₦airaland Forum

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has revealed he is yet to decide on his starting team against South Africa in Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Uyo.

The coach, while expressing joy at the many young and fit players available for selection, said that the young players have brought a lot of fresh spirit in the team, while applauding their integration.

Rohr said on Thursday: “It will be very difficult to make a starting XI because we have many good young players now.

“The young players have brought a fresh spirit to the team and we must go forward and progress. Their integration is going very well.

“We have a new defensive midfielder, Mikel Agu, who is doing very well as well as the strikers from Belgium (Henry Onyekuru) and Austria (Olanrewaju Kayode). They have been working hard,” he said.
Nigeria have 10 players who are yet to make their official debut.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/im-confused-on-my-first-eleven-rohr-opens-up/

An unnamed Chinese Super League club has reportedly offered Real Madrid £176million for superstar striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

They are ready to offer Ronaldo £105m-a-year – making him the highest paid athlete ever – according to Marca.

A successful £175.7 million bid for Ronaldo would make him the most expensive player in history for the second time, with his £80 million move from Manchester United to Real back in 2009 having been record-breaking at the time.

The most ever paid for a player is the £89 million United spent on Paul Pogba last summer, but it seems a Chinese club is preparing to almost double that figure in an attempt to snap up the 32-year-old Ronaldo.

That would mean a weekly salary of £2m for the 32-year-old, dwarfing the current reported record figure of £798,000-a-week that is being paid by Hebei China Fortune for Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Ronaldo recently laughed off any potential move away from Real Madrid when quizzed by a reporter for Deportes Cuatro but did then state that “nothing is impossible.”

The Ballon d’Or winner has also been linked with a return to Manchester United and a switch to PSG but Real would almost certainly turn down any offers from European rivals, according to the report in The Sun.

However, despite the astronomical figures on offer, a move to China still seems unlikely.

He only signed his latest contract with Real, which lasts until 2021, last November, and he remains arguably the best player in the world and Los Blancos’ talisman.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/chinese-club-offers-cristiano-ronaldo-2m-weekly-salary/

randomperson:
Has anyone ever wondered that with the number of pastors that we have in Nigeria, who claim to perform miracles, no popular disabled person has been healed. Cobhams, Ayefele etc. It's only unknown people whose testimonies cannot be verified

.. This is a comment on testimonies generally

Cobhams just like other blind guys in second school all never wanted to regain their sights they were confy being blind

Destinygrl:
i cried today
lost my mum 23 days ago
i had alot of plans and so many things in store for her
now things just seems to be pointless

May her soul rest in peace. take heart

Arsenalholic1:
Lol. You.must be joking! Their dicko must be begging for mercy

Hehehehehe. I am not joking. I saw it happen back then in school.

Arsenalholic1:
Bros, even without infections down there, can you wear a boxers for 6 days?

Let me make it very clear: Like from Monday - Saturday...

I know of guys who wear boxers up to a month. Can you imagine a guy collecting a used boxers from his friend to wear? Lolzzzzz

Kennitrust:
off topic:

please, how much does it cost to have a driver license. please an experience person should help me here

15k unofficially if you want it express. 10k and wait till whenever its ready. pick one and your choice

tribalistseun:
Herald.ng is known for copy and paste junks.

I disagree with you. I enjoy the site, they provide factual news as it happens.

Incredible and shocking footage have emerged showing a carpet python swallowing a tennis ball and had to have it massaged out of it by a vet nurse.

The snake was found in Townsville on Monday, and vet nurse Trish Predergast said they had to X-ray the reptile to confirm the object in its stomach was indeed a tennis ball and not an unusually round tumour.

The video had been uploaded to Facebook where it went viral. The caption to the video wrote: “This snake decided to lunch on the wrong thing!”

A homeowner from Belgian Gardens noticed a 1.5 meter carpet python with a huge lump in her backyard.

The woman called a professional snake handler to take care of the python. The snake handler took the creature to the veterinary where doctors had the snake x rayed to see what the cause of the lump was.

The snake probably confused the bright tennis ball fora a frog. X rays revealed that the giant lump in the snake was caused by a tennis ball so doctors began massaging the reptile to carefully have it regurgitate the object.

“It probably smelt like food, maybe frogs,” said the homeowner.

The snake handler stated that it wasn’t uncommon to see snakes that have swallowed large objects. He said: “Maybe everyone six months we'll find ones with something strange in their stomachs, like golf balls and porcelain eggs.”

The video of the doctors extracting the tennis ball has gone viral on social media, garnering more than a 100 000 views on Facebook alone.

[embed]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1diUY5WGO4[/embed]

http://www.thesportsbay.com/snake-swallows-tennis-ball-massaged-out-by-vet-nurse-for-20-minutes-video/

The World’s best player and Real Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, has been named the world’s highest-paid sportsman of 2016 for the first time ever by Forbes.

The 32-year-old also becomes only the second person from a team sport to make it to the top of the list.

Ronaldo reportedly earned $88million last year, ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi ($81million) and NBA star LeBron James ($77million).

Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes, explains that the Portugal captain has overtaken boxer Floyd Mayweather and golfer Tiger Woods.

“With Mayweather hanging up his gloves and Woods hampered by injuries, there is an opening at the top. Filling the gap is the biggest star in the biggest sport on the planet,” Badenhausen wrote.

“This year, soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete, with earnings of $88m over the past 12 months from salary, bonuses and endorsements. Ronaldo is only the second team athlete after Michael Jordan to rank as the top-paid since Forbes began tracking athlete earnings in 1990.”

Other footballers who made the top 50 include: Barcelona star Neymar in 21st place ($37.5m), Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic at 23 ($37.4m), Madrid’s Gareth Bale at 25 ($35.9m) and Wayne Rooney of United at 49 ($26.1m).

http://www.thesportsbay.com/ronaldo-named-highest-paid-sportsman-2016-ahead-messi-lebron-james/

The most visited football club websites in the world have been revealed and it makes interesting reading.

UEFA have published the statistics as part of a club licencing benchmarking report, measuring monthly visitors from January to June 2016.

There is one South American inclusion and a side from Russia, Egypt and Ukraine, as well as clubs from the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

Leicester City’s Premier League triumph has seen them make the top 20, above Tottenham and Manchester City.

However, according to data from comScore, the company officially responsible for measuring Internet audiences, Realmadrid.com ended 2016 as the world’s most visited football club website.

In December 2016, comScore recorded a global audience of 1.35 million unique users of the Real Madrid website.

Manchester United finished in second place, with 236,000 fewer users. Meanwhile, third in the rankings were Arsenal, with 345,000 less unique users.

According to comScore, Real Madrid’s dominance is even greater within Spain, where not only is the Real Madrid website the outright leader, but it quadruples the visits recorded by the second-placed club, F.C. Barcelona.

Since April of last year, Real Madrid’s clear leadership has remained unfaltering and the gap between the two websites in terms of the numbers of unique users currently lies at 852,000, with Real Madrid enjoying the upper hand.

These excellent audience figures serve to highlight the efforts that Real Madrid have been making to drive the club’s digital transformation.

check them out via this link http://www.thesportsbay.com/the-worlds-most-visited-football-club-website-revealed/

Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been left out from Manchester City Champions League squad to making way for new signing Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus signed in the summer of 2016, only joined in January and made his debut for Manchester in the 2-2 Premier League home draw against Tottenham on Saturday, January 21.

His signing is seen as a threat to Iheanacho at City and has now replaced him in the squad for the knockout stage of the 2016/17 Champions League.

Iheanacho, however remains eligible for selection as meets the requirements to be on UEFA’s ‘List B’.

Being on UEFA ‘List B’ makes you eligible to play and the requirements to be on the list include being born on, or after, January 1, 1995, and has been eligible to play for the club for any uninterrupted period of two years since his 15th birthday.

Although Iheanacho is eligible for selection courtesy of the UEFA ‘List B’ his latest exclusion from the squad heightens the fears that the arrival of Jesus could spell the end of the Nigeria international at City.

Iheanacho has not been named in three straight games since City’s 2-2 draw against Spurs when Jesus made his debut.

There were reports that he could leave the club in the January transfer window, although Pep Guardiola ruled out a move for the 20-year-old striker, insisting he belongs to the future of the club.

“But of course Kelechi is part of the squad,” Guardiola told a news conference ahead of their FA Cup trip to Crystal Palace.

“Jesus and Nolito are not-so young strikers, Gabriel, Rash [Raheem Sterling] and Kelechi, they are so, so young strikers and they will be the future. They have to adapt.”

Another notable change to the squad is the inclusion of experienced midfielder Yaya Toure who was controversially missing from the squad in the group stages.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/jesus-replaces-iheanacho-manchester-citys-champions-league-squad/

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has agreed terms with Manchester United ahead of a summer switch to Old Trafford, ​according to reports from France on Wednesday night.

It’s claimed that United have reached an agreement with the player over his contractual terms, at least in principle, though no fee is agreed as yet with Diego Simeone’s side.

Atletico are not keen to offload the player, but will be powerless to stop Griezmann departing should United pay the full €100m release clause in his contract. If that’s what it takes, that’s exactly what United are prepared to do, according to the report.

The 25-year-old will pocket the same €17.7m-a-year earnings as current United star and close personal friend Paul Pogba when and if the deal is confirmed. The former Juventus man is currently the world’s most expensive player, though United will not need to break the record figure for a second consecutive summer because of the clause.

Atletico are due to move into a new 67,000-capacity stadium next season, and it’s believed that the club will have to consider the sale of at least one leading player to help deal with the costs of switching to the Wanda Metropolitano. Griezmann featured for Atletico on their home ground on Wednesday night, scoring in a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona.

Griezmann is set to be handed the number 7 shirt vacated by Memphis Depay – who joined Lyon in January – and the player is believed to be one of Jose Mourinho’s top targets as he looks to boost his firepower.

United could only draw 0-0 at home to Hull City on Wednesday, magnifying the need for a new top class forward to be brought in.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/man-utd-prepare-e100m-summer-move-for-atletico-madrid-star/

Afriifa:
I don't like Tinubu as a Person, but I must confess his political BRAIN is immeasurable

You can say that again. He is just too intelligent. Buhari needs him to effectively run this government. We will be better off with Tinubu playing key roles in our governance. He should be part of the 'cabal'

As a rule, foreign leaders aare NEVER invited to US Presidents swearing in. Its a rule. So GEJ maybe invited since he is ex president. No president, prime minister king or queen are invited.

The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Total Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon 2017 (also referred to as AFCON 2017 or CAN 2017) is the biennial international men’s football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Africa’s flagship football tournament, the 31st edition starts today and will end on the 5th of February, 2017.

In the years past, players had always expressed their displeasure at the timing of the tourney which according to them does not favour them especially with their club sides. Expectedly, players who are fighting for regular playing time will surely not welcome playing in AFCON but then they are obliged to play for their countries. We have seen instances where players feign injuries to avoid playing the three week tourney.



Even the clubs with exceptional African players complained about the timing. Chelsea under Mourinho never liked the timing as Didier Drogba, Mikel Obi, Salomon Kalou, Micheal Essien and others would leave the club during the business end of the season. And in some cases, the players could come back injured, fatigued, lose form and lose shirts as the case may be.

Most managers are always skeptical to sign African players knowing fully well the consequences. Former Wigan Manager Roberto Martinez had said the Africa Cup of Nations is a big dissentive to Premier League clubs in signing African players. He even asked FIFA and CAF to make the tournament every four years like the European Championships.

The 2015 edition best player, 25 year old Ghana midfielder Christian Atsu is not happy with the timing of the Africa Cup of Nations to end of the European calendar in order to benefit players, especially those plying their trade in Europe and has urged CAF to review it.
According to him, several African players lose their position at their club sides upon their return from Afcon which is true.

“I think this goes to Caf because they need to realise that when players are doing well [at their club side] and go to Afcon in January, when they come back, there is someone playing in their position and if that person is performing, it is difficult to win it back,” Atsu told TV3.

“Caf need to do something about the tournament in January. It needs to be moved to end of the season. For me when the season ends, a lot more people can watch the Afcon because there is no football. There will be more scouts, more fans and that would mean bigger exposure for African football,” he added.

This year, some managers such as Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte are lucky. Manchester City for example have no player going as Yaya Toure has officially retired from international duty, while Kelechi Iheanacho’s Nigeria failed to reach the tournament.

However, this year’s edition has seen seven Cameroonian players refusing to play for their country. They are – Joel Matip (Liverpool), André Onana (Ajax d’Amsterdam), Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Nancy), Allan Nyom (West Bromwich), André Zambo Anguissa (Olympique Marseille), Ibrahim Amadou (Lille), Maxime Poundje (Bordeaux) – who were named in Cameroon’s provisional squad for the tournament, but have refused to play in it, mainly for the reason of club commitments.

There is an arguement from CAF to preserve the tradition. Agreed, gone are the old days when the tournament was dominated with African based players (there were no much Europe based players then). Since the European doors were open to talented and lucky Africans, the AFCON timing became an issue.

The CAF have always defended their actions and in this case, they cited the rainy season which occurs in most parts of the African continent.

Currently, the Afcon is one of only two men’s senior international football tournaments held every two years, but the only one not in the summer, at the end of the European club football season. The other continental championships – European Championship, COPA America and Asian Cup – are held every four years and also in the summer, just like the FIFA competitions – World Cup, Confederations Cup and Olympic Football Tournament.

The only other men’s senior continental championship held every two years is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but very importantly it is played, unlike the Afcon, in the summer (June/July) and so doesn’t clash with any European club commitments.

Read more http://www.thesportsbay.com/afcon-2017-timing-affects-europe-based-players/

Argentine striker Carlos Tevez has officially become the world’s highest-paid football player after signing a whopping $41million-a-year contract at Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

Tevez penned a two-year deal with the Chinese Super League team, which paid an $11 million fee to his former club Boca Juniors for the transfer.

“Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC reached a transfer agreement with Argentina Club Atlético Boca Juniors. Carlos Alberto Tévez has officially joined Shanghai Shenhua,” a statement on the Shanghai Shenhua website read.



The news was confirmed by Boca Juniors on their official website wishing ‘El Apache’ luck in the Far East. Carlos Tevez “After twists and turns…the second stage of Tevez at Boca culminates with two titles (Torneo and Copa Argentina 2015), where he scored 25 goals in 56 games played. Beyond his departure, the club and the fans will wait for his return so that he retires in the club he loves. Good luck, Carlitos!”

The breakdown of Tevez’s enormous new earning power makes for eye-watering reading; his contract nets him a gross $808,000 a week, $115,000 a day, $4,800 an hour or $80 a minute.

The player joins the recent wave of top rate players who have headed to China from Europe. On Friday, Brazil international Oscar moved from Chelsea to Shenhua’s city rivals Shanghai SIPG for a reported £60 million ($73 million).

Tevez joins former English Premier League strikers Obafemi Martins and Demba Ba on the roster of big-spending Shenhua, which also boast former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder and ex-Sunderland coach Gus Poyet as their manager.

The player known as ‘Carlitos’ is no stranger to speculative transfers; he began his career at iconic Argentine club Boca Juniors before venturing to Brazil and playing for Corinthians in a move reported to be worth $22 million.

Then, in a surprising transfer to West Ham together with countryman Javier Mascherano, he moved to England to play for London club West Ham.

There he saved the club from relegation by scoring away at Manchester United on the last day of the season. Nevertheless, after playing a season for them in which he was voted the club’s player of the year, he eventually moved on loan to United, where he won two Premier League titles and the 2008 UEFA Champions League, his highest honour to date.

A year later and Tevez moved again to play for United’s cross-town rivals Manchester City, which paid £47 million ($57.6 million) for his services.

He then played for Juventus following a dispute with City before moving back to Boca Juniors in 2015.

Overall, his transfers have generated a total $102 million since 2005.

An unnamed Chinese club has offered Real Madrid about £257m for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to the Portuguese player's agent Jorge Mendes.

He said the 31-year-old forward had no interest in the deal, which included an £85m annual salary.

Mendes told Sky Italia: "From China, they've offered 300m euros (£257m) to Real Madrid and more than 100m per year to the player.

"But money is not everything. The Spanish club [Real] is his life."

<a href="http://www.thesportsbay.com/official-carlos-tevez-highest-paid-footballer-world/">The revelation comes after Carlos Tevez was reportedly made the world's highest-paid footballer by Shanghai Shenua.</a>

Shanghai, coached by ex-Brighton boss Gus Poyet, are reported to have agreed a deal worth £40m for Tevez, including a salary in excess of £310,000 a week.

Under the offer claimed by Mendes, Ronaldo would have earned £1.6m a week in a deal worth almost treble the world record transfer fee of £89m paid by Manchester United to Juventus for midfielder Paul Pogba.

"The Chinese market is a new market. They can buy a lot of players, but then again it is impossible to go for Ronaldo. Cristiano is the best player in the world and best ever. It is normal to have some offers," said Mendes.

The Portugal captain said he could play for another 10 years after signing a new deal, which ties him to Madrid until June 2021, last month.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/unnamed-chinese-club-offers-real-madrid-257m-cristiano-ronaldo/

mysticgal:
If you say so..... You do sports journalism, that's great.
How are you doing this splendid morning?

Yes i do sports journalism. Its my passion. I am saying so cos its true nah. sure u had a good day,

mysticgal:
Good morning to you. There is nothing mysterious about me, just the average girl.

Average girl with some mystical elements right?

mysticgal:
He's igbo, I am igbo.

I love your name Mystical. Seems u will be mysterious. Can i meet you?

shaggy007:
Why you dey pretend like say you no know Nigerian bloggers?

Its a recent story that happened during the week on tuesday

Former national team coach Adegboye Onigbinde has said no player or agent approached him with money while he was in charge of the Eagles.

He said this following an allegations by ex-international<a href="http://www.thesportsbay.com/agents-offer-local-coaches-bribes-to-invite-their-players-amokachi/"> Daniel Amokachi, that agents bribed Super Eagles coaches for their players to be given call-ups</a>

Amokachi, who worked as an assistant to former Eagles coaches Stephen Keshi (2011-2015), Amodu Shuaibu (2008 to 2010) and Austin Eguavoen (2005-2007) had sensationally revealed that all three used to complain about being approached by agents (with money) to feature their players.

“Every time Amodu would tell me, ‘Can you listen to these useless agents that are calling me? They want to give me $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000 to bring their players in.’ But he’s a man of integrity and wouldn’t take it. I worked with Keshi and it was the same scenario. With Eguavoen, it was the same. If these three names mentioned had no integrity, definitely they would have fallen victim,” Amokachi told BBC Sport.

But two-time Eagles coach Onigbinde, who led Nigeria to the 2002 World Cup, said such never happened during his time with the team.

He said, “Of all the players I have discovered, I have not earned $1 from any of them. Even the players’ agents are afraid to come to me. I have a name to protect.

“I came on occasions when the team had broken down in 1984 and 2002 and I had to start building the team from the streets. In fact, I have documents of the players saying in 2002 that if all of them were not invited for the World Cup, none of them would come to camp.”

Former international Taiwo Oloyede however said bribery was a form of “appreciation” even before a player was called up to the national team. But he denied giving bribes to play for the national team.

“They call it appreciation. There’s nowhere it doesn’t happen; corruption is everywhere, even in offices. Those involved keep it highly secretive and you can hardly nab them. And it’s still happening; managers do it so that their players will be better reckoned with in the domestic league or in Europe,” the ex-Stores captain stated.

“It usually happened between coaches and the players who were desperate to make an impact. I had made my name and no coach could ask me for money before inviting me.”

Another ex-Eagles star, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “There was a time we were returning home from an away game and the players bought Rolex watches for officials on the plane.”

http://www.thesportsbay.com/no-agent-player-bribed-me-when-i-was-super-eagles-coach-onigbinde/

Former Super Eagles legend and catain, Austin Okocha has revealed that former Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is still unhappy with him 23 years after he scored a wonder goal against the revered shot stopper.

Okocha stated this at an interactive media briefing tagged ‘ Bundesliga Legend Tour with Jay-Jay Okocha’ organised by Pay Television Company StarTimes and DeutsheFussballLiga.

Karlsruhe keeper Kahn had come out of his line to thwart an Eintracht Frankfurt attack during a Bundesliga game in 1993, but Okocha turned him inside with his dribbles, with the German tumbling down inside the box.

<a href="http://www.thesportsbay.com/oliver-khan-recalls-okochas-humiliation-23-years-after-still-feels-dizzy/">But the Nigerian was not done yet as he dribbled past more Karlsruhe defenders, going past some of them twice, before slotting in past Kahn, who had enough time to recover but couldn’t stop Okocha.</a>

“Kahn doesn’t like me, he has taken it personal. I was just doing my job, I didn’t have the intention to hold the ball too long but he was at the receiving end. I am grateful to God for that because people can still identify me with something in Germany,” he said.

The ex-Super Eagles captain asserted that starting his European career in Germany triggered his professional career. He left Nigeria for Germany at 17 and started out with a second division side FC Saarbrucken before moving up to become one of the biggest stars of the Bundesliga.

“Being the World Cup champions is not a fluke; their youth development programme is strong. I used to say that I got to Germany as a boy but I left as a man. I never knew they had the structure in term of discipline, education and lifestyle,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Marketing Director Star Times, Dare Kafar, said the legend tour is part of the five years exclusive broadcast right to air Bundesliga matches in Nigeria, which was signed a year ago.

In the same vein, the managing director DFL Sports Enterprise, Tobias Ross, stated that the legend tour would help share the Bundesliga experience outsideGermany, adding that they want the league to get closer to their international supporters.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/why-oliver-khan-still-hates-me-okocha/

Football is a binding sport that brings everyone together irrespective of career, sex, background etc. Highly successful people in different fields of life have shown their passion in the round leather game.

Football season is in full swing, and with the premiere league, La Liga, French Ligue and Serie A, we bring you the list of the celebrities

Check them out on http://www.thesportsbay.com/famous-world-celebrities-who-are-football-fans/

Bob Bradley has been sacked by Swansea City after only 85 days in charge of the Premier League club.

The 4-1 home defeat by West Ham on 26 December left Swansea four points adrift of safety in the Premier League.

It was their seventh loss in 11 games since Bradley became the first American boss in the top flight after replacing Francesco Guidolin on 3 October.

Chairman Huw Jenkins said: “We felt we had to make the change with half the Premier League season remaining.”

He added: “With the club going through such a tough time, we have to try and find the answers to get ourselves out of trouble.

“Personally, I have nothing but praise for Bob. He is a good man; a good person who gave everything to the job. His work-rate is phenomenal and we wish him well for the future.”

Bradley managed USA, Egypt and Stabaek in Norway before leaving Le Havre to succeed January appointment Guidolin.

At the time of his arrival, Swansea were above the relegation zone only on goal difference but City have picked up just eight points out of a possible 33 under Bradley’s leadership, conceding 29 goals in the process.

They are 19th in the Premier League table with 12 points and only above bottom side Hull because of a better goal difference.

First team coaches Alan Curtis and Paul Williams will take temporary charge, starting with Swansea’s New Year’s Eve home game against Bournemouth.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/swansea-axe-bob-bradley-85-days-charge/

Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has described his resignation as the team’s coach as the toughest decision he had taken in life, according to reports on Wednesday.

Oliseh coached the Eagles for less than a year before he resigned in February 2016 citing contract violations on the part of the Nigeria Football Federation, unpaid wages and benefits to players and assistant coaches.The 42-year-old was appointed as Eagles coach in July 2015.

The former Nigeria captain said he left the job because of his family.

“Deciding to resign from the coaching job of the Super Eagles is the most difficult decision I ever took in my whole life. It took me a whole month to decide it,” the 42-year-old was quoted as saying at a coaching clinic in Kenya.

“Most of the time I was living in Belgium so I was not reachable to give comments but it got to a time I had to think of my two kids and the 21 years of marriage I have had with my wife and decided to pass the batton to another person.”

The former defensive midfielder said Africa is the most talented continent with players who have football skills when compared with the rest of the world.

“When I started my football career at the age of 16 in Belgium, the Europeans never taught me how to dribble the ball or pass they only taught me how to be disciplined and what to do at the right time. They just polish what we as Africans have,” Oliseh, who captained Nigeria to the 1994 African Cup of Nations said.

Oliseh was in Kenya to conduct a coaching clinic in the East African country. He outlined that African players only get their football skills polished when they move to play in the European leagues.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/oliseh-admits-quiting-eagles-tough/

Alan Pardew has been sacked as Crystal Palace manager with the club 17th in the Premier League after a run of one victory in 11 games.

Pardew was appointed on a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2015 with the club taking just 26 points from the 36 Premier League matches they have played in 2016 and are only one point above the relegation zone.

Former England boss Sam Allardyce is the bookmakers' favourite to take over.

Chairman Steve Parish told BBC Sport: "We all bought into the decision to play a more expansive style of football. We all believed in it. That hasn't worked. It's no-one's fault. The players have been running their socks off for Alan, the spirit is good.

"But now we're going to wind the dial back the other way.

"We're talking to a number of people to make sure we get this right, nothing has been agreed."

In a statement, Pardew said: "Personally I have a lot of good feelings for this football club and am sad that my time there has ended.

"I feel that I have a special bond with the club and hope that hasn't been affected" added Pardew, who made more than 100 appearances for Palace as a player between 1987 and 1991 and led them to the FA Cup final last season.

Parish, who co-owns the club with American investors Josh Harris and David Blitzer, added: "I'm not going to blame other people [American co-owners]. Relegation is so costly and I feel with no blame attached we got ourselves in a rut and need a change."

Palace have yet to confirm who will take charge of the team for their league fixture at Watford on Boxing Day.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/crystal-palace-sack-alan-pardew-may-appoint-sam-allarydace/

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been revealed to be the winner of the 2016 FIFA Player of the Year award.

FIFA are hosting their own player of the year award after ending their six-year-old association with France Football, organisers of the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo has already been named the winner of the 2016 Ballon d’Or and if a report by Mundo Deportivo is anything to go by, the Real Madrid star will win the FIFA Player of the Year award.



The Player of the Year award would round up an incredible year for the 31-year-old who won two European titles with Real Madrid (Champions League) and Portugal (Euro 2016).

The same week he was awarded the 2016 Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo also lifted the Club World Cup with Real Madrid and was also named Player of the Tournament.

Ronaldo was named Man of the Tournament as Real Madrid won the 2016 Club World Cup (Instagram/Cristiano Ronaldo)

In 2016, Ronaldo scored 55 goals in 57 games for Real Madrid and 13 goals for Portugal.

Lionel Messi, his main rival won La Liga and Copa del Rey double with Barcelona but missed out on a trophy with Argentina after losing the 2016 Copa America final to Chile.

Messi was a runner-up to Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or voting.

http://www.thesportsbay.com/cristiano-ronaldo-set-named-fifa-player-year/

They may have beautiful ladies at the customer service and I think that has eroded their services. The pride they have being one of the best banks in Nigeria may fade off if they dont do the needful. Arikair is an example. Just negodu.

koladebrainiac:
See hypocrite.
N some folks condemned fashola for sleeping the other day

Fashola slept inside train ooo. Not during a function. And yet he was bashed for sleeping.

Britain’s flyweight boxer, Muhammed Ali was defeated in his Rio debut on Monday.

The young Ali – reportedly bestowed the name by his boxing-mad father – was left distraught and in tears after his Olympic dream came to a premature end after just nine minutes of action.

Venezuela’s Yoel Finol, 19, was awarded the bout on a unanimous points decision to leave Ali, who is a year older, with his head in his hands and looking stunned.

“I’ve been here too long and I was itching to get in there,” said Ali, who was making his first appearance nine days after the Rio boxing began.

“I let the emotions get the better of me, I just tried too hard and nothing was flowing and now I am just here…” said Ali, his voice trembling and tears welling in his eyes.

“I just feel like it’s the end of the world.”

The heavyweight legend Ali, who died in June aged 74, announced his presence to the world — he was then called Cassius Clay — with gold at the Rome Olympics in 1960.

http://realworldofsport.com/2016/08/16/rio-olympics-muhammed-ali-loses-boxing-bout-on-debut/