and lose would be better, but the confident play that got us that name ''giant of Africa''' is gone. No team would be afraid of this Eagles, that is why we struggle to qualify playing against the likes of Sudan and Congo. Wake up giants! You won Afcon just last year.

Credit must go to the team and Coach Stephen Keshi for securing the all important victory, but the truth must be told as we approach the final game on home soil. It will be against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa on the turf of the new Akwa Ibom Statdium. Come Wednesday, the fate of the Eagles will be decided, in fact, the team under pressure is Nigeria because the men from the South have their feets already in Equatorial Guinea

Have your say, this is strictly my opinion.
http://sportstalkwithamos..com/

Guys, let us reason together on this betting that has taken mere
passion for sports or football to the next level of having to get rewarded.

Have you not realized that the rate at which people flood to betting shops every weekend,
beginning from Friday down to Sunday is so high and only a few would return with smiles on Monday.
The thing is, many have fallen in love with the game of football and
passion they say is the driving force, sometimes to no where exactly if one is not wise.

There's a common mistake I have observed that many make including me,
because I also want to reward my passion. Lol.. Who does not want to make money?
The truth is, ''betters'' tend to stake their money on a club they have passion for,
even when the team is not doing too well. That's what i call ''Fanatic betting''.

It is not wrong to have confidence in the team you follow as a fan but
what is wrong is when you don't live in reality that your team
is not doing well at the moment and you just want to maintain your loyalty.

You'll be rewarded if you maintain your loyalty no doubt, may be your team
will send your money back to your account. Hmm, if I hear! Please don't ask me which club I support...

Come to think of it, wouldn't you rather stake wisely?
May be you prefer to lose money week in week out, but for me,
I believe in the term ''Playing Safe'', let's say, its could be likened to using a condom.
You know what I mean. The essence of using a Condom is to help you stay safe,
that is also not to say that condom guarantees you 100% security, never! The thing is many ''betters'' do not use condom.

You may not to know who carries a deadly disease especially when it's at its early stages.
You don't go raw because you feel the lady or man is looking gorgeous and you think all is well, okay o.
Even your darling Girl/Boyfriend (Club/Country) could be a carrier, did i hear you say God forbid?

In the same vein, you just would not know which team would be the spoiler of your carefully selected teams.
Lets just say, many pick teams based on hype. Some even pick teams they do not know or have not heard about,
don't you think it is risky even if it is believed that betting is all about risk?


Full article here >> http://sportstalkwithamos..com/2014/11/lets-talk-soccer-bet-and-winning-condom.html