₦airaland Forum

The Super Eagles' interim coach has said his coaching crew
could still qualify the country for 2015 African Cup of Nations
despite their slim hopes of qualification
Nigeria interim coach Shaibu Amodu has said he and his
technical crew will do everything to ensure the Super Eagles
qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Amodu, who was appointed alongside Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga
Ogunbote and Alloyius Agu following the dimissal of Stephen
Keshi by the Nigeria Football Federation last week, pleaded
with Nigerians to be patience in the nation's quest for a
qualification ticket.
On his strategies ahead of the games in November, the three-
time former Super Eagles coach said his action plan to
ensure the country qualifies for the tournament will be made
public soon after deliberations with the NFF were concluded.
The 56-year-old former coach of the BCC Lions, with whom
he won the 1990 CAF Cup Winners Cup, said his immediate
task remains securing a ticket for the biennial tournament.
"We have been given an assignment that is tough and very
challenging but not one that is impossible to accomplish. We
will give it our very best and see how things can be turned
around," said Amodu.
"I think this situation is very similar to what we had in the
qualifiers to the 2002 World Cup. We worked hard, did our bit
and were fortunate to have results elsewhere also going our
way.
"There are somethings that, as humans, we cannot control
just as there are a lot more we can influence. I can assure
everybody that we will give this assignment all we have and
then hope that all other things fall in place for us.
"Let us all be modest in our expectations so that we do not
put ourselves under undue pressure. Let everybody involved in
the game in Nigeria pull together in the right direction and
then we see what we can achieve with the next two games as
mandated by the the Nigeria Football Federation,"Shaibu said.
"Planning has commenced. A lot of deliberations and
discussions are already going on. We need to be very
thorough with all aspects of our planning. Once we have
concluded all these, we will unveil them to the media," he
concluded.
Amodu, who is technical director of Nigeria's national teams,
will be in charge of the Super Eagles for the fourth time.
The Super Eagles need maximum points from their two
remaining qualifying games to be sure of an opportunity to
defend the title they won in South Africa in 2013.
Nigeria are third in Group A of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
qualifiers behind South Africa and Congo and ahead of Sudan.

Carlo Ancelotti will have to shuffle his pack after losing Gareth
Bale through injury. The Welshman will miss Los Blancos'
Champions League game against Liverpool as well as their
league fixture against Barcelona.
Isco Alarcón's recent performances for Real Madrid, like last
weekend's against Levante appear to have earned him a
chance to shine in the Champions League. The midfielder,
who started at the Ciutat de Valencia, was one of Real
Madrid's best players on the night, scoring Los Blancos' fifth
goal of the game.
Isco knows full well just how fierce competition is for places
at the Bernabeu, but he has always been one of Carlo
Ancelotti's preferred options. Bale's injury opens the door to
him starting against Barcelona in a game that the whole
world will be watching.
The 22-year-old has started three league games for Real
Madrid this season (Real Sociedad, Elche and Levante) and
has stood out for his assists, having set up his teammates for
four goals so far this campaign.
Another point in Isco's favour is the excellent partnership he
has struck up with James Rodríguez. The two of them showed
at the Ciutat de Valencia just how well they can play together.
Isco also tracks back to do his bit in defence and has racked
up more than 10km in every game he has played.

The Turkish giants have been punished after fans tore up
seats during their Champions League clash, while Basel and
Feyenoord have also been sanctioned
Galatasaray have been fined €50,000 by Uefa following the
crowd disturbances during their Champions League defeat to
Arsenal.
The Turkish club were beaten 4-1 at Emirates Stadium on
October 1 in a fixture that was interrupted by flares being
thrown onto the pitch.
Seats in the away section of the ground were also pulled out
and broken by Galatasaray fans, with the club having been
ordered to contact Arsenal within 30 days in order to settle
the cost of the damage.
Arsenal were charged with insufficient organisation as a result
of a lack of body searches but will not be punished after Uefa
opted to close the disciplinary proceedings against the club.
AFTERMATH | Ripped-up seats are removed from the
Emirates' away section
European football's governing body issued fines to a number
of other teams on Monday.
Basel will be required to pay €40,000 as a result of the
"throwing of objects" that occurred in their 1-0 victory over
Liverpool in the Champions League on October 1.
Feyenoord and Standard Liege, meanwhile, have been fined
€15,000 and €17,000 respectively after incidents in their
Europa League match the following day.
Both teams have been punished for the setting off of fireworks,
while Feyenoord were also found guilty of insufficient
organisation and Liege of a crowd disturbance.
The Andorran Football Federation has been ordered to pay
€10,000, having been found guilty of insufficient organisation
for their match against Wales, whose FA have received a
€5,000 fine following a pitch invasion by their supporters.

With Chelsea and Manchester City on the horizon, this was
not the calm, settled performance that Louis van Gaal would
have been looking for. With only one striker, Robin van Persie,
leading the line ahead of what was a five-man midfield,
Manchester United only really threatened from wide areas and
still looked suceptible to pace and tenacity.
Chelsea may be a little more measured on Sunday afternoon
but they will be thoroughly capable of exploiting United's
weaknesses, and several were on show here.
It's hard to know what to make of the 2-2 result at West
Brom, given the topsy-turvy nature of the match. Van Gaal's
players certainly looked dejected walking off at full-time after
Daley Blind had snatched an equaliser, but while they may feel
they had the chances to take three points, it goes to show,
once more, that nothing can be taken for granted with a
makeshift defence and few defensive-minded midfielders.
There will be plenty of matches like this to come. The last
away game, at Leicester, was very similar, and the Baggies
looked like they were going to replicate the Tigers' second-
half energy right from the off. Stephane Sessegnon tucked
away a delightful goal as United reeled.
For all Blind's quality on the ball and his ability to read the
game, he cannot tie the whole thing together every time,
especially with little help from his midfield cohorts. Ander
Herrera, perhaps rushed back from a broken rib, had a night
to forget. Contributing to the early pressure by giving the ball
away deep in his own half and then failing to help build
momentum with some wayward passes on the edge of the
hosts' box, he was duly hooked at half-time.
Compatriot Juan Mata lasted longer, but often disappeared
into the space he worked so hard to find. Adnan Januzaj,
making his first start under Van Gaal, did not beat his man all
night and looked to cut back and play the ball inside, when
Rafael was not arriving from deep.
Even Angel Di Maria had a quiet night, with his most
inspirational moments failing to either reach a team-mate or
the back of the net. The Argentine will be the key man for
United this season, as has become blindingly obvious this
season, and without his magic his side struggled for long
periods. Subbed late on and given an ice pack to soothe his
thigh, United will need him back on form at the weekend.
Van Persie, used to at least one partner this season, was
isolated for most of the match and didn't make the most of the
few chances he did get in the first half. It was only when
Marouane Fellaini, and later Radamel Falcao, was brought on
to add some hustle and bustle did the Dutchman, and United,
actually offer a sustained threat.
Shortly after the West Brom Twitter account had mocked the
Belgian's entrance he had taken the ball down on his chest,
shifted it on to his right foot and lashed it into the roof of the
net. He was deployed in that agricultural No.10 role in which
he thrived under David Moyes at Everton, and after scoring he
actually looked like he was going to get at least another.
These were heady times for the much-maligned midfielder.
Fellaini has now taken his tracksuit off, fortunately he has
a Man Utd strip on underneath.
But after a brief spell of pressure - with most of it coming
down the wings - it was another defensive lapse which
allowed West Brom back into it and made it one of those
nights for United and Van Gaal.
Before the match the Dutchman said the catalyst for a title
charge could come at any time but it seems very unlikely that
it will be soon if his side keep giving goals away, especially
with Chelsea next up. The charge could be over before it has
begun.
"I don't think West Brom have created any chances, I think
zero, and we gave two chances away," he said.
But if matches like these are inevitably to crop up throughout
the season, it would appear that Sunday's match will be more
straightforward.
When Jose Mourinho comes to town - "another biscuit"
compared to West Brom, according to Van Gaal's colourful
English - they will be more than capable of fashioning their
own chances.
At this moment in time United need to be at their brilliant,
attacking best to get near a victory. The Blues haven't been
beaten this season, even at the home of the champions, and
not many would back them to lose at Old Trafford on current
form. Three points for the Blues would essentially eliminate
United from the title race.
Van Gaal does believe his team are starting to come together,
and even in the midst of this inconsistency things do look
brighter than they did in the final months of Moyes' reign. No
mean feat considering the turnover of players this summer,
regardless of the money spent.
While that will not be good enough to win the Premier League
considering the strength of the top two, it could yet produce a
top-four finish given the inconsistency of United's other rivals.
But too many nights like these, against sides hoping to stay in
the division at best, will put paid to those hopes too.
Van Gaal has said a lot in his time at Old Trafford so far and
he recently admitted he wished he hadn't revealed he would
take three months to get his players singing from the same
hymn sheet.
And well he might regret it. After eight games, many of which
supposed to be winnable, United sit 10 points behind Chelsea.
The Van Gaal revolution is under way, but so far it poses
more questions than answers.

The Reds were fortunate to beat QPR at Loftus Road and the
likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale will be licking their
lips ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash
For many, it was a finish that highlighted all that is best
about the Premier League. When the tapes are reviewed at
Real Madrid’s training complex in Valdebebas, however, it will
likely be received as further evidence that Wednesday’s trip to
Anfield should hold few fears.
Liverpool head back to Merseyside having secured back-to-
back wins for the first time in this troubled season, but no one
who watched Sunday’s frantic finale at Loftus Road was
under any illusions. QPR struck the crossbar twice and scored
four of the games five goals, yet came away with nothing.
“I’m still in shock to be honest,” Steven Gerrard told Sky
Sports after the match. “We were very lucky. We could have
had no complaints if we’d come away with nothing. Our
performance needs to be better.
“It was very bitty, stop-start. The only thing you can say is
we kept going. We got our reward but we need to improve.”
The truth was that QPR, for all their limitations, had exposed
every problem that has blighted life after Luis Suarez for
Liverpool.
Bobby Zamora and Charlie Austin bullied Martin Skrtel and
Dejan Lovren, while Simon Mignolet once again failed to
command his area in the manner of an elite goalkeeper. All
three conspired to give Leroy Fer two excellent chances to
open the scoring before half-time.
Further forward, Gerrard looked utterly uncomfortable with the
kind of advanced midfield role in which he used to dominate,
quickly opting to drift into deeper areas and attempt typically
ambitious long-range diagonal passes.
And at the head of Brendan Rodgers’ turgid system, Mario
Balotelli’s personal nightmare continues. With aborted runs,
lazy shots and frequent glaring gesticulations, it is a hell
largely of his own making, but confidence has clearly become
a chronic issue. One goal in nine games tells its own story
and one blazing open-goal miss in the second half was
Fernando Torres-esque.
“It’ll drop for the boy,” Rodgers insisted after the match. “The
most important thing to me is his work rate. He’s working
really hard. It’ll drop for him.
“I’ve said before, Luis [Suarez] is irreplaceable, a real world-
class talent. That’s not what’s being asked of Mario. He’s a
great boy, I’ve enjoyed working with him. He wants to be
better. He’s a completely different player to Luis.”
With Daniel Sturridge sidelined for at least another fortnight
and Madrid on the horizon, Rodgers needs it to drop for
Balotelli, mainly because dropping him doesn’t appear to be
an option. Yet perhaps his words of support would carry
more weight without the public admission earlier this month
that the troubled Italian was not his top target in the summer
transfer market.
The most avoidable aspect of Liverpool’s crisis at both ends
of the pitch is an ongoing ineptitude at defensive set-pieces.
Eduardo Vargas’ second goal from the QPR bench – a routine
unmarked near-post header from Leroy Fer’s injury-time
corner – was their fifth conceded from dead-ball situations in
eight matches.
On a day of few positives, there were at least flashes in the
final moments of the counter-attacking prowess that made
Liverpool so thrilling and deadly last season, with a visibly
refreshed Raheem Sterling and decisive Coutinho at the heart
of much of their best work. This enduring ability alone may
give Rodgers hope of fending off wave after wave of pressure
from a star-studded Madrid attack that has racked up 40
goals in its first 13 matches this term.
But unless Liverpool can tighten up defensively and garner
their threat on the transition with goals of their own, being
part of a ‘great advert for the Premier League’ will be scant
consolation amid a world of pain on Wednesday.

The Uruguayan has admitted that he thought he was finished
at the top level after being banned for biting for the third time
in less than four years
Luis Suarez has revealed that he cried tears of relief when his
move to Barcelona was confirmed as he feared he had ruined
his career by biting Giorgio Chiellini at World Cup 2014.
The Uruguay international was hit with a four-month ban for
sinking his teeth into the Italy defender during their nations'
meeting in Natal on June 24.
Despite the suspension, Suarez, who initially denied
deliberately biting Chiellini, was still able to leave Liverpool for
Barca when the summer transfer window opened.
However, the striker has now revealed that in his darkest
hours, he was worried that he would never be allowed to
complete his dream move to Camp Nou.
"I felt I had ruined my career," Suarez told TV3.
"At first, I did not want anyone to know anything. I locked
myself away with my family, but then I reflected on what I had
done, I apologised and felt liberated.
"By then discussions with Barca had begun, and when Pere
[Guardiola, his agent] called me to tell me it was done, I
began to cry, because of the situation I was living and the
support that the club was offering me.
"I felt happy about the commitment the club had shown me.
"But I was still afraid that the repercussions of the incident
might halt the deal. I knew that could happen."
As it stands, though, Suarez is now set to make his Barca
debut in next Saturday's Clasico clash with Real Madrid.
Suarez is understandably desperate to resume his club career
but he says that he has not been begging coach Luis Enrique
to start him at the Santiago Bernabeu.
"I'm not imagining myself playing in the game but I am
preparing for it with my colleagues," he explained.
"But it's not in my personality to ask the coach to let me play
that game.
"I hesitate to tell Luis Enrique I want to play at the Bernabeu."
Suarez, though, already feels right at home in Catalunya and
says he would like to finish his career with Barca.
"if I have the opportunity to retire here, that would be the
perfect career for me," the 27-year-old stated.
Suarez signed a five-year contract when he joined Barca for a
reported €94 million on July 11.

Louis van Gaal has warned Wayne Rooney that he will not
walk back into the Manchester United starting XI upon his
return from suspension, despite being named the club’s
captain at the start of the season.
Rooney is banned for the club’s next two matches, against
West Brom on Monday and Chelsea next weekend, having
been sent off in the 2-1 win over West Ham on September 27.
He is will be eligible again in time for the meeting with rivals
Manchester City on November 2, but Van Gaal insists he will
not start the game unless he impresses in training.
"Nobody is walking back in my team, believe me. You have to
earn it on the training ground," he told reporters.
"But every player here already knows that. I have always said
that just because players have the best name, it doesn’t mean
that they are the best for the team.
"I am always looking for a constant level of performance –
from the team and from individual players."
United have been hit by a number of injuries this season, with
Michael Carrick and Phil Jones notable absentees, but Van
Gaal has been impressed with the players who have been
drafted in to provide cover.
The Dutchman has handed first-team berths to Patrick McNair
and Tyler Blackett, among others, and has praised the young
stars.
"Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Phil Jones are great
football players but, believe me, sometimes the other players
are doing better," he added.
"It is not only the name. I have seen, for example, a player
like McNair. He was outstanding in the first match and you
have seen the reaction of the fans to that.
"Of course Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling have
not been available. But I am always thinking that youngsters
can take the job over. It’s not any problem.
"We have also good youth players – and we have showed
that already with not just McNair but with Blackett and also
with Jesse Lingard. Their progress is more quicker than you
think.

You hear the word 'platform' all the time in football.
We are constantly told that this victory could be a platform for
the remainder of the season, or that a clean sheet is a
platform to build on.
Yet when Arsenal's players talked in such terms after May's
FA Cup final victory over Hull City, who they meet again on
Saturday, it was difficult not to take them seriously. After all,
they had just ended a nine-year trophy drought and with the
coffers swelling with cash to be lavished on new signings it
seemed the sky was the limit.
“This is a platform for us,” said Jack Wilshere at the time.
“We failed in the cup final against Birmingham a few years
ago. No disrespect to the Carling Cup but the FA Cup means
more to us as players.
“The last time I won a cup it was the FA Youth Cup but this is
a bit different. It's the first one for many of us and hopefully
it's a platform.”
That theme continued into pre-season, with captain Mikel
Arteta stating in July that more was expected this season.
“Hopefully it's the platform we can build on, because I think
this club has to be aiming for much bigger trophies and be
much more consistent. And hopefully that's the road we
take.”
Yet as Arsenal prepare to face Hull again, many are
wondering just how much has changed.
There have certainly been improvements, with the team
undoubtedly stronger than last season.
Alexis Sanchez is a superb addition, while the €20 million
signing of Danny Welbeck made perfect sense. Mathieu
Debuchy, before his ankle injury, was proving that he was a
more than capable replacement for Bacary Sagna while David
Ospina will provide Wojciech Szczesny with competition.
The revelation has been Calum Chambers, a player who
insiders at Arsenal have admitted is better than they realised
when they paid Southampton €20m for him.
Arsene Wenger has also got tough on his players, unleashing
a verbal volley at three of them - including Alexis - for their
part in Chelsea's first goal a fortnight ago. The Frenchman
has tweaked his gameplan for the big matches and felt he had
been let down by individuals.
NO MORE MR NICE GUY
How Wenger is getting tough to fuel Arsenal's title charge
It is part of a wider revolution in the manager's thinking, but
as Sir Chips Keswick made extremely clear, he has the full
backing of the board to do whatever he likes anyway: "If he
has a plan, we back it," he said. "If he doesn't, we keep
quiet."
The concern, then, is that not enough has changed. A high-
class defensive midfielder should have been purchased, while
going into the season with just six senior defenders always
looked an extremely risky strategy.
Then there are the injuries. Twice after the draw with
Tottenham Wenger said 'I don't understand' - or words to
that effect - why Aaron Ramsey and Arteta had suffered
injuries in that game.
Both were well-rested, neither was in the 'red zone' that they
would have been at the end of last season, yet both suffered
muscular injuries.
Next up was Mesut Ozil. The German's position in the team
was coming under intense scrutiny due to Wenger's
reluctance to play him in his preferred No.10 position – he
was outstanding when selected there against Aston Villa but
the manager wants him to build up his fitness on the wing –
but for the next three months he will be sidelined with a knee
injury.
Arsenal's record signing completed the 90 minutes in the
defeat at Chelsea and left for international duty, where the
injury was scanned and a diagnosis given by the German
national team via Twitter, which does not reflect well on
Arsenal.
Ozil's injury will at least save Wenger more headlines and
questions over whether he should drop the German or switch
him to a more central position, with the likelihood being that
Jack Wilshere - one of the biggest positives of the campaign
to date - will be given extra responsibility.
But the fact that Arsenal are once again suffering an injury
crisis – physioroom.com states their playing staff have
suffered an incredible 28 separate injuries since that FA Cup
victory – is cause for grave concern. Wenger has promised a
thorough investigation into the causes, and Shad Forsythe
was brought in over the summer, but no other club suffers as
Arsenal do in this regard.
Already this season Arsenal have used 21 players in the
Premier League alone, just one fewer than the Invincibles of
2003-04 required over the entire season – a statistic that will
worry Wenger.
Other old failings were visible in the defeats to Borussia
Dortmund and Chelsea, too. Arteta and then Flamini were
over-run, with Nemanja Matic in the latter game providing an
exemplary example of how the holding midfield role should be
played.
It is perhaps unfair to compare the duo to Patrick Vieira and
Gilberto, but their stats during the Invincible season make for
interesting reading. In the 03-04 season they made nine
tackles a game between them. So far this season Arteta and
Flamini make 4.5.
They also created 1.49 chances per game between them,
while Arteta and Flamini average 0.9.
Arteta and Flamini have higher pass completion percentages
– 94% compared to 82.5% - but there is always the feeling
that they are guilty of 'sterile possession', with Jose Mourinho
intimating in the past he was happy to allow Arteta to have
the ball as he was unable to kill Chelsea with his range of
passing.
Questions are also being asked over whether Szczesny has
progressed as might have been expected – his save
percentage of 62.5 is the lowest in a single season so far in
his career – but it is hoped Ospina's arrival will bring the
best out of him.
That there is no top-class competition for Per Mertesacker
and Laurent Koscielny must also be queried, particularly
when Chelsea and Manchester City added Kurt Zouma and
Eliaquim Mangala to their ranks this summer.
And there's the rub: while Arsenal have improved Chelsea and
City have done so to an even greater degree.
The season could well be defined by Chelsea's purchase of a
player Arsenal wanted in Diego Costa and one they turned
down in Cesc Fabregas.
Former Arsenal hero Fabregas has racked up as many assists
as Wenger's whole team, while Costa has been ruthless in
front of goal, converting 47% of his chances. The Gunners'
conversion rate this season is 15% - down 2% on last season.
The ruthlessness that saw Mourinho purchase Willian from
under Tottenham's noses last summer does not appear to be
in Wenger's make-up. In signing Fabregas he would also
have been striking Chelsea a significant blow, but he
continued to put his faith in Ozil.
The AGM threw up more questions about Stan Kroenke's
ownership of the club and whether he intends to run it for
personal profit, but there is around €75m that could have
been spent on players.
And as Arsenal have scored fewer goals and had fewer shots
in their first seven games of this season compared to the final
seven of 2013-14, it is clear this side is not operating at full
capacity quite yet.
When they do it may well be enough to haul them past a
Manchester United side rebuilding under Louis van Gaal, a
Liverpool team coping with the loss of Luis Suarez, an
Everton side that are struggling to hit the heights of last
season and a Tottenham team that are frustratingly
inconsistent.

The stage is set. Real Madrid thrashed Levante 5-0 in
Valencia and Barcelona beat Eibar 3-0 at Camp Nou as both
sides warmed up in style for next Saturday's Clasico clash at
the Santiago Bernabeu.
Barca should have made their first-half dominance count
against Eibar as chances came and went in the opening 45
minutes, with the Catalans somewhat fortunate to go in ahead
after Ander Capa missed an open goal - albeit from a tight
angle.
The second half brought rewards, however, as the excellent
Xavi (set up superbly by Lionel Messi), Neymar and then the
Argentine himself got the goals to seal a comfortable 3-0 win.
Messi, though, needed one more to equal the record for goals
scored in La Liga.
A header in the dying seconds almost achieved it after the
Argentine had netted his 200th goal at Camp Nou and his
250th strike in La Liga with a fine run, one-two with Neymar
and precise finish in off the post with 16 minutes left.
But that late effort was saved by the superb Xabi Irureta and
the record will now have to wait until next Saturday at the
Bernabeu, where Messi hit a hat-trick on his last appearance.
"Sometimes I say to myself how lucky we are to have Messi,"
Luis Enrique said afterwards. "It's not just about what he
creates, it's also a great stimulus for his team-mates to have
him and especially in such great form."
Messi missed chances on Saturday, but was involved in all of
Barca's best play. And next Saturday, he will be able to link
up with Luis Suarez as the Uruguayan is available again
following his bite ban.
Top of La Liga with 22 points from 24, no goals conceded at
all so far, Suarez to come in and with Messi chasing a
record, Barca appear in superb shape for the Clasico.
"We'll go to the Bernabeu to win the match, like we have
always done, especially over the last few years," Luis Enrique
explained.
But Madrid look just as good ahead of the latest edition of
Spain's most famous fixture, having hit five goals without
reply at one of La Liga's notoriously difficult away venues and
amassed 25 goals in their last five Primera Division matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo took his Liga tally for the season to 15 with
a penalty and a superb solo strike. The Portuguese is on the
finest form of his career in front of goal and averages over two
per game so far in La Liga this term.
"To do more than what he does is impossible," coach Carlo
Ancelotti said after the game. "We want him to stay in this
form and we are going to help him do that."
Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos were all out
and are doubtful for the midweek Champions league clash
against Liverpool, but Isco impressed in Valencia with an
assist for Ronaldo's second and a lovely goal as well, while
James Rodriguez also shone with a great goal and an assist
and Javier Hernandez won a penalty and scored with a
header from close range.
"You don't score goals like that without sacrifice and
concentration," Ancelotti added. "We're in good physical and
mental shape for the Clasico."
Indeed they are, and with the two teams in such fantastic
form ahead of next weekend's clash, it already promises to be
quite an occasion.

The Gunners have won just two games from eight in the
Premier League this season and the Frenchman admits that
he is perturbed by the amount of goals they are conceding
Arsene Wenger admits he has "big concerns" over Arsenal 's
form after a 2-2 draw with Hull City left them trailing league
leaders Chelsea by 11 points.
The Gunners were indebted to Danny Welbeck for his late
leveller but they couldn’t find a winner, with their best chance
falling to Nacho Monreal in the dying moments.
And although a point was salvaged, Wenger says he is
worried about his team’s displays this season.
He told reporters: ”It is a big concern we have only won two
games, especially with the goals we are conceding.
“I think the performance was quite good, we put ourselves in
trouble because we gave two goals away. We put the heart,
the effort in until the last second.”
Controversy surrounded Hull’s equaliser as Mohamed Diame
appeared to tug Mathieu Flamini back as he embarked on his
run and Wenger suggested it was a poor refereeing decision.
“The first goal is for the referee,” he added.
“The second one is for us.”
“Disappointing afternoon. 80 per cent possession, one point.
Very disappointing result.
“We are unlucky with the referee on the first goal, but can only
blame ourselves on the second. I cannot fault the effort, the
heart but the defensive concentration was missing on the
second goal.
"You cannot give goals away like that.”
Chelsea ran out 2-1 winners over Crystal Palace at Selhurst
Park at the same time to retain their lead at the top of the
table, and Wenger admits the gap to the Blues is worrying.
“Of course, it’s a big concern,” he stated. “The other teams
win games and we don’t.
“Sometimes the team that takes the initiative doesn't win. We
tried our best and we can only look at ourselves.”
Wenger did have some positive news, though, confirming Jack
Wilshere will be fit for selection for Wednesday’s Champions
League trip to Anderlecht, after hobbling off the pitch injured in
the second half.

Oct 18, 2014 08:26:00
The Chelsea boss believes the FA is guilty of double standards
in failing to punish the Arsenal manager for shoving him
during the two sides' Premier League clash
Jose Mourinho believes the Football Association's failure to
punish Arsene Wenger for pushing him leaves them guilty of
double standards and insists that if he had been the
aggressor "it would have been a stadium ban".
Incensed by a challenge on Alexis Sanchez by Gary Cahill
during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal earlier this month,
Wenger ventured into Mourinho's technical area to protest
and shoved the Portuguese away when told to leave.
After the match Mourinho played down the incident - for
which Wenger has since apologised - but ahead of his side's
Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday, the
Chelsea boss could not help but wonder how the authorities
would have reacted if he had brought about the altercation.
“I gave you my reaction after the match, saying nothing had
happened," he told reporters. "The reaction from everyone
else was saying nothing had happened.
“Am I surprised he wasn’t punished? I’m not surprised. I’m
not surprised."
When asked if he thought he would have been sanctioned for
pushing Wenger, Mourinho replied: “Charged? Charged? If it
was me, it would have been a stadium ban!’’
Mourinho also expanded on his sarcastic response to being
labelled a "disgrace" by Roy Keane, suggesting the Aston Villa
and Republic of Ireland assistant's criticism might have been
no more than a ploy to help boost sales of his new
autobiography.
“I don’t know if he really feels it, or if he wants to sell books
and needs my help for that,” he added, dryly. “But, to be fair, I
know my nature, I know my intentions.
“From people like him and his boss [Paul Lambert], I think I
have a lot to learn about how to behave and I appreciate the
comment.’’

Stephen Keshi was sacked from his role as Nigeria coach on
Thursday morning, bringing an end to his three year reign
despite his side's 3-1 win over Sudan a few hours earlier.
In his place, Amodu Shaibu, a former national team trainer,
has been handed the job of temporarily leading the Super
Eagles in their remaining 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
next month.
Keshi was told to go after the African champions could only
muster four points from four matches in the qualifiers, thereby
putting in jeopardy the nation’s quest to defend the title won
last year in South Africa.
The 52-year-old, who also took Nigeria to the second round
of the World Cup in Brazil, was kicked out alongside his
assistants Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu.
One of the factors that led to the sacking of Keshi was his
desire to exert his authority as the head coach of the Eagles
while ignoring other peoples’ opinion. It was the sole factor
former coach Samson Siasia failed as boss when he
considered himself to be above the board and thus took
decisions unilaterally without consideration. It was on this
premise that Siasia was asked to go and that a more humane
manager would be found. The one that would know how to
manage the ego of his players without necessarily clashing
with them.
Keshi was the supposed messiah and he started work as
such when he invited almost all the Eagles' players to the
national team in order to measure how good they were and
judge who would fit in with his strategy. Nigerians praised
this bold move and he even endeared himself more to those
that gave him the job when he said he would raise a
formidable home-based team and that these players would
fight for shirts on level terms with those abroad. He later
digressed and, just like those before him, the foreign-based
players had their ways into his heart while leaving the
domestic ones in the lurch.
There were also concerns in the NFF that Keshi would not
listen to advice from the technical committee on who to call
up and what tactics to play since he won the Afcon in South
Africa. This was only going to end one way for the coach.
Another sin of Keshi was handing call-ups to players that
were of no relevance to the national team. Sticking to these
players proved to be a worthy venture in some cases, but this
ensured there was a lack of competition for places in the
team. Keshi picked avoidable quarrels with some of his best
performers and called up those that were not up to scratch as
their replacements.
This ensured that he kept fielding Emmanuel Emenike, who
last scored for Nigeria in October 2013, while ignoring more
in-form strikers like Ikechukwu Uche and Obafemi Martins
ahead of the World Cup. There were also questionable call
ups for Shola Ameobi, Reuben Gabriel and Michael Uchebo
going to the World Cup.
Former Super Eagles player Garba Lawal recently made this
known succinctly in an interview with Goal : "Keshi has
allowed sentiments to cloud his judgment and because of this
he should be allowed to go. The Eagles deserve their best
legs but it would be difficult for the Big Boss to offer this with
the way he is handling the team presently."
Keshi out | Saturday's defeat to Sudan was the last straw for
several fans
Public anger against Keshi reached unprecedented heights
after Saturday’s defeat in Khartoum to Sudan. Fans saw a
team that lacked the zeal to win and took it out on the
coaching crew that was seen as lacking in technical depth.
When the team returned from Sudan, they were booed at the
Abuja airport and almost attacked physically but for security
agents.
There were also protests by fans at the stadium on Tuesday,
with many carrying placards that read: "Keshi Out". The NFF
saw this as their coup de grace to finally edge out the coach
who had fallen out of favour in many circles.
It was obvious that the NFF was not interested in keeping
Keshi on the job after the World Cup, as they held off
renewing his contract which expired in June. And his sacking
was only delayed due to the internal problems within the
federation which ensured that a new board was not in place
until the end of September.
It was the first big task for the new board led by Amaju
Pinnick, who is publicly not a fan of Keshi’s. Hence,
Thursday’s sacking was long overdue. The main backers of
Keshi could no longer keep him safe and he had to go.
Keshi led the Eagles to the Afcon title in 2013 in South Africa
and he was in charge of the team for the 2013 Confederation
Cup and the 2014 World Cup both in Brazil. He also
supervised the Eagles to a bronze medal in their maiden
appearance in the 2014 African Nations Championship. It was
a competition meant for players who ply their trade in their
domestic leagues. He led the CHAN Eagles to qualify for the
competition also after the country had failed to claim a ticket
for the past two editions.
The 52-year-old also secured the Eagles’ first victory at the
World Cup since France 1998 and it was during his reign that
Nigeria secured a place in the second round of the 2014
World Cup.
The NFF has taken the best decision possible based on the
prevalent situation to ask Keshi and his assistants to go while
giving room to another set with different sense of approach to
tinker the team for the next two matches.
Nigerians won’t forgive the present board of the NFF if the
Eagles are unable to defend the trophy won last year at
Morocco 2015 and all efforts must be geared towards
ensuring that Nigeria defeat Congo in Brazzaville and also
beat South Africa comfortably in Uyo next month to ensure
that a ticket to Morocco is assured.

The Argentine has made an instant, electrifying impression on
English football, but can he continue to thrill while also
leading Manchester United's long-overdue revival?
Few will mourn the loss of the drama and controversy created
by Luis Suarez now that he has swapped Merseyside for
Catalonia, though his rare breed of genius, which walked a
line between joyous frivolity and ruthless precision,
unquestionably leaves behind a gaping hole. The mantle of the
Premier League's great entertainer is up for grabs and, just
like so many Manchester United No.7s in the past, Angel Di
Maria is ready to claim the title as his own.
The Argentine has made just five appearances for United since
completing a British-record €75 million (£59.7m) move to Old
Trafford, but has already shown both what a phenomenal
talent he is and hinted at the galvanising effect he can have
on a side who lost their mojo under David Moyes and offered
up precious few signs of finding it again in the early days of
Louis van Gaal’s pre-Di Maria re-building.
The Argentine, though, has brought an immediate injection of
flair and an arrogance that had become virtually extinct under
Moyes - and had arguably been dying out even before his
arrival, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s post-Cristiano Ronaldo
squad bereft of stardust and built only to be more than the
sum of their largely functional parts.
Only against Burnley, on a debut cut short by injury, and West
Ham has Di Maria failed to both score and assist in a match,
having rattled up three apiece in barely 400 minutes of action.
As a mark of his Midas touch, even his wayward shots have
turned into assists, even his crosses have turned into goals.
More than just his production is the sheer, unbridled fun that
effuses from his every cultured touch and slaloming, catch-
me-if-you-can running style. That lung-busting approach left
him faint in the Copa del Rey, though he continued to surge
forward, and it was a trademark "zig-zag", as Xabi Alonso
dubbed it, that helped seal the Champions League in Lisbon.
Di Maria, like Suarez before him, is a blur of perpetual motion,
always driving forward and committing players - a gliding
guillotine of creativity.
They are players all too rare in modern football's world of
efficiency and absolutes, players whose flicks and feigns could
veer towards being overly elaborate and superfluous if they
did not so often result in match-winning brilliance. It is a
marriage of both entertaining, care-free artistry and cut-
throat, merciless annihilation.
And so it has been for Di Maria in his brief United career so
far. He has been the spark they have craved, a provider and
scorer of goals, and the sole blotch on his copy book is that
Leicester City were able to condemn his stunning, Karel
Poborsky-esque lob to the annals of irrelevancy by
overturning a 3-1 deficit that had been built on the cunning
and hard running of the Argentine.
The 2014-15 Premier League season already feels like being a
vintage year for attackers, such is the abundance of talent
pulsating through the division, but even now Di Maria is
beginning to stand apart.
There are challengers, of course; Diego Costa has been
ferocious in front of goal since moving to England, Cesc
Fabregas has been a hugely influential and creative presence,
Sergio Aguero has once again shown his devastating,
unerring finishing. But none will be asked to carry their sides
quite like Di Maria, none will have to disguise so many sins,
none will have to transform their club’s fortunes to so great
an extent.
For the teams at the top it is, to paraphrase Al Pacino, the
inches that make the difference, but not so for United who
have miles to make up. Chelsea, for example, needed only
tweaks to turn a side who should have won the title last
season, even in spite of their absentee strikeforce, into
bonafide champions. Now Costa has brought the required
cutting edge and has Fabregas - and a horde of playmakers -
to feed him.
Di Maria, by contrast, often appears to be a lone ranger in a
team that needs significantly more than mere finishing
touches and who picked up just a single point more across
2014 than the likes of Stoke City and Crystal Palace.
Yet he is still on course to overtake his Chelsea counterpart in
assists. The Argentine does, somewhat surprisingly, create a
goalscoring opportunity more regularly than Fabregas, though
so far has been let down by a profligate striking trio. While
Costa has scored with an astonishing 47 per cent of his shots
on goal, Wayne Rooney, United's most clinical forward this
term, has scored with just 25% of his efforts.
United’s forward line, and the team as a whole, are now
looking to Di Maria to breathe fresh life and impetus into the
club - and it has started already. The former Benfica
attacker's presence has changed the mentality at Old Trafford
and altered the very nature of how Van Gaal feels he can set
up and shape his squad.
Until Di Maria’s arrival, the Dutchman was preparing to rely
upon the 3-5-2 formation that had helped a mediocre
Netherlands side - who have lost three of their four matches
under Van Gaal’s successor, Guus Hiddink - achieve a third-
place finish at the World Cup. That same system was to be
implemented to counteract the lack of balance and quality in
the United side he inherited.
Before signing Di Maria, the veteran coach expanded on his
team's limitations: "We don't have any wingers to give us
attacking width. Or, I should say, we don't have wingers of
the highest level, like Ronaldo or Di Maria or somebody like
that. So, I have to play another way." Not so any more. Now
the task facing Van Gaal is not to hide and reinforce
weaknesses, but to find a way to harness Di Maria to the
maximum.
Perhaps the biggest question mark that remains is whether Di
Maria has the mentality needed to become a leading man. For
so long the 26-year-old has been the wingman for both club
and country, servicing Lionel Messi for Argentina and Ronaldo
at the Bernabeu.
Now he must step into the limelight on his own and become
United’s focal point, their leader. Such is the team's
dependence on the Argentine they cannot afford for him to
have the off-days that would previously have been
compensated for by the relentlessness of Ronaldo and Messi.
Performances like his outing in the World Cup last-16 clash
with Belgium, where he lost possession 51 times, are no
longer acceptable. Now he must always deliver, a
responsibility few bear naturally.
But it is a challenge he must rise to. Part of Suarez’s
unparalleled greatness was that, alongside his jaw-dropping
talent, he dragged an otherwise average Liverpool team to
within a slip of the title. Di Maria must do similarly to not only
confirm his status as the Premier League's greatest
showman, but as the division's most singularly decisive player
too.

The Italian coach has explained Madrid's decision to offload
the midfielder, while voicing his admiration for Cristiano
Ronaldo
Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Real Madrid decided to cash
in on Angel Di Maria this summer due to the Argentine's hefty
wage demands.
The versatile midfielder played a key role in Madrid's
successful Champions League campaign last term as they at
last won La Decima.
However, Di Maria was then sold to Manchester United in a
deal worth €75 million after talks over a contract renewal
broke down.
"Di Maria demanded a lot of money and preferred to leave in
order to earn more elsewhere. The club simply couldn't give
him the money he wanted," Ancelotti told Cadena Cope.
"There are times when a club has to say no. You cannot
change the club's policy for just one player."
The Madrid coach also had his say on Cristiano Ronaldo and
insisted the Portugal international is the best player he has
ever coached, while admitting that it is not an easy decision
to rotate the attacker.
"I have coached Zinedine Zidane and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but
I think Ronaldo is the best player I ever trained.
"It's never an easy decision to rest him. He nearly always
scores when he plays and you almost start each game 1-0
up when he starts. He is a great professional."
Ancelotti then went on to discuss the signing of James
Rodriguez and stressed that the former Monaco man is worth
his €80m pricetag, while dismissing claims he is being forced
to play the forward to satisfy the Madrid hierarchy.
"James is worth the money. When you pay €80m, it's because
you think a player is worth it.
"If the president told me to play someone, I'd step down right
away..."
James has netted once in seven La Liga appearances so far,
while creating two more.

The Barcelona man scored all for of his side's goals as they
demolished the Asian country in Monday's friendly
A four-goal haul from Neymar helped Brazil to a 4-0 win over
Japan on Tuesday as Dunga's strong start to his second
spell in charge continued.
Following a disastrous World Cup elimination on home soil
under Luiz Felipe Scolari, 1994 World Cup winning captain
Dunga has now guided the national side to four consecutive
victories without conceding a goal.
Despite Dunga's criticism of the surface at the Singapore
Stadium, skipper Neymar impressed throughout - seeing a
free-kick hit the post shortly before sending Brazil in front.
Latching on to Diego Tardelli's pass, the lively forward took
the ball round Eiji Kawashima before doubling his tally early
in the second half when he came out on top in a one-on-one
after a delightful through ball from Philippe Coutinho.
Japan - who ensured Javier Aguirre his first victory against
Jamaica on Friday - were unable to respond as Neymar
added two more late on.
The dominant victory rounds off a positive tour of Asia that
saw Brazil clinch the Superclasico de las Americas against
Argentina in Beijing on Saturday.
Buoyed by the 2-0 win over their fierce rivals in China, Brazil
began brightly but were made to wait until Neymar's free-kick
come back off the upright after 16 minutes for their first
chance.
The Brazil skipper had seen a half-hearted penalty appeal
turned down when he was eased off the ball by Masato
Morishige prior to his set-piece striking the woodwork.
However, the Barcelona forward found the net shortly after
when he timed his run to beat the offside trap and get on the
end of Tardelli's pass before rounding Kawashima and calmly
finishing.
Neymar continued to threaten - beating Tsukasa Shiotani all
ends up only to see his effort drift wide - before Japan had
their first sight of goal courtesy of Yu Kobayashi's volleyed
effort that sailed over the crossbar after patient build-up down
the left.
Shinji Okazaki's glanced header drifted wide of Jefferson's
left-hand post as Aguirre's men ended the half strongly,
despite the absence of playmaker Shinji Kagawa due to a
head knock picked up against Jamaica.
However, Neymar's second just two minutes after the interval
put the game beyond Japan - substitute Coutinho was the
architect with his first real contribution of the game before the
captain ran clear and rolled the ball past Kawashima.
Brazil, who gave a first start to Gil in the absence of injured
defender David Luiz, then saw experienced midfielder Kaka hit
the crossbar with a header as he was denied a first
international goal in almost two years.
However, Neymar had his hat-trick when he followed up
Coutinho's parried effort before nodding in Kaka's cross to
ensure his and Brazil's fourth with nine minutes left on the
clock.

Stephen Keshi’s men languish at the base of Group A after
three games and will hope they can get their Africa Nations
Cup 2015 qualifying campaign truly underway on Wednesday
Nigeria will hope Wednesday’s Group A clash with Sudan can
serve to re-engineer their Africa 2015 qualification campaign.
Though both side made false starts in their bid to reach the
championship in Morocco, with Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi under
intense pressure going into the clash at the Abuja Stadium
having failed to record a win in their last three outings.
While the African champions boast of a point in their
campaign so far, Sudan got off the mark following their 1-0
victory against the hosts at the Municipal Stadium in
Khartoum on Saturday with the lone strike coming off the
head of Bakri Elmadina.
Mohammed Abdalla’s side still basking in the euphoria of
their first win over the Eagles in many decades come into this
game full of optimism and will be seeking a double against
Keshi’s team. They are four points off South Africa who lead
the group with 7 points from three games.
Nigeria, meanwhile, are without a competitive victory since
beating Bosnia 1-0 in a World Cup game in June 21, 2013
and not minding their disapproving outing in Khartoum still
enter Wednesday’s match as heavy favourites, but that will
not worry Keshi's opposite number, who knows exactly what
to expect.
A win for the home team will see them leapfrog Sudan in the
third place while hoping that the South Africa – Congo
encounter end at least in a draw to still nurse an ambition of
defending their title in Morocco.

The 64-year-old says he is sorry for his reaction on the
touchline at Stamford Bridge but feels he was taunted, while
his Chelsea counterpart was unrepentant
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has apologised for his clash
with Jose Mourinho - but claims he was provoked.
The two managers faced each other on Sunday as Chelsea
beat the Gunners 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, but stole the
headlines when they were involved in a spat after Gary Cahill
was booked for a strong challenge on Alexis Sanchez.
Wenger had previously admitted to pushing his Chelsea
counterpart, whilst claiming he had no regrets
, but has now offered an apology for the incident despite
insisting he was provoked into the reaction.
"We gave a little bit too much importance to this matter. I did
not enter the Chelsea zone," he told Telefoot.
"I shouldn't have reacted like that. I regret every sign of
violence and I apologize.
"Did Mourinho taunt me? It felt like that."
The 64-year-old has enjoyed a long-standing rivalry with
Mourinho since his arrival in the Premier League in 2004 and
faced further tension on his return last season when he
branded him a "specialist in failure".
Mourinho refused to apologise for his comments made last
season and, when asked about the fresh incident with the
Arsenal manager, insisted the television pictures revealed all.
He told Telefoot: "Wenger? I don't have words to explain what
everybody saw on the [television]

The Chelsea boss was effusive in his praise for his
countryman, saying there will not be a player like him again,
and compared the 29-year-old to Zinedine Zidane
Chelsea trainer Jose Mourinho says there will never be
another player like Real Madrid 's Cristiano Ronaldo .
The Portuguese coach made headlines in September when he
revealed that he does not have a personal relationship with
the star
, following the former's departure from the Spanish capital in
2013.
But the 51-year-old has now praised the goalscoring exploits
of his countryman, who has 13 La Liga goals in just six
appearances this term, and likened him to Zinedine Zidane.
"Ronaldo's an incredible player,” the two-time Champions
League-winning coach told Telefoot.
"It's like Zidane for you [the French], there will be no other.
He is incredible, he’s a goalscoring machine."
The Blues boss also revealed that he remains an ardent
admirer of Raphael Varane but concedes the chances of luring
him from Real Madrid are slim.
Varane was handed his Madrid debut by Mourinho in
September 2011 and has since gone on to establish himself
as arguably the outstanding young defender in world football,
as well as becoming a senior France regular.
And while the Chelsea trainer hinted he would jump at the
chance to bring Varane to Stamford Bridge, he does not
expect the Champions League winners to part with their
prized youngster.
"I Like Varane, but everybody knows that he will stay at Real
Madrid," said Mourinho.
"France has a lot of good players like Varane, Pogba,
Benzema and Lloris. They can win Euro 2016. I have a lot of
respect for Deschamps. In the World Cup, we saw a great
French team.

The former Nigeria defender has said only divine intervention
can see the Super Eagles qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations in Morocco
Ex-international Yisa Shofoluwe has ruled out the possibility
of the Super Eagles qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations following their 1-0 defeat to Sudan on Saturday.
The reigning African champions are now at the base of Group
A with just one point from three games in the qualifying series
while South Africa lead with seven points, followed by Congo
with six points and Sudan with three points.
According to the former Green Eagles defence trojan, Stephen
Keshi’s men got it all wrong by not converting the chances
that came their way.
"We got the first half totally wrong and the moment they
(Sudan) got their goal, they had more power and the Eagles
did not do well to fight back,” Shofoluwe told Goal.
"I was expecting our boys to play through the wings in a bid
to unlock the defence of the hosts but we did not do that.
They got busy trying to lob the ball into the backline of the
Sudanese which proved futile.
"Aside from this, our boys fluffed many goal scoring
opportunities and I don’t know why.
"I’m not sure of that (qualifying for Morocco 2015) and I don’t
see that happening because other teams stand a better
chance than we do. Except for divine intervention, Eagles
should just forget about the Nations Cup."
He however concluded saying the players too deserve to be
blamed instead of the barrage of criticism directed towards the
technical crew alone.
"Personally, I won’t blame Keshi for the defeat because the
players are the main actors. Our players wasted begging
chances to score or is it Keshi’s duty to have converted those
chances? Or was the Sudanese goal scored by their coach?
"The coach should not take the blame alone, but the players
should too because they are professionals and when they fail
to convert their chances, there is nothing the technical crew
can do,” he concluded.
A win for Nigeria in the return leg against the Falcons of
Jediane on Wednesday could raise a glimmer of hope on the
Super Eagles chances of qualifying.

The Arsenal boss insists he has 'a lot of creative players in
midfield' and is confident his side can close the gap on
Chelsea
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger maintains he has no regrets
over opting not to sign Cesc Fabregas in the summer transfer
window.
The Spain international joined Chelsea from Barcelona in a
£27 million deal in June and has impressed for Jose
Mourinho’s side since his return to the Premier League.
Fabregas, who spent eight years in England before returning
to Barcelona in 2011, revealed in an open letter after his move
that Arsenal did not take up their option of re-signing him.
But Wenger insists his midfield options are sufficient and is
confident his side can pull closer to Chelsea despite suffering
a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge before the international break.
"I don't regret not taking Cesc because we already had a lot
of creative players in our midfield," Wenger told beIN Sports .
"Chelsea will also have a difficult period [in the season]. Our
schedule was extremely difficult and I have the belief that we
can close the gap to them.

InvertedHammer:
/
Carribeans are not Caucasians (Whites)

\

Hmmmm...... Dat's wat I heard

The ex-international believes the coach Stephen Keshi and his
men are not to blame for Nigeria’s defeat to Sudan in
Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
Former Nigeria captain Austine Okocha has refused to blame
the either the Super Eagles or the head coach Stephen Keshi
for their 1-0 defeat to Sudan in Saturday’s Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier in Khartoum.
A ferocious header by striker Bakri Abd Elgadir in the closing
stages of the first half which left goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama
no chance ensured the hosts got the better of the African
champions who put every foot wrong in the encounter.
The result means Nigeria now walk a tight rope towards
qualifying for the biannual Africa football showpiece billed for
Morocco in 2015.
According to Okocha who lamented via his twitter handle
following the Eagles’ defeat to the Falcons of Jediane, the
result was a confirmation that Nigeria football is no where to
be found while making a case for the ‘big boss’ and his
players
"Anyone that blames Keshi or the boys is short sighted. Our
football is long dead and gone. This is just the confirmation”
Okocha tweeted.
Anyone that blames Keshi or the boys is short sighted.
Our football is long dead and gone. This is just the
confirmation.
-Jay-Jay Okocha (@IAmOkocha)
The reigning African champions are now placed at the base of
the table in Group A with a point from three matches while
South Africa with 2-0 victory over Congo away from home are
ranked first with seven points.
Nigeria will welcome Sudan to Abuja in next Wednesday's
match as they attempt to revive their now slim chances of
reaching Morocco in January.

Sagamite:
Another ignorant fuuktard!

Fuuktard, Dominica is a black nation.

Today, instead of wasting your time going to some useless church where a pastor would rob you clean, take your money to a babalawo and ask for a special curse for IBB and Abacha for destroying the education system that produced you.

....
So what are u trying to say

The Scot was sacked after just nine months at Old Trafford
but he feels the experience will serve him well ahead of a
potential role at another high-profile club
David Moyes says he is ready to return to football
management following his sacking by Manchester United.
The Scot was hand-picked by Sir Alex Ferguson to take over
the reins following the latter's retirement, but was dismissed
just nine months later as the reigning champions finished
seventh in the Premier League.
Moyes was in talks with Galatasaray during the summer, only
for Cesare Prandelli to be appointed, and feels his experiences
at Old Trafford will serve him well ahead of a potential role at
another high-profile club.
"I'm ready to go," he told The Telegraph . "I've no time scale.
I'm enjoying the break but I'm a football man and I want to
work. I feel my best years are still ahead of me and I do feel I
am still a young manager.
"I've lots to learn and lots I want to put into practice. I think I
am better equipped to take over a job like Manchester United
now than even when I did take over because I've had a
chance to see what happens, what goes on.
"I felt I was ready when I left Everton, but, obviously, when
you get in, you see things and you realise that experience and
knowledge you can only get from being in the job. But,
unfortunately, I only got nine months.

A bitterly disappointing loss in Khartoum surely brings to a
close the Big Boss's era with Nigeria
There is no getting around it now. Stephen Keshi’s cycle as
coach of the Super Eagles has come to an end. There is no
anger, there is no bitterness. There is just… nothing. The final
whistle in Khartoum was a knell that rung hollow in Nigerian
hearts.
When Keshi became the trustee of Nigeria ’s footballing hopes
and dreams, the day was bleak. The Big Boss overhauled a
team that had failed to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations,
installing youth and injecting vitality. A policy of openness
saw the likes of Ogenyi Onazi, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey
Oboabona and Sunday Mba carve out a niche for themselves
in the Super Eagles.
The danger with success though, especially when unexpected,
is that it can cause the subject to parody himself. The fact
that anyone could play for the Super Eagles, a boon and
motivation for players to work hard, became in the long run a
tremendous problem. Needing a game-changing impact in the
Municipal Stadium, the ineffectual Gbolahan Salami was
withdrawn and on came Sunday Emmanuel of obscure Grodig,
making his debut for the national team.
Keshi has gambled on his popularity many times and won.
This time, it has come back to bite him. His arrogant
dismissal of the form of Obafemi Martins for example, who
has hit the 15-goal mark in Major League Soccer, was
laughable. Age can only mitigate against ability when there
are credible alternatives; alas in the same breath, the Afcon-
winning manager dismissed one such alternative: the
prodigiously talented Kelechi Iheanacho.
His constant bickering with Ikechukwu Uche in the press has
gotten embarrassing very quickly, like a public and messy
break-up between lovers. While it is unclear which of them is
speaking the truth, it is telling that Keshi only got tough with
Uche after triumphing in the Afcon in 2013. Before then, there
had been little indication of any sort of rift between them, and
indeed the Villarreal man top-scored to qualify the Super
Eagles for the tournament in the first place.
It is almost as though that historic moment convinced the
former Afcon-winning captain of the infallibility of his
methods. In his hubris, he has ploughed onward on that
course, alienating many and dividing opinions everywhere.
Now, we are back where we started: with one point from its
first three games, the defending African champions are on the
verge of elimination.
The walls have come crumbling down around the Big Boss
Keshi has given; is Keshi set to take away?
As if to show himself beyond saving, faced with a must-win
encounter, Keshi went against conventional wisdom in picking
the same ten outfield players who struggled for any rhythm or
cohesion in the last qualifier against South Africa. On that
day, Bafana Bafana did not have their scoring boots on.
Sudan were in no mood to pass up such an offering though,
and took the lead three minutes before the break through Al
Hilal forward Abdi Babeker Bakri, who stole ahead of Efe
Ambrose to power home a header.
Bakri had a tremendous game for Sudan, arcing behind
Ambrose time and again in the first half to receive the ball
over the top. The forward orientation of Nosa Igiebor, who
spent large periods playing pushed up into the attacking line,
prevented the midfield from closing down efficiently enough.
Ogenyi Onazi was typically industrious, and John Obi Mikel
pressed high sporadically, but the propensity of the Sudanese
wingers to come inside and occupy the space between the
lines was a strong enough deterrent.
The Maccabi Tel-Aviv man was the poorest player on the
pitch, and as the game went on, epitomised the team’s
display: lacking in belief and inspiration. Keshi’s strength lies
in coaching mentality rather than tactics, but it appears that
even this has been lost. There was no rally, no barrage, just
meek surrender.
The Falcons of Jediane were not great; they did not need to
be. Defensively their positioning was very naïve and
disorganised. But when you play a team 100 places above
you in the FIFA rankings and still manage to produce the one
moment of true quality in 90 minutes, you are fully deserving
of whatever credit you get. Sudan’s genius was in bringing
the African champions down to their level, and for this alone,
their win was richly deserved.
Nosa | Another ineffectual performance
It is unclear what to do with Keshi now.
He is not under any contract or obligation to the NFF, and can
rightly board a plane straight to the USA, where his family
resides. There is however a return fixture in four days, and
one which the Super Eagles absolutely must win. Does the
NFF officially relieve him, and seek to (improbably) get a new
coach within four days? Or do they stick with him and
possibly damn the Super Eagles? Whichever choice is made,
Nigeria do not get a good deal.
In Pointe-Noire, South Africa showed the daring and swagger
befitting champions as they swatted aside the Republic of
Congo to move into top spot in Group A. It is a result that
Nigeria must replicate if it is to have any chance at all of
playing in Morocco next year. There is no more margin for
error, and whoever takes the national team forward must get
it right, and do so fast.
Somewhere in Nigeria, Amodu Shuaibu is rubbing his hands
and waiting for his phone to ring. It would take a brave man
to bet against him now.

Carlo Ancelotti knows that his triangle of ball-players are
up to the task going forward, but they can struggle
defensively, especially if the BBC don't pitch in by pressing
from the front.
The acid test for Real Madrid's new-look midfield will be
whether they are able to contain Leo Messi in the 'Clásico' in
a fortnight's time. Carlo Ancelotti knows that his triangle of
ball-players are up to the task going forward, but they can
struggle defensively, especially if the BBC don't pitch in by
pressing from the front.
In last year's Spanish Cup final in Valencia, Ancelotti plumped
for a narrow 4-4-2 featuring Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric in
the middle of the park, flanked by Ángel di María and Isco,
who did their fair share of dirty work. This system was
enough to stop Messi from shining or indeed from getting on
the scoresheet.
Three weeks earlier, Carletto had had his hands burned by
Messi in La Liga after going with his usual 4-3-3. The
Argentine duly wreaked havoc, notching a hat-trick as Barça
ran out 4-3 winners at the Bernabéu - a setback that turned
out to be pivotal in Real losing the title race.
Toni Kroos will have a key role to play this time round,
whether the 'Merengues' line up with three or four central
midfielders. When Real have done well against Barça recently,
it was a result of having instructed the two centre-backs -
usually Pepe and Sergio Ramos - and Xabi to join forces to
crowd Messi out. The idea was to bunch up to deny the
Argentine space in which to receive the ball and prevent him
from embarking on one of his quicksilver runs. This forced the
forward to drop back into midfield to collect possession,
obviously diminishing his threat.

Ucheosefoh:
They are not white bro na our fellow black people with slave ancestors

I thought den are white....... Imagine dis is just like an insult

Ehya poor boy..... Wetin dis white pple take we Africans 4?