₦airaland Forum

Football or soccer as it is called in some other climes is a sport with huge followership which cuts across all strata of the society.

In Nigeria, it is a unifying factor where warring groups or tribes sheath their swords for 90 minutes or at least 120 minutes before renewing hostility once again.

Football has so much impact and influence on a die-hard follower as well on the players themselves. Stories abound of individuals stabbing themselves to death over Manchester United vs Arsenal match or Real Madrid vs Barcelona match. This shows the extent at which football is ‘loved’.

Money is made and lost in football in all various forms. Happiness is sacrificed in place of heartbreaks from teams who consistently under perform. Arsenal fans are used to that already while Chelsea and Real Madrid fans are learning how to adapt to the situations. That’s sad!!!

Unfortunately, this year’s UEFA Champions League 2nd round will be played on the 14th of February which happens to be the day Valentine’s Day is celebrated. Interestingly, the matches to be played are between the very top and most popular clubs on earth – Real Madrid vs PSG and Chelsea vs Barcelona. These are matches that can’t be missed just like that.

On this day, there are two contrasting situations that could mar or unite some relationships. There is a complete dilemma for the men on who to choose – UEFA Champions League or a night out with their girlfriends, wives as the case may be.

It is even so confusing for a guy who probably must have invested time and energy and resources to woo a lady and the Vals’ Day would have been the perfect day for him to show that he cares but then top-rated football matches await him that night. What does he do?

If your woman is a sports lover just like the man, the night will be so perfect but if it is the other way round, that is where the confusion comes in. A real confusion that will involve a lot of talking, convincing on the part of the man. Good luck to him though!!!

One female twitter user rightly said that the day belongs to men and advised women to forget spending the day with their men at least from 8:45 pm – 10:30 pm. February 14, 2018, falls on a Wednesday and it is a working day. Most men would be in their various offices and there is no way they can go on a date until its night and the night here is UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL NIGHT.

My humble self believes the thrills, mind-blowing skills, the anger at missed goal scoring opportunities, the shouts in a football match etc are better experienced than being told meanwhile, Valentines’ Day dates can be rescheduled till the weekend which will in fact will be devoid of noise, distractions and it will be great. On a lighter note, less babies will be born in November.

And this calls for an answer. To all the Madrid, PSG, Chelsea, Barcelona male fans, who do you choose on this day? Champions League football or a date with your lover?

Meanwhile, the men have the best opportunity now to make amends for their lovers before this day.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/who-has-february-14-between-champions-league-and-valentines-day/

Former Arsenal defender, Emmanuel Eboue has revealed he is lonely and wants a chance to rebuild his life again while insisting he would be willing to travel to the Middle East to continue his playing career.

Eboue, 34, has not played since leaving Sunderland in 2016 after being handed a ban for failing to pay a former agent.

The Gunners’ cult hero previously revealed he had seriously considered taking his own life after financial mismanagement had left him penniless, with a bitter divorce meaning he has been estranged from his three children since the summer.

Eboue has now opened up about his recent downward spiral, insisting he wants to play football again, as he feels ‘abandoned’ and ‘completely alone’.

The free agent told French TV show Canal: ‘All I want is to return to football once more. I still possess the ability. I would even go to places like Baghdad or Pakistan just to play football. I don’t care where.

“I live with my bags already packed, as there is a chance I could be kicked out of my house.

“I don’t have anyone by my side nowadays. I feel abandoned. I used to get on well with my children and my family, and now I am completely alone.’

At the height of his career at the Emirates he took home a seven-digit sum every year during his time in North London, earning a further £1.5 million annually playing for Turkish giants Galatasaray.

However, with his former wife Aurelie being awarded of all the couple’s assets, he has been forced to dodge police and bailiffs following a court order – insisting he hand over his home in Enfield to her.

Heartbreakingly, Eboue has been unable to visit his kids since the estrangement from Aurelie back in June last year.

The 34-year-old, who once played in a Champions League final for Arsenal against Barcelona in 2006, has been hit hard with misfortune.
[url]
Only recently report went viral that he had committed suicide at his sister’s place in London, a report that was later discredited.[/url]

Some of his fans who read the initial death story and then the true position thanked God that he didn’t end his life that way.

Some prayed for him in the hope that either Galatasaray or Arsenal will remedy his situation.

However, those still angered by the legal battle with his wife that led to loss of everything, believe he can still head back to court if he is lucky to get a job and earn some money, accusing the wife of reaping where she did not sow

Eboue who began his football career with Asec Mimosa of Cote d Ivoire, played for Belgian club K.S.K. Beveren, making 70 appearances and scoring four goals for the side before moving ahead to play for Arsenal and Galatasaray respectively making 132 and 77 appearances for the clubs respectively.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/im-lonely-and-ready-to-play-football-anywhere-emmanuel-eboue/

cruzita:
WOMAN THAT DAY IS REALMADRID V PSG.DINNER CAN WAIT 4 ANOTHER DAY BUT THE MATCH CAN'T

Is it safe for me to say I love you?

Omudia11:
Some people are really perverts. I remember one of my dad's friend's that would sit me on his lap whenever he came visiting when I was a kid and try to touch me inappropriately. He did it on so many occasions. I was too young and didn't know how to report the issue. But finally I decided to tell my dad whenever he did it again but thankfully he never showed up again till many years later.

Secondly some people are truly not okay. There's this guy who had been disturbing me for months. Was even begging me to accept him but I declined. I met his gf and she told me she knew he was asking me out. I said well thank God you know I rejected him before you start fighting me. Then she said I should've considered him. What's wrong with people?

She wants to give the boyfriend some freedom as well as an escape route

odimbannamdi:
Can you share me the link to download InDesign?

Its a software which u have to buy. Sorry for the very late response pls

amiibaby:
i don't mind oo

You want his number?

amiibaby:
Happy birthday Handsome

he is married with 2 boys. lolzzz

Women in Saudi Arabia have watched football in a stadium in the Kingdom for the first time as they filed into a stadium in the city of Jeddah on Friday, through family gates into family seating.

But even segregated as they were, their presence in the stadium marked a significant moment for the Kingdom.

It follows a series of reforms intended to modernise the country.

Earlier on Friday, ahead of the football game, there was another small sign of change: the country's first car showroom dedicated to female customers was opened.

For the first time, women will this June be allowed to get behind the wheel, after it was announced in September that a ban on women drivers would be lifted.

Women at the car showroom milled around inspecting vehicles that they will be allowed to take out on the road when the ban ends.

At the stadium in Jeddah, female ushers were employed to greet the women fans and their families, who loudly cheered on the local team. Both ushers and fans wore the traditional black abaya robe.

A hashtag, translated as "the people welcome the entry of women into stadiums", was used tens of thousands of times in two hours as the match took place.

Lamya Khaled Nasser, a 32-year-old football fan from Jeddah, told AFP she was proud and looking forward to the match.

"This event proves that we are heading for a prosperous future. I am very proud to be a witness of this massive change," she told the AFP news agency.

Ruwayda Ali Qassem, another Jeddah resident, said it was a "historic day in the kingdom which culminates (in) ongoing fundamental changes".

"I am proud and extremely happy for this development and for the kingdom's moves to catch up with civilised measures adopted by many countries," she said.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/saudi-arabia-women-watch-a-football-game-for-first-time/

It has been confirmed that ex-Arsenal and Ivory Coast star, Emmanuel Eboue is not dead following rumours he had committed suicide.

The former Arsenal star is currently in Ivory Coast and was spotted at a football tournament organised by Ben Adama, as he continues his vacation in his home country.

Eboue is said to have entered depression after his ex-wife Aurelie were divorced and the court awarded all his fortunes to his wife in a divorce settlement and he was ordered to also give up his house in London to the ex-wife.

Eboue also revealed that he had lost all he had to his wife Aurelie who he claimed also handled his finances, adding that “whatever she told him to sign he signed.

Eboue left his expensive car to his wife as well as his newly acquired mansions as he was left with the option of public transport for his transportation and sleeping only on a mattress daily.

According to reports from the police, He was found dead in his sister apartment in North London but he didn’t leave behind a suicidal note.

Eboue made millions of pounds at Arsenal and then more than £1.5million a year at Turkish side Galatasaray.

Eboue was also said to be suffering from an undisclosed medical problem.

The 34-year-old had served a one-year ban for failing to pay a former agent but got back into football recently, agreeing a deal with Cypriot side Turk Ocagi Limassol.

However, his move to Cyprus was not plain sailing and his agent Tekin Bircini said his client was facing ‘medical problems’.

He started his career at ASEC Mimosas, he moved to Europe to play for Belgium’s Beveren in 2002.

He spent most of his career, from 2005 to 2011, with Arsenal of the Premier League, playing 214 games – including the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final – and scoring 10 goals.

He moved for a €3.5 million to Galatasaray, where he played regularly and won five domestic honours in Turkey. After his release in 2015, he was briefly on the books of Sunderland before being given a one-year ban by FIFA for not paying his agent.

Eboué made his international debut for the Ivory Coast in 2004, eventually earning 79 caps by 2013. He was part of their squads at five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and two World Cups.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/update-emmanuel-eboue-is-not-dead/

Following his reported £142m transfer to La Liga giants, Barcelona from Liverpool, Philippe Coutinho has edged his name into the football's expensive transfers of all-time list. 

Coutinho's transfer is now officially the second most expensive transfer ever after Neymar's move to Paris Saint-Germain, 120 million euros (£106m) is to be paid up front with another 40 million euros (£36m) performance related.

The final deal will be eclipsed only by the £200m Paris St-Germain paid Barcelona for Neymar last summer, and the £165.7m Kylian Mbappe will cost PSG at the end of his initial loan spell from Monaco.

Here, we look at the top ten most expensive transfers in the history of the game .

10. Neymar (Santos to Barcelona (2013) for £71.5m)


Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar or Neymar Jr., is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team.On May 24, 2013, Santos announced that they had received two offers for Neymar and the following day, Neymar announced he would sign with Barcelona on 27 May 2013 and join the team after playing in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Neither the player nor the clubs released details on the transfer fee but media reports had it that he signed a five-year deal that cost Barcelona about £71.5m.

9. Virgil van Dijk (Southampton to Liverpool (2017) for £75m)


Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Liverpool and the Dutch national team.On 27 December 2017, Van Dijk became the most expensive defender in football history after it was announced that the Dutchman would join Liverpool when the winter transfer window opened on 1 January 2018 for a reported fee of £75 million.

8. Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli to Juventus (2016) for £79.8m)

Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Italian club Juventus and the Argentina national team.After a month of transfer speculation, on 26 July 2016, Higuaín transferred to rivals Juventus for a fee of €90 million (£79.8m) paid in two installments, becoming one of the highest football transfers of all-time and highest ever transfer for an Italian club.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United to Real Madrid (2009) for £80m)

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team.

Ahead of the 2009–10 season, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee at the time, of €94 million (£80m).

6. Gareth Bale (Tottenham to Real Madrid (2013) for £86m)

Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Wales national team.On September 1, 2013, Real Madrid announced that they had reached an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur for the transfer of Bale, signing a six-year deal for an undisclosed fee believed to be a transfer fee of €100 million (£88m).

5. Paul Pogba (Juventus to Manchester United (2016) for £89m)

Paul Labile Pogba is a French professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United and the French national team.Two years after he refused a contract at Manchester United for a move to Serie A giants Juventus, Pogba on August 8, 2016 returned to Old Trafford on a five-year contract for a then-record for highest football transfer fee at €105 million (£89.3m) plus bonuses of €5 million, surpassing the former record holder Gareth Bale.

4. Romelu Lukaku (Everton to Manchester United (2017) for £90m)

Romelu Menama Lukaku Bolingoli is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the Belgium national team.Lukaku who is one of only five players to score 50 Premier League goals before his 23rd birthday Lukaku joined Manchester United on July 10, 2017, signing a five-year contract with the option of a further year. Although the fee was officially undisclosed, it was reported to be worth an initial £75 million, plus £15 million in add-ons.

3. Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona (2017) for £97m)

Ousmane Dembele is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the France national team.Dembélé began his career at Rennes before joining Dortmund in 2016. On August 25, 2017, Barcelona announced that they had reached an agreement to sign the youngster for €105 million plus a reported €40 million add-ons. He signed a five-year contract, with his buyout clause set at €400 million.

2. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barcelona (2018) £142m)

Philippe Coutinho Correia is a Brazilian professional footballer who now plays for Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.On January 6, 2018, Liverpool confirmed that they had reached an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of Coutinho. His transfer fee is reported to be an initial £105 million, which could rise to £142 million with various clauses being met.

1. Neymar (Barcelona to PSG (2017) £198m)

On August, 3, 2017, Barcelona announced that Neymar's legal representatives made a payment of €222 million to the club (most expensive transfer ever), equal to the release clause of his contract (which was activated by the player himself) and joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on a five-year deal.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/10-most-expensive-transfers-of-all-time-list/

Argentina hitman, Sergio Aguero scored twice in two second-half minutes to help Premier League leaders Manchester City fight back to beat Burnley and reach the FA Cup fourth round to make it 32 games and 258 days since City were last beaten in the league or either domestic cup – by Arsenal in their FA Cup semi-final on 23 April 2017.

A John Stones mistake let in Ashley Barnes to give Burnley a surprise lead.

However, Aguero levelled from a quickly-taken free-kick and made it 2-1 from Ilkay Gundogan’s back-heel.

Leroy Sane ran on to David Silva’s pass to add the third before Bernardo Silva slotted the fourth into an empty net.

City’s win stretched their domestic unbeaten run to 26 games this season and keeps alive their chances of winning four trophies.

That defeat ensured City boss Pep Guardiola would end his first season in English football without a trophy – the first campaign he had failed to secure silverware in his managerial career.

This season is shaping up to be very different, with this impressive recovery keeping City in all four competitions and in with a chance of completing an unprecedented quadruple.

As well as being in the hat for round four of the FA Cup, City are 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League, in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and the last 16 of the Champions League.

Guardiola said afterwards that it was “an honour” to have Aguero in his side.

The Argentinean was reportedly unhappy at City before Christmas because of his lack of opportunities in big games, but following the win over Burnley his manager said: “Both goals were amazing – the finishing, and the assists. The first one was clever and quick, and the second one was a magnificent assist, then the dribbling and good finishing.

“I have to say is an honour to have Sergio under my command.

“He is the kind of player who always wants to play, so I can understand that sometimes he is sad when he doesn’t play, but I want him to be happy.”

http://www.thesportsbay.com/fa-cup-manchester-city-make-32-games-258-days-since-lost-league-cup-game/

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has taken his feud with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte higher by saying he will never be “suspended for match-fixing”.

Conte received a four-month suspension while at Juventus in the 2012-13 season for failing to report match-fixing at his previous club Siena.

Conte was acquitted of sporting fraud charges in 2016. Prosecutors had requested a six-month suspended sentence following accusations he failed to report episodes of match-fixing while in charge at Serie B side Siena in 2011.

The former Italy manager – who has always denied any wrongdoing – served a four-month ban in relation to the affair in 2012.

Mourinho’s comments came after Conte had accused the Portuguese of forgetting his own antics in the past.

Conte had reacted angrily this week to Mourinho’s assertion that he did not need to act like a “clown” in his technical area, saying: “I think he has to see himself in the past – maybe he was speaking about himself in the past.”

Speaking after his side’s 2-0 FA Cup third-round win over Derby, Mourinho said the “clown” comments were not directed at Conte.

But he added: “The only thing I want to say to end the story is that yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline. Yes, I will make less but I think I will still make a few.

“What never happened to me – and will never happen – is to be suspended for match-fixing. That never happened to me and will never happen.”

Mourinho was then told by a journalist that Conte has been charged by football authorities in the past with failing to report match-fixing.

“Did he? Not me,” the United boss replied.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/can-never-suspended-match-fixing-like-mourinho-tells-conte/

Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte has taken a huge dig at his predecessor, Jose Mourinho’s obsession with his team two years after he was sacked as manager.

According to Conte, the Manchester United boss has a mental problem which he has identified as “senile dementia.”

Mourinho, who coached Chelsea two times, appeared to take a swipe at the Italian and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, for their antics in the technical area yesterday when he said he did not feel the need to behave like “a clown” on the touchline.

Asked about Mourinho’s comments during his [ress conference on Friday, the former Juventus coach used the Italian phrase “demenza senile” in relation to the Portuguese, which translates as senile dementia.

He said, “I think he has to see himself in the past — maybe he was speaking about himself in the past.

“Maybe, sometimes, I think that someone forgets what’s said in the past, which is his behaviour.

“Sometimes I think there is, I don’t know the name, but demenza senile… when you forget what you do in the past.

“There is a person that continues to look here. You understand? He went away, but he continued to look here.”

During the 2-2 draw at Emirate on Wednesday, Wenger accused Eden Hazard of diving to earn a penalty but Conte believes other decisions went the Gunners’ way and referred to previous meetings.

“I think if Arsene Wenger watched the game again, (he would) understand he was very lucky during the game with the referee’s decisions.

“Don’t forget, in the last few games (with Arsenal) we finished the game with 10 men, when they won the FA Cup, the Community Shield. I think the referee’s decision(s) were a bit strange.

“If I want I can talk about refereeing decisions for one month. But I don’t want to do this. I think we must have respect for referees’ decisions.

“I think Wenger has to accept the decisions. He’s an old coach, he has a lot of experience, he won a lot. He has to continue to do what he did in the past,” he told reporters.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/mourinho-mental-problem-called-senile-dementia-conte/

christejames:
This man is silently performing though just that the backlog of salaries he is yet to pay or slashed is his Achilles heels in governance...

I was in osogbo for Christmas and was amazed by the infrastructural development. He has performed credibly well but just that salary issue that is his problem. He hs however promised to settle all backlogs before he leaves office

According to Harriet Tubman, "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world," and this is apt in the life of Miss Adejumoke Famade whose entrance into the tech world was divinely orchestrated.
Her sojourn into IT world came to life when she failed her JAMB to study Medicine. She was devastated but with the guidance of her mother, she saw an opportunity in her supposed failure.
According to her “I initially wanted to go for medicine but thank God I failed JAMB! I had 171 and had to stay at home. Although Babcock picked me for Social Works, my mom disapproved of it. Then she later enrolled me at a computer school (NIIT). It was there I found out that computer science was actually a cool course and when I wrote JAMB again, I picked Computer Science and I passed the cut-off.”
But what led her to love computer so much. According to her “It started during my IT. I went there as a computer software student but my supervisors there were mostly for infrastructure so they influenced me to do infrastructure.”
As fate would have it, the program was meant for three months but it extended into four months. In her words, she said “I started with infrastructure and before I knew it, I was going four months into it. From the first month in infrastructure, I was already dismantling and assembling systems in less than thirty minutes.”
Her ability to do the extra ordinary didn’t go unnoticed as she started fixing systems for even the Human Resource Director (HRD). When the program was ending, she was well appreciated as the office bought her tools because they knew that that was what she loved.
But life is not without its challenges especially for a lady in a male dominated industry. According to her “the other challenge I face is when a client wants to fix a system and I am at work (this is not the only work I do).”
“Then there are people who message you at odd hours to make enquiries. Another challenge is that many of my clients are also from South Africa and other states in the country. And then there are also people who want you to repair their laptops at a ridiculously low price, she said.
She further stated that she is often tested by people to see if she can actually repair computers and she always prove them wrong. Always!
However, she feels the female folk don’t help matters a lot. In her words she said “some women look down on me. Sometimes women don’t like when women progress. There was a time a woman called me incompetent because I was female.”
Due to her resilience and believe in God, she knows she must have enemies and has the Bible has her weapon. She believes one must manage his or her emotions so no one brings you down as she dreams of becoming the richest woman in the IT world in the nearest future.

Seun
lalasticalla
mynd44
Abeg front page

Follow her on twitter @famshizzle

1.Teddy Sheringham (40 years, 268 days old)

Edward Paul Sheringham MBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently head coach of Indian Super League team ATK. Sheringham played as a forward, mostly as a second striker, in a 24-year professional career. He scored a late consolation for West Ham in a 2-1 defeat by his former side Portsmouth on Boxing Day 2006.

2. Dean Windass (39 years, 236 days old)

Dean Windass is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is best known for his spells at Bradford City and contributing to his hometown team Hull City’s promotion to the Premier League in 2008.

3. Ryan Giggs (39 years, 87 days old)

Ryan Joseph Giggs, OBE is a Welsh football coach and former player who is the co-owner of Salford City. He played his entire professional career for Manchester United. As at 9th January 2014, Ryan Giggs last Premiership goal was in February 2013 with Man Utd winning 2-0 against QPR.

4. Stuart Pearce (38 years, 216 days old)

Stuart Pearce MBE is an English football manager and player. He is an assistant manager to David Moyes at West Ham United. He scored the second goal as West Ham defeated Southampton in a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Dell.

5. Graham Alexander (38 years, 183 days old)

Graham Alexander is a former professional footballer. He is the manager of League One club Scunthorpe United. Burnley’s spot kick king with five league goals and the last against Arsenal in a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

6. Mark Hughes (38 years, 149 days old)

Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE is a Welsh football manager and former player. He is the current manager of English Premier League club Stoke City. Despite being player/manager of Wales, Hughes scored his final career goal for Blackburn in a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City.

7. Tugay Kerimoğlu (38 years and 98 days)

Tugay Kerimoğlu is a Turkish former footballer who is a current manager of Şanlıurfaspor and played the majority of his career for Galatasaray and Blackburn Rovers. fans favourite Tugay final goal for Rovers was a spectacular strike against Portsmouth in November 2008.

8. Mick Harford (38 years and 35 days)

Michael Gordon Harford, is an English former football player turned manager. He is currently the chief recruitment officer at Luton Town, a club where he has spent a large portion of both his playing and non-playing career. At his 11th club the well travelled striker scored his final Premier League goal for the Crazy Gang in a 1-1 draw against West Ham in 1997.

9. Gary Speed (37 years, 351 days old)
As a player, he is best known for his spell between 1988 and 1996 at Leeds United where he won the English Football League First Division Championship in 1992, and also for his spell between 1998 and 2004 at Newcastle United as well as three and a half years at Bolton Wanderers during their days under Sam Allardyce’s management. The midfielder scored his final Premier League goal at the Reebok Stadium in a 3-0 victory against Reading in August 2007.

10. Peter Schmeichel (37 years, 377 days old)

Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper in 1992 and 1993. Schmeichel became the first goalkeeper to score a Premier League goal while playing for Aston Villa in a 3-2 defeat to Everton in October 2001.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/10-oldest-goal-scorers-english-premier-league-history/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urw2-bhi8LU&feature=youtu.be

Purebeerry:
Funny enough I don't snore, I sleep like a baby

Lolzzz. no wonder!!!! I see now

Purebeerry:
.

How you this morning? trust u snored well

[img][/img]
It is a common sight to see footballers these days covering their mouths while talking to teammates, managers, opposition players and even the referees.

The general belief is that the players cover their mouths to minimize the risk of being caught revealing vital information or tactics to the opposing team or worse still, using vulgar, uncouth statements on the field of play.

But in truth, the real reason they speak to each other that was has nothing to do with secrecy – it is all down to making sure they are being heard.

According to a renowned PR consultant Phil Hall, who has worked with some of the biggest clubs and names in the Premier League, says no-one is being advised to cover up to protect vital team plans.

Hall said: “A player once told me one of the main reasons they do it is, sometimes you are doing it when you are close to somebody, it amplifies your voice so they can hear you.

“There is a lot of noise around them in a stadium and on the pitch, they need to amplify the voice.

“In a loud ground, when you speak normally the sound is being spread out.

“It’s like a foghorn, if you put your hand over your mouth and point it to the person you are talking to it is much clearer.”

Hall has worked closely with Manchester City, West Ham and Crystal Palace in recent years, as well as advising other high profile managers and players.

And though TV stations have looked into lip reading managers and players in other countries, he says it is not common in the UK.

He added: “It started in South America where a couple of TV stations hired guests to start reading what was being said on the benches and what was being said by the players.

“They employed lip readers and various methods to find out what was being said tactically by the bench to the players.

“But the players themselves over here, I think are just aping what they see on the continent. I don’t think over here they are being actively advised to cover up.

“I have certainly not seen any evidence of lip reading over here, at any of the clubs I have done work with.

“When Roy Hodgson went to the World Cup, a lip reader announced she was going to interpret everything he was saying on the bench and publish it on a blog – so you can see why they are getting more and more cautious.

“But I don’t think they have been briefed.

“I have not heard anybody saying anything about anybody being lip-read. I’ve never been asked to advise on anything like that.

“In NFL there is a whole pattern of tactics and play calls that can be read by a lip reader, but in football the game is just not that structured where it could potentially make a difference.”

http://www.thesportsbay.com/the-real-reason-footballers-cover-their-mouths-on-the-field/

And The Team Called Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City – The ‘Incoming’ Greatest Premier League Side EVER

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola is about to further rewrite the history books once again with his spell bounding, captivating, mesmerising football tactics.

He came into the limelight in Barcelona when his first campaign in charge brought success in the form of the UEFA Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.

It was the club’s first ever treble and at 37 years of age, it made Guardiola the youngest manager to lift the UEFA Champions League in history.

Manchester City’s remarkable start to the season has not simply been a sustained attack on every opponent to cross their path – only Everton have taken points off them – but now has the potential to turn into an assault on the record books.

This Manchester City team are more direct and are bludgeoning opponents with their array of deadly assassins.

City’s 16th successive league victory, achieved with such style and emphasis against opponents ranked as possible Premier League challengers at the start of the season, extended the record they set in midweek for the highest number of consecutive wins.

Like someone said on twitter and I quote him “Before 2015, EPL was a truly democratic league and every club had right to FREE SPEECH. Then came Pep Guardiola. Just like Buhari, He is a former Military dictator from LA LIGA and doesn’t tolerate any form of opposition” (Ebube D Statesman (@akaebube)

Of the many milestones achieved already, this latest victory means City are the first team since Wolves in 1953-54 to beat Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham in the league before Christmas.

The winning run is unlikely to end here, with the opportunities presented by upcoming games at home to Bournemouth and away to Newcastle United and Crystal Palace unlikely to be wasted.

They are on course to break Chelsea’s record of 30 wins in a Premier League campaign, a feat Antonio Conte’s side achieved last season. City already have 17 and need only 14 from their remaining 20 fixtures to achieve that feat.

Chelsea also hold the record for total points won in a season – 95 in 2004-05 under manager Jose Mourinho.

City are well on course, having already amassed 52 in their first 18 games, a tally which means they have equalled the record for the highest points total before Christmas (a record they share with Manchester United, though Sir Alex Ferguson’s side took 21 games to reach that mark in 1993).

If this is all not evidence enough of a side with designs on greatness, what about these?

Guardiola’s side have a goal difference of +44, the same as that of nearest rivals Manchester United and Chelsea combined.

The biggest goal difference in Premier League history is the +71 of Carlo Ancelotti’s double-winning side of 2009-10. They also had the highest goals tally in the league with 103, with City currently on 56 with less than half of the campaign gone.

Guardiola’s eyes will be on the prize of the Premier League title rather than records – but there is no doubt Manchester City’s remarkable run and magnificent football have placed them in a position to radically re-write the record books and make a case, come the end of the season, to be regarded as the greatest side of the Premier League.

Guardiola loves talking about football. It’s a process that begins the first time he meets his players, continues throughout every training session (“He interjects all the time to correct and explain exactly what he wants from us,” recalled Dani Alves of Pep’s early days at Barcelona) and even extends to individual chats every day. Praise is effusive when merited.

Guardiola typically spends two hours per day discussing one-on-one the positional minutiae of what he demands from his players. Entirely self-taught as a player, Jerome Boateng has been the biggest beneficiary at Bayern Munich, adding brains to his prodigious centre-back brawn, while Philipp Lahm still spends 15 minutes after every training session talking in minute detail about midfield play, his hands a blur of explanatory signals. For more instinctive players such as Franck Ribery, less is more.

“Pep doesn’t just give you orders,” said Gerard Pique. “He also explains why.”

Pep’s free-flowing philosophy may be what draws in the casual observer, but he dedicates more training sessions to defensive organisation than anything else. It shows: before the 2015-16 winter break Bayern had conceded only 49 goals in 85 Bundesliga games since he arrived, keeping 50 clean sheets.

Attack is based on innate talent, defence is about the work you put into it. Defensive strategy is absolutely essential if I want to attack a lot

“Attack is more based on innate talent,” he once said. “Defence is about the work you put into it. Defensive strategy is absolutely essential if I want to attack a lot.”

From all indications, there is simply nothing stopping this team from breaking every football protocols and records. All fingers crossed!!!

http://www.thesportsbay.com/team-called-pep-guardiolas-manchester-city-incoming-greatest-premier-league-side-ever/

Purebeerry:
Hi jide

Thank God she replies my responsible 'hi'

Purebeerry:
I only answer reasonable hi.

Hi Pureberry

All of you are talking about the ministry, none is talking about the payment of salaries. I thought he owed several months. Seems they are all lies

It is well. something must pave way to something to grow. But why Leave out the shrine?

NwaAmaikpe:



Of all things to give a community, he chose a manual borehole tap.

That community has a good stream, so water is not their problem.
He should have given them something more tangible like free WiFi.

I concur, this guy is the most stupid guy on NL. It's official! Never seen dumb posts as his before since I joined this forum

He doesn't lack ambition, he is well paid and his children are in in lack as seen in some drivers families. Most likely his salary salary other allowances are too good to turn down. How many ogas snap photographs with their drivers. We once had a driver that served my family well for over 10 years. He had everything he could dream off - medicare, children school fees, breakfast, lunch, dinner and even slept in hotels rooms when he drives us on long journeys unlie some drivers that sleep in the cars.

Lothario:
Change your life how? I hate it when people born with a silver spoon like me try to cook up a success story that signify past years of suffering many people wish to be born with a silver spoon but that didn't happen then all of a sudden people born with silver spoon wish to be born into a middle class or poverty stricken family so as to have a success story to tell just because they were able to break out of their family shadow

pls can you summarise in short and concise statement. no comma, full stop. u didnt pass any message

handbagss:
Its extremely annoying to use 'k' when talking or chatting. it turns me off completely.

K

Ajebusta:
That number four got me.... though I ain't got a dad but my roomies mums do stuffs like that...

The day I knew momma loves me was when she was chronically ill and I was in school she said nobody should lemme know....

I only get to know when she left the hospital and me as a bad boy never called all through that period....

Now I can't go three days without calling my mum....

I know she won't get to see this.... But I love you mum....

Even when you never say you love me right to my face I know you do.....

how do you know she wont see this. The day i fell sick and i saw the way my mum cradled me to her bossom, i began to cry. i saw the way she woke my dad up and was saying my son must not die. meanwhile, we had issues the previous days. i cried in pains

Flashh:
John Riise is the real baby face. See how young his face is.

That guy is one of the players, who has shot power in history of football.

What of our dear Taiye Taiwo?

NwaAmaikpe:



This idiot is busy touring with EPL legends while his mate George Weah is the President-elect of a country.


Amara sorry I disrespected your husband; but the truth gotta be told.
Right now, Nwankwo KANU can't even win a councillorship election in his ward at Amannagwu, Arochukwu.

Because someone went into politics Kanu must venture into politics. Everyone has his own chosen path