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Kubrat Pulev has warned Anthony Joshua he is “ready to come to London” to “bust up” the world heavyweight champion.

Negotiations to finalise Joshua’s next fight have hinged mainly on the location – the IBF, WBA and WBO champion’s preference is a UK homecoming after two fights abroad in 2019, and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has emerged as the “frontrunner” to host a fight in June.

But Pulev has mocked Joshua, saying: “Calm down champ, I see that you are very worried to fight away from home and you are absolutely right to be, haha!

“But rest assured, if necessary I’m ready to come to London and bust you up in front of your own fans!

“Until then, tell Mr. Hearn not to get ahead of himself, we do not have a deal yet!”

Promoter Eddie Hearn claimed on Thursday a deal to pit Joshua against his IBF mandatory challenger was “very close”.

“We’ve had offers in from the Far East, Middle East, Africa, America, Turkey,” Hearn told Sky Sports News.

“He’s made it very clear to me, I want to come home. I want to box in London next. I’ve been to Madison Square Garden, I’ve been to Saudi Arabia, bring me home. Forget the other offers, bring me home.

“He wants to fight in London in June. We’re on the verge of making that happen now. Spurs is the front runner and that’s what he’s asked me to do. We’ll be delivering that for him.”

Bulgaria’s Pulev has only ever lost to Wladimir Klitschko in 29 fights but has since beaten Hughie Fury and Derek Chisora. He was initially scheduled to face Joshua at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in 2017 but withdrew injured.

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Manchester United’s new boy Odion Ighalo has been set a challenge to score 15 goals this season by fans after giving his first interview at the club.

The forward has joined from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua on loan until the end of the season.

Manchester United’s new boy Odion Ighalo has been set a challenge to score 15 goals this season by fans after giving his first interview at the club.

The forward has joined from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua on loan until the end of the season.

With previous experience of the Premier League with Watford, the 30-year-old is expected to fill the gap left my Marcus Rashford’s injury.

Ighalo’s deal was secured on transfer deadline day, leaving pundits stunned.

But the 30-year-old has revealed it is a dream come true in his first interview as a United player.

Speaking on the club’s official Twitter channel, he said: “I never thought this would happen but dreams do come true.

“I’m very happy to be here and it’s going to be a big challenge for me in my career.”

And the United faithful were delighted to see the Nigerian in United kit.

“Wish him all the best,” one supporter said.

Another commented: “You can’t not love him.”

While a third set him a challenge.

“He’s got to score 15 goals for United,” they said.

And a fourth added: “I reckon 10+ goals this season.”

A fifth even suggested they would start coming soon, with: “Ighalo to score two goals vs Chelsea.”

With a sixth simply saying: “20 goals incoming.”

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Odion Ighalo will wear boots adorning a touching tribute to his late sister Mary when he takes to the field for Manchester United.

The 30-year-old sealed his dream move on Deadline Day, when moving to Old Trafford on loan from Shanghai Shenhua.

But the Nigerian suffered the personal tragedy of losing his older sister back in December.

Ighalo revealed in a tribute to her that she died at the age of 42 on December 12 last year.

The former Watford striker has kept the details of her passing private, but was clearly close to his sibling.

He has posted a series of pictures of them together on social media, and he has made an image of Mary his profile picture on both Twitter and Instagram.

And he has posted a picture of a brand new pair of bright red Nike football boots, featuring her name written just above the trademark swoosh.

Following her name, Mary Atole, is the Nigerian flag.

Ighalo captioned an image of the boots with the message: “MARY ATOLE (nee ighalo) lives forever 12-12-19”.

Having last played for Shanghai Shenhua on December 1 in a 3-0 defeat to Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande – Ighalo has not taken to the field since his sister’s passing.

It will be fitting that on his first opportunity to pay tribute to her on the pitch, he will do so wearing the colours of Man United – the club that he grew up dreaming of playing for.

While he is not thought to be 100 percent match fit, United’s mini winter break means that they do not have a game until travelling to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on February 17.

If that comes too soon – Ighalo could debut the new boots at Old Trafford against Club Brugge in the Europa League the following Thursday.

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Odion Ighalo made a surprise January transfer window deadline day loan switch to Manchester United from Chinese Super League club, Shanghai Shenhua. Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU here highlights three reasons the former Super Eagles striker would make a big impact at the Old Trafford

PREMIER LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
Ighalo is returning to familiar territory following his previous stint with Watford. The 30-year-old spent three seasons at Watford and made huge impact with The Hornets. He scored 36 goals in 90 league appearances during his time at the club.

That experience will come handy in what is expected to be a tough spell at Old Trafford where he is expected to shoulder goal scoring responsibilities in the absence of the injured Marcus Rashford.

Established strikers like Samuel Eto’o Fils and Gonzalo Higuain have struggled in the highly physical Premier League in the past, but Ighalo have the experience to navigate through this challenge.

PROVEN GOAL SCORER
Odion Ighalo may have not been the kind of signing most United fans craved for, but they surely have a proven goal scorer in their ranks. Aside from his successful spell with Watford , he was also the leading marksman during his two year spell at Chinese Super League club, Changchun Yatai.

Ighalo scored 15 goals in 27 league appearances in his first season at Changchun Yatai and hit the back of the net 21 times in 28 games the following season.

Injury disrupted his appearance in his first season at Shanghai Shenhua, but he still managed to score 10 goals in 17 league appearances for the FA Cup kings.

On the international scene, he was top scorer during the qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations with seven goals and also won the golden boot with six goals at the competition proper in Egypt.
Overall, he scored 16 goals in 35 outings for Nigeria.

TOUGH MENTALITY

Talk of a cat with nine lives, then Odion Ighalo is surely the one. The 30-year-old endured a difficult childhood to become one of the household names in the world football. From a dusty playground in Ajegunle, he has now fulfilled his dream of playing for his childhood club.

The powerful forward was singled out as the villain of the piece by the majority of Super Eagles fans after the side’s elimination from the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The striker endured abuse on social media from fans who not only targeted him, but also abused his wife and called his children names too, even going so far as making death threats against the player and his family members.

Despite pressure from his family to quit national assignment right away in the face of the abuses, he stepped up his commitment and helped the Super Eagles qualify for AFCON 2019, emerging top scorer with seven goals.

He then went on to claim the golden boot in Egypt 2019, before bowing out of international football.
Playing for the 20-time Premier League champions will no doubt put him under the spotlight, but Ighalo surely have what it takes to excel at the club.

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Former Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has slammed Manchester United’s loan move for Odion Ighalo describing it as an act of “desperation”, Completesports.com reports.

United completed a six-month loan deal for Ighalo from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua on transfer deadline day.

Ighalo was brought in as a replacement for the injured Marcus Rashford.

But Warnock who took Cardiff from the Championship to the Premier League in 2018, is not convinced it would be a good move for the club.

“I am not sure if it’s the right one, if I’m honest – not for Man Utd,” Warnock said on Sky Sports.

“I just think it is too up in the air. I don’t think he has been that consistent and I don’t think he is the right type of player.

And Warnock was not convinced it would be a good move for the club.

“I am not sure if it’s the right one, if I’m honest – not for Man Utd,” Warnock said on Sky Sports.”I just think it is too up in the air. I don’t think he has been that consistent and I don’t think he is the right type of player.

“I think they have gone for the younger element at the minute and I don’t understand why they didn’t go for a Danny Ings, somebody like Danny Ings. He’s 27-years of age, English and similar to a Rashford-type of player.

“I think it is a little bit in desperation. But I think the Josh King thing was a bit of a last-minute thought.

“But I think Josh King would have been better than this for the way that they are building.”

Though United have endured their fair share of troubles of late, Warnock has paid credit to the way they are trying to rebuild the squad.

The former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace added: “I think it is the right way that they are building with Wan-Bissaka and James – people like that. That is the way forward.

“They are so far behind Man City and Liverpool – they are five years behind them.

“I think they have got to bring the youngsters back in and almost bring a Busby Babes team back into the squad and get the fans behind them that way.”

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Odion Ighalo is expected to travel with the Manchester United squad to their winter training camp.

Ighalo, 30, completed a five-month loan move to United on transfer deadline day and arrived in Manchester over the weekend. The Shanghai Shenhua striker could make his debut against fourth-placed Chelsea on February 17 but injured midfielders Scott McTominay (knee) and Paul Pogba (ankle) will not take part in the warm weather training.

United have granted their players time off until they leave for their training base on Saturday, though the club have refused to specify where they are travelling to. United are believed to be staying in Marbella, where manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took former club Molde for pre-season training in 2018.

“They’ll have a week or so off and we’ve got more days [rest] because we’re playing Chelsea on the Monday,” Solskjaer said. “So we’ll get together on the Saturday and we’ll have a good camp, working on different things.

“Of course, we’ve got a few new players, hopefully we can integrate them into the squad. [The players] have been fantastic. We’ve had to, with all the injuries we’ve had, rely on many of these to maybe play more games than they should, and they’ve been brilliant.

“Yes, we’ve had ups and downs, but it shows that we do miss the injured players so, yeah, it’ll be a nice break and I think it’s about time we had that in England. I think all teams will get their energy levels back.”

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Premier League club Crystal Palace have considered a deadline day move for Queens Park Rangers England-born Nigerian midfielder Ebere Eze, but The Eagles seem unlikely to match the Championship club’s valuation for the talented player, the Evening Standard reports.

The Sun had reported that Eze is valued at £20 million – a hefty fee for a player unproven in the Premier League.

According to The Standard, however Crystal Palace are unlikely to lure Eze across London in the final few hours of the transfer deadline day.

Crystal Palace are also set to miss out on West Ham-bound Jarrod Bowen and manager Roy Hodgson, who was apparently considering his future due to the lack of investment at Selhurst Park, is unlikely to be too thrilled by the way things have turned out this month.

Especially if a £4 million deal for West Brom’s Nathan Ferguson falls through at the eleventh hour.

Eze’s impressive performance for QPR this season could be attributed to the interest he has been getting from Premier clubs.

He has 10 goal and six assists in 31 appearances in all competitions for QPR this season.

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Super Eagles midfield strongman, Wilfred Ndidi has emerged as the 10th Most Valuable Defensive Midfielder in the world, Completesports.com reports.

The Leicester City of England star’s market value has risen considerably of late and he is currently worth €45m according to the latest Transfer Market report.

The duo of Manchester City’s Rodri and Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich lead the chart with the market value of €80m each.

Liverpool’s Fabinho and Real Madrid’s Casemiro sit in the 3rd and 4th positions with a market value of 70m Euros each while Chelsea’s Jorginho occupies the 5th spot.

Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic is 6th; West Ham’s Declan Rice is 7th; Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey is 8th while Wolves’ Ruben Neves is 9th.

Ndidi however, has the duo of Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria and Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira as joint 10th with the trio all valued at €45m each.

Ndidi is also the most expensive Nigerian footballer with Everton’s Alex Iwobi (€28.80m) second and the dynamic duo of Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze (€27m), joint third.

Meanwhile, Leicester City boss, Brendan Rodgers has declared Ndidi fit for tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final.second leg clash against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

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Anthony Joshua’s clash with Kubrat Pulev could be the first fight to be staged at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

That is if promoter Eddie Hearn can convince the Bulgarian to travel to the UK.

Pulev is the mandatory challenger for Joshua’s IBF belt and the British heavyweight star wants the fight in the UK.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said last week a number of venues are in the running including Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Principality Stadium, Twickenham and the Emirates.

Spurs’ new ground was the front runner immediately after Joshua regained the WBA, IBF and WBO titles against Andy Ruiz Jnr in December.

But it is now understood Arsenal’s home is the new favourite to host the clash which will be staged in late May or early June.

Tottenham also want the fight but Hearn said last week that the dates were “difficult” at the stunning new stadium.

Hearn has held talks with Arsenal about the availability of the Emirates and it is understood now to be the preferred choice although they have yet to book the venue.

Gunners officials are starting to put in place plans for the event should they get the deal over the line in the coming weeks.

Hearn still needs to convince Pulev to travel to the UK as the Bulgarian is aware more money is on the table to stage the fight in Saudi Arabia or the Far East.

They must come to a financial deal before Friday to avoid it going to purse bids which would allow any promoter to put in an offer to stage the bout.

But an agreement on the venue could wait with Hearn aware how much the bout will generate in the UK so it won’t differ what outdoor stadium they book.

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Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr says he will meet with top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation next month (February) to talk and agree a new contract, reports Completesports.com.

Rohr is currently at the tail end of the last six months of his current contract.

The NFF is ready to renew the contract of the German tactician, but it certainly won’t be a loose deal like the previous one.

The new contract terms will require that the former Bordeaux player and gaffer must live in Nigeria – Lagos or Abuja.

He will also be allowed to travel on vacation three times in a year. Also the coach will not get an improved pay from his $55,000 per month deal.

The NFF will also ensure, unlike in the past three years where he earned wages tax free, that his income will be levied.

“We will see the leaders soon. The meeting is planned for the month of February and possibly before the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches in March. We can agree on the new contract,” Rohr told Girondis33.com.

“I have been there for more than three years and it is long for Nigeria , because rarely can a coach be maintained as long . It was possible because the results were good, the team has evolved and that we accomplished the mission of rejuvenation.

“It was planned and we managed to do it with young players including two that you know, who play for Girondins Bordeaux (Samuel Kalu and Josh Maja), and we have others in England, in Spain, etc. We no longer have a big star, because John Obi Mikel has retired. Victor Moses also retired for family and age reasons.”

Rohr added: “Our top scorer Odion Ighalo also retired after AFCON 2019 in Egypt.

“We managed to find a scorer in Victor Osimhen , and other playmakers; we have Samuel Chukweze who plays at Villarreal, the little Samuel Kalu from Bordeaux who plays very very well with us – one of the best every time he plays with Nigeria. So we have a very, very young, promising team, and I would like to continue.”

Rohr, who was appointed on a three-year contract in August 2016 and has been in charge of the Super Eagles in 39 games, with 22 wins, seven draws and 10 losses.

Source -https://www.completesports.com/rohr-i-want-to-continue-as-nigeria-coach-can-agree-new-contract-with-nff/

Nigeria’s No. 1 sports publication Complete Sports, www.completesports.com and fast-growing fans community
NaijaSuperFans.com hereby call on our loyal readers and members worldwide to support the ongoing fund-raiser by former Super Eagles player and coach, Samson Siasia to challenge his FIFA life ban from football at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

We say, let us join hands to #Help Samson Siasia Clear His Name At FIFA.

We make this passionate appeal on a nationalistic and compassionate ground and without prejudice to the reasons FIFA have adduced for imposing the maximum ban on our national compatriot.

We recall that the FIFA pronouncement only claimed that Siasia was “guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.” The FIFA statement did not state conclusively with evidence that he had actually committed the alleged offense. Therefore, we feel that Siasia should be supported at least to state his own side of the story.

We also recall that Siasia explained that he didn’t see the FIFA emails inviting him to defend himself before the original verdict was passed because he was embroiled in the kidnap saga surrounding his mother at the time. Now, all he wants is a second chance to present his defense at the CAS.

Complete Sports, Completesports.com and NaijaSuperFans are convinced that Siasia deserves the assistance of Nigerians to present his defense at the CAS. This is someone who has brought lots of glory to our country at youth and full international levels both as a player and a coach. The least we can do is to give him an opportunity to defend himself against this life ban from FIFA, while leaving CAS to review the merits of his appeal.

Complete Sports, Completesports.com and NaijaSuperFans.com have already made our joint financial contributions to Siasia’s fund-raising campaign. Now, we invite all our readers and members to join this patriotic campaign to #Help Samson Siasia Clear His Name At FIFA. No amount is too big or too small. Please contribute now via any of the following channels:

*Samson Siasia GTBank Naira account number 0138095724.
*Samson Siasia GTBank Dollar account number 0138827431.
* https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-samson-siasia-clear-his-name-at-fifa
* https://quickraiz.com/campaign/82028-help-samson-siasia-clear-his-name-fifa

Victor Moses’ move to Inter Milan looks to be a formality after the Chelsea star was spotted in Romelu Lukaku’s Instagram post of a squad dinner.

The wing-back has traveled to Italy ahead of a transfer to the Italian giants, where he is set to be reunited with former Blues boss Antonio Conte.

But it appears that Moses’ ex-Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku has just spoiled the reveal of the Nigerian player after posting his snap of Inter players enjoying a dinner together.

nter are battling with Juventus for the Scudetto crown this season, and trail the Old Lady by four points, and the squad decided to link up for a team bonding session with a meal out in order to boost morale.

Belgium star Lukaku showed off a United front among the players as they smiled at the dinner table, with on-loan Manchester United star Alexis Sanchez and Borja Valero looking very content holding a glass of wine.

But look a little closer and you will see a certain Chelsea player lingering at the back of the photo, although the picture of Moses appears to suggest he is on the brink of being an Inter player.

The 29-year-old sits opposite Lukaku as he smiles and appears to be bedding into his new surroundings already, as the former United striker wrote ‘My brothers, My boys, My Friends, My teammates @Inter’.

Moses, who has been on loan with Fenerbache this season, sees his Chelsea deal expire at the end of the season and the impending move should provide the player a huge boost as it returns him to Conte, who was a huge fan of his at Stamford Bridge.

He featured prominently under the Italian at right wing-back as Chelsea soared to a Premier League title success in 16-17.

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Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists the club need “quality” signings to help his mentally fatigued young squad after losing to Burnley.

The Clarets recorded their first win at the Old Trafford in 58 years following a 2-0 victory on Wednesday night.

Solskjaer is currently without key players Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford through injury and is hopeful of strengthening his squad before the January window shuts.

Solskjaer said: “I’m responsible for what is happening on the pitch, we’re looking to strengthen, we need to strengthen. We know that.

“We took the decision to let some players go as we needed to start afresh with a clear sight on the target in front of us which is a certain type of player. We know we need to get quality in and numbers in.

He added: “We are working to improve and get players in. Hopefully, we can get something over the line. These players are stretched, and I’ve got no complaints on any of them – they give everything they’ve got.

“We’ve got to stick to our values, stick to our beliefs. And knowing that there is no use feeling sorry for yourself. Go out tomorrow, the next day with the same commitment and get ready for Sunday. We are stretched. Some of the players have played more than they should’ve – more mentally rather than psychically, they need a mid-season break.”

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The Super Eagles will do well not to
underrate any of their Group C
opponents of the African qualifying
Second Round for the Qatar 2022 World Cup which consist of Cape verde, Central African Republic and Liberia, Completesports.com reports.

Nigeria will fight it out for a ticket with the three countries after the draws were conducted by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) on Tuesday with Cape Verde posing to be the major threat.

Cape Verdean national team also known as the Blue Sharks have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup but were in the 2013 and 2015 African Cup of Nations in which they did not lose any of their six group matches.

They also managed to secure their first ever berth in the finals of the AFCON in 2013 by defeating a more illustrious Cameroonian side 3-2 on aggregate while they reached the quarterfinals in their maiden appearance.

Cape Verde was colonized by Portugal and as a result, they play the Portuguese way and don’t allow their opponents to dominate them, they are an attacking side who have Julio Tavares of Dijon in France as talisman.

Another team that the Super Eagles will have to be up and doing against are the Wild Beasts or Central African Republic whose skipper is none other than Valencia of Spain midfielder, Geoffrey Kondogbia.

Kondogbia is the soul and heart of the Central African Republic (CAR)
squad and this season, the 31-year-old versatile player has scored once in 15 appearances across all competitions for Valencia, including three in the UEFA Champions League.

In 2018, Kondogbia who has played for Lens, Sevilla, Monaco and Inter Milan was cleared by FIFA to swap national allegiances to play for CAR. The 26-year-old played five times for France and helped the European nation win the 2013 Under-20 World Cup.

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The Super Eagles of Nigeria have been drawn in Group C alongside Cape Verde, Liberia and Central Africa Republic, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Completesports.com reports.

The draw was held today (Tuesday) at the Carlton Hotel in Cairo, Egypt.

In Group B, Tunisia, Zambia, Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea will slug it out.

Group D which could be described as a tough group has heavyweights Cote D’Ivoire and Cameroon who are joined by Mozambique and Malawi.

Another tough group is Group G that has Ghana and South who will also face Zimbabwe and Ethiopia.

The 14 winners from the First Round will joined Africa’s top-ranked 26 sides in the draw.

The 40 teams were split into 10 groups of four for the second qualifying round.

The 10 winners of the groups will be drawn against each other in home and away fixtures, with the five victors advancing to Qatar 2022.

The qualifiers will kick-off in October 2020.

CAF 2022 World Cup qualifying groups:

Group A

Algeria
Burkina Faso
Niger Republic
Djibouti

Group B

Tunisia
Zambia
Mauritania
Equatorial Guinea

Group C

Nigeria
Cape Verde
Liberia
Central Africa Republic

Group D

Cameroon
Cote d’Ivoire
Mozambique
Malawi

Group E

Mali
Uganda
Kenya
Rwanda

Group F

Egypt
Gabon
Libya
Angola

Group G

Ghana
South Africa
Zimbabwe
Ethiopia

Group H

Senegal
Congo
Namibia
Togo

Group I

Morocco
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Sudan

Group J

DR Congo
Benin Republic
Madagascar
Tanzania

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Jurgen Klopp has condemned a rescheduling of the Africa Cup of Nations back to January as “a catastrophe for Liverpool”.

But the Reds boss has insisted he will not consider selling Mo Salah, Sadio Mane or Naby Keita, even though all three hugely important players could potentially miss six weeks of thew new season.

The tournament had been switched to the summer from its previous winter slow, to reduce the impact on European leagues.

But the 2021 competition will be played in Cameroon, and it is simply too hot to play during June and July there.

So now Africa’s top players will be forced to miss their upwards of 10 games during January and February this time next year.

And Klopp, for a full seven minutes, spoke passionately about the threat to players’ welfare…even though he admits he is wasting his breath: “The Africa Cup of Nations going back to January is, for us, a catastrophe.

“On top of that we have absolutely no power so if we did say ‘We don’t let him go’ the player is suspended. How is that possible that the company who pays the player cannot decide that the player has to stay or not?

“If you would say ‘Let’s play the African Cup of Nations but the players play in other countries, not in Africa, it still would be a great tournament but not the superstars but the superstars of tomorrow.

“I don’t say that would be a solution for it but it is strange we have absolutely no say. We just sit there and plan the route, the flight for the boys, and say ‘There you go, have the boys’.

“Nowadays it should not be like this. But I speak here about it and no-one will listen. It is like the biggest waste of time ever. The Moaner from Liverpool or whatever it is again, on track. As long as nothing changes I will say it all the time.”

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The International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev will hold in Istanbul, Turkey in May.

The date and venue of the fight were confirmed on Pulev’s official Facebook page.

Pulev, 38 posted a link to an article that appears to claim that the much-anticipated fight will take place at the Vodafone Arena – home of Turkish football club Besiktas.
The pair are due to fight this year, with Pulev the mandatory challenger for Joshua’s IBF heavyweight title.

But according to SunSport while talks are ongoing, any clash between the two boxers will only take place in either the United Kingdom, United States or Saudi Arabia.

No word though has come from Joshua’s camp today regarding the fight.

Both boxers had been due to clash at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium back in October 2017, but Pulev had to pull out with injury and was replaced by Carlos Takam.

Joshua is thought to be keen to return to London for his next fight.

And it was revealed last month that the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium had emerged as a very real contender to host the bout.

The state-of-the-art facility opened in April 2019, and while it would be the stadium’s first boxing event – it has hosted NFL – and is due to host Rugby Union and a concert later this year.

Pulev, known as “The Cobra”, has an impressive 28-1 record in his career.

But that one loss came in his only other title fight – being defeated by Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg back in 2014.

Pulev’s most recent victory was over Rydell Booker in California on November 9.

And it appears that Pulev has won the race to be Joshua’s next opponent, with WBO challenger Oleksandr Usyk being made to wait until later in the year.

Joshua bounced back from his shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. to claim a unanimous points decision win in their title rematch on December 7, in Saudi Arabia.

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The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) is keen to retain the services of Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr with negotiations for a new contract set to commence next week, according to a top source in the Glass House, www.completesports.com reports.

Rohr is currently into the last six months of his current contract and the NFF will only give the Eagles coach a new deal provided he is ready to accept all the conditions that will be stipulated in the new contract.

The 66-year old coach who can be approached by other interested parties between now and June is however, believed to also want to continue on the Eagles job that has seen him led Nigeria to a group stage outing at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and a bronze medal finish at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

“The NFF is ready to renew the contract of the Super Eagles coach but it certainly won’t be a loose deal like the previous one,” begins the NFF top source who craves anonymity.

“There are certain conditions coach Rohr must agree to if Nigeria must retain his services. The NFF want to ensure a better deal that will help the national team as well as the football development in Nigeria.

Also Read: NFF Begins Moves to Secure Ovie, Dessers Nigeria Allegiance Swotch

“We are definitely set for negotiations next week but the NFF is not going to compromise on certain conditions.”

Some of the conditions Rohr is expected to accept in the new contract stipulates he must be ready to reside in Nigeria to do his job as well as show more commitment to the Nigeria Professional Football League.

The coach will also be allowed to travel on vacation only three times in a year while all his selections for the national team must be approved by the NFF Technical Committee.

Rohr who was appointed on a three-year contract in August 2016 has managed 39 games in charge of the Super Eagles with 22 wins, seven draws and 10 losses.

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Former Nigeria Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdulahi and a British journalist, Satish Sekar have backed former Green Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami’s claim that another former captain of the Nigeria senior national football team, Joseph Yobo has what it takes to lead Nigeria to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Odegbami proposed in his weekly column in Complete Sports on Saturday that ‘Yobo, after two years of providing him the necessary training and exposure, should become the coach of the Super Eagles to the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022.

The article has been generating great international interest and provoking serious debate and discourse in several media.

Abdulahi and Sekar agree with Odegbami that Yobo has the technical ability, the exposure, the personality and has displayed excellent character and exemplary leadership.

“I am solidly with you on this. As Minister, I had a close interaction with Joseph at some of the most critical moments in my time. I saw clearly all that you have seen. In addition, I also found him to be emotionally intelligent – one major attribute of leadership in a complex arena as sports,” Abdullahi was quoted to have said in an article Odegbami wrote for opera.com.

Sekar who is also the editor of empower sports magazine concurs and was quoted thus in the article: “Interesting argument, But I must add to it. Not only should Yobo be considered but look at the class of 2013. Identify players with leadership credentials on the pitch, and character off it. Invest in them. Train them for coaching as they are nearing the end of their playing careers. As they approach the end on the pitch they begin to develop abilities and have a long future. For example, Vincent Enyeama. Let him start as a goalkeeping coach with a view to becoming a national coach in future”.

Odegbami compared Yobo to former Barcelona captain, Xavi Hernandez who retired from football in 2019, joined a local Club in Saudi Arabia last May as manager and was approached by one of the greatest clubs in the world, his former club, FC Barcelona to become their coach albeit he turned down the offer.

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Turkey’s FIFA 2002 World Cup star striker Hakan Sukur has confessed he now drives Uber to make ends meet after he was exiled from Turkey.

Sukur, 48, a former Inter Milan and Galatasaray player, who led Turkey to third place at the 2002 World Cup, also revealed he also sells book to survive.

His life took a dramatic turn after retirement, as he entered politics and was elected to Parliament, but in 2011 had a bitter falling out with President of Turkey Recep Erdogan.

Sukur, along with many others, was accused of participating in a failed coup, prompting him to go into exile.

Speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Sukur said: “I have nothing left, Erdogan took everything: my right to liberty, freedom of expression and right to work.

“Nobody seems able to explain what my role in this coup was supposed to be. I never did anything illegal, I am not a traitor or a terrorist.

“I might be an enemy this Government, but not the state or the Turkish nation. I love my country. After the split with Erdogan, I started to receive threats. My wife’s shop was attacked, my children were harassed, my father put in prison and all my assets confiscated.

“So I moved to the United States, initially running a café in California, but strange people kept coming into the bar. Now I drive for Uber and I sell books.”

Sukur played a key role as Galatasaray beat Arsenal in the final of the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) in 2000, becoming the first Turkish club to achieve the feat.

On 29 June he scored the fastest ever goal in a FIFA World Cup, netting against South Korea 10.8 seconds into the third-place play-off (3–2 win).

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Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has confirmed he met with officials of the Catalan club amid reports he could be set to take over from under-pressure coach Ernesto Valverde.

Xavi has been linked with a return to Barcelona since they were beaten 3-2 by Atletico Madrid in the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday.

The loss, which came after a surprise 2-2 league draw at struggling Espanyol, has heaped pressure on Valverde with AS reporting Xavi has been offered a contract to take over from the former Atheltic Bilbao boss.

Xavi confirmed media reports that he had spoken to Barcelona’s sporting director and former teammate Eric Abidal and chief executive Oscar Grau over the weekend.

Athough he did not give details of the meeting, he acknowledged that he would love to take charge of his former side one day.

“I cannot say anything, they were here to talk to me and we discussed many things. Sorry I cannot give any more information,” Xavi told a news conference after his side beat Al Rayyan on Saturday to reach the final of the Prince’s Cup.

“I cannot hide it’s my dream to coach Barcelona, I’ve said it many times in many interviews, everyone knows I support Barcelona from the bottom of my heart.

“But I’m doing my job here, I’m doing my best. I was focused on the semi-final and now I’m focusing on the final.”

Before the semi-final against Al Rayyan, Al Sadd’s sporting director Muhammad Ghulam Al Balushi confirmed Xavi had been negotiating a move to Barcelona.

“There are negotiations between Xavi and Barcelona now and we wish him success wherever he decides to go,” he told Qatari network Al Kass.

During his time at Barcelona, Xavi won the LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup.

He also won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

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The conclusion of the year 2019 marked the end of another decade in which Nigerian football went through a lot of ups and downs.

From the year 2010 up until last year, the Nigerian senior male national team gave the country a lot to cheer about and also a few things to worry about.

Complete Sports’ OLUYEMI OGUNSEYIN takes a look at the eleven players who make up the Super Eagles Team of the decade ((2010-2019)

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Stoke City fans have expressed their disappointment at the Sky Bet Championship side for sending out Oghenekaro Etebo out on loan to Spanish Laliga side Getafe, [url]www.completesports.com[/url] reports

Stoke City club announced on Wednesday that Etebo will spend the remainder of the 2019/20 season with the La Liga outfit.

Etebo joined Stoke at the start of the previous campaign and featured in 34 Championship league games, scoring two goals.

But this season, he made only 11 appearances in Stoke’s 26 league fixtures played so far, before heading to Getafe.

Etebo was not not prominent in the game plans of new manager Michael O’Neill, who replaced Nathan Jones in September 2019.

Etebo himself announced his loan departure to Getafe and thanked Stoke City fans for their support.

“New chapter �, just want to use this opportunity to appreciate all the fans from Stoke @StokeLoudProud @stokecity you guys will forever stay in my heart and Goodluck for the rest of the season✌️ Up Getafe @GetafeCF,” Etebo tweeted via his personal Twitter handle.

And following the loan move to Getafe, some of The Potters’ fans took to the Twitter to express their disappointment that the club sent out their talented midfielder.

Commenting on Etebo’s move, Leigh Salmon described it as a joke.

“Absolute joke,” he tweeted.

Joe Thompson called it a strange decision.

“This is a strange one, seemed to want to put in a shift for the shirt. I fear this is just a necessity due to the FFP rules.”

Another Stoke City fan Luke Barker, tweeted: “So we’ve just decided we don’t need our best 2 midfielders?

“I thought we’d turned a corner with Ndiaye getting game time this season, but the last few days have seen that all undone.”

In his reaction, Stuart Mitton mocked the board.

“Master stroke. Genius from the board,” his Tweet reads.

The Potters fan simply known as Jordan tweeted about Etebo’s loan switch to Getafe: “This is a sickening transfer. Arguably the best player in our entire squad being sent out on loan while the threat of League One hangs over us. Funny how he’s going to a team fighting for a European spot in La Liga… almost like he’s a very good player.”

David Rily tweeted: “This departure cuts deep for me. Premier League signing with lots of potential. Ends up in the Championship and arguably our best player. Now back to Spain. A marker for our demise.
Best of luck @etebo_karo.”

Gary Jackson: “Good luck Peter, will always get a good welcome from me if you return one day.”

Bristol Stokie: “Good luck @etebo_karo . An unbelievable talent. Really sad to see you go but pleased you have got a good move. Top, top player who belongs at the top level. Thanks for efforts and memories pal.”

Nick Holdcroft: “Good luck @etebo_karo in your new role, always enjoyed watching you play for us, a great pity you came to the club during this awful downward spiral! Onwards & upwards.”

And a fan with the username,Potters Analytica, tweeted: “Love you Pete.
Messi will be quaking that you’ve returned to pocket him once more.”

The prestigious African Footballer of the Year award has been won only five times by Nigerian players, two of them by one player, Nwankwo KANU in 1996 and 1999. Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) are the other winners.

As the CAF Awards 2019 ceremony beckons in Egypt tonight, Completesports.com highlights other previous occasion when Nigerian players came close to winning it, but lost it.

Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha: 2nd in 1998; 3rd in 2003, 2004
Former Nigeria international and Super Eagles midfield maestro, Austin Jay Jay Okocha leads the Nigerian stars who came very close to winning the CAF African Footballer of the Year award during their illustrious careers.

Okocha’s miss was the most painful as the former PSG star came close on THREE occasions, especially in 1998 when Morocco’s Mustapha Hadji beat Jay Jay to the award with just two points after scoring 76 points to Okocha’s 74 points.

Then, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o won in 2003 while Okocha came third behind Didier Drogba in second spot. The same scenario was repeated a year later in 2004 with Eto’o claiming the gong beating Drogba and Okocha to second and third spot respectively. Okocha was plying his trade with Bolton Wanderers in England in 2003 and 2004.

Okocha however, emerged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia while the BBC named him as the Best African Player back-to-back in 2003 and 2004.

Sunday Oliseh: 3rd in 1998
The former Super Eagles skipper came third behind compatriot, Austin Okocha and winner, Mustapha Hadji in the 1998 CAF awards. Oliseh was in splendid form for Dutch side, Ajax Amsterdam during the period as well as posting commanding performances for Nigeria at the France ’98 World Cup.

Daniel Amokachi: 3rd in 1995, 1996
Da Bull, as he is fondly called by Nigerian fans during his playing days with the Nigerian national team came third on two occasions in the African Footballer of The Year results; in 1995 while starring for Everton in England and in 1996 while playing for Turkish side, Besiktas. George Weah won the awarrd in 1995 while Nwankwo Kanu won in 1996.

Taribo West: 3rd in 1997
The former Super Eagles central defender aside his exploit for Nigeria, had a superb season while starring for Inter Milan in the Serie A which earned him a third place finish in the CAF awards in 1997 won by compatriot, Victor Ikpeba.

Vincent Enyeama: 3rd in 2014
The former Super Eagles goalkeeper’s splendid form for French Ligue 1 side, Lille as well as his dominant display for Nigeria earned him a third place finish in the 2014 CAF awards behind runners-up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and winner, Yaya Toure of Cote d’Ivoire.

JOHN OBI MIKEL: 2nd in 2013
Former Super Eagles skipper, Mikel came closest like Okocha to winning the CAF African Footballer of The Year award in 2013 only to lose it to Ivorien and Manchester City star midfielder, Yaya Toure.

Mikel’s experience and superb display in the Super Eagles’ midfield helped Nigeria to her third African Cup of Nations title in South Africa. He also featured prominently for Chelsea, helping them to the UEFA Europa League title in 2013. Mikel’s feat was however, not enough to displace Toure who completed a hat-trick of the CAF top award in 2013.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he would never manage rivals Manchester United even if it is the only offer he had.

Guardiola was on United’s radar to replace Sir Alex Ferguson but had already agreed to join Bayern Munich when the Scot retired in 2013.
The former Barcelona manager said his status at City means the thought of managing United will never occur.

“If I didn’t have any offers, I would be in the Maldives,” Guardiola said ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup first-leg semi-final against United at Old Trafford.

“Maybe not the Maldives because it doesn’t have any golf courses but after training City, I won’t train United, just like I would never train Madrid.

“Definitely not.”

Ferguson famously met Guardiola for dinner in New York in 2012.

At the time, Guardiola was on his sabbatical year and Ferguson was still to decide he would end his own illustrious career just months later.

Ferguson asked to be kept abreast of Guardiola’s plans but the return call never came.

United went on to win the Premier League but have not come close to winning another, whereas Guardiola has two titles – to add to the three Bundesliga crowns he won at Bayern Munich.

Guardiola has three wins at Old Trafford from four visits as City boss, yet recorded only one victory from the same number of meetings at the Etihad Stadium.

In their first meeting this season, United emerged 2-1 victors at the Etihad.

And Guardiola believes, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United are starting to develop the style of play he is looking for.

“I have incredible respect for this club,” he said.

“In every club’s history there are periods when you struggle a bit. But they will be back. Sooner or later they will be in the positions to fight for the Premier League title.”

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Former Super Eagles head coach Sunday Oliseh has leapt to Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola defence following the barrage of criticisms against the Spaniard following the Citizens’ below par showing in the English Premier League so far this season, reports www.Completesports.com.

Guardiola ‘s side face a difficult task to defend the title they have retained in the last two seasons following a string of unimpressive showing this term.
The Citizens are third in the table, 14 points behind leaders Liverpool and a point behind second-placed Leicester City.

Oliseh, a former Nigeria international believes Guardiola should be judged by his winning ratio and his team development.

”How dare anyone associate the word ‘failure’ to arguably the greatest, most ‘titled’ & delightful to watch coach of the past 100 years is shameful. You are judged as a coach by your winning ratio and how you improve players individually & as a team, nothing else! heads up Pep,” Oliseh tweeted on his Twitter platform.

Manchester City defeated League Two outfit Port Vale 4-1 in the second round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.
They will face Manchester United in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final fixture on Tuesday.

Spanish giants, Real Madrid will look to sign Victor Osimhen from French Ligue 1 outfit, Lille this summer, Completesports.com reports.

Spanish news hub, Marca reports that the Nigeria international is among the three Lille players Real Madrid are interested in.

The other two are; Boubacary Soumare and Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes.

Real Madrid, according to the website, see Osimhen as a perfect alternative to Kylian Mbappe who they are also looking to sign from Real Madrid.

Osimhen has also attracted the attention of Barcelona and European champions Liverpool.

The 22-year-old only linked up with Lille from Belgian club, Sporting Charleroi at the start of the season.

He has scored 10 league goals and further two in the Champions League for Les Dogues this season.

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Anthony Joshua could be forced to vacate either his WBO or IBF world heavyweight belts after both organisations named mandatory challengers.

Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is the WBO’s mandatory, while the IBF named Kubrat Pulev as theirs.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn wants his fighter to defend both belts, with a view to securing a unification bout with either Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury but the Matchroom chief has revealed that one of the titles may need to be vacated.

“We’ve written to the WBO and the IBF and it’s like, ‘No, we’re next. No, we’re next,”Hearn told iFL TV.

”Guys ,who’s next? ‘Well we are. No, we are.’ What are you gonna do, are you just gonna fragment the belts with a lack of common sense?

“There has to be some kind of rotation system that tells you who is next. You’ve got to encourage people to unify and to become undisputed.

“That has to be the holy grail and I feel it’s really frustrating, it’s one of the many problems in boxing.

“If they say, ‘Your next two fights have got to be mandatory, then [the other] mandatory.’ Okay.

“But don’t say, ‘No, these are your two fights and if you don’t like it you’ve got to drop a belt.’ That’s the frustrating thing and at the moment we might have to vacate a belt.

“We’re gonna speak to Usyk, we’re gonna speak to Pulev, we’re gonna see what the deals are to be done with those guys.

“And we’re gonna push with the IBF and the WBO [for a solution]. It’s going to be a lot of hard work over the next couple of weeks trying to keep everyone happy.

“AJ is not afraid to lose a belt but the whole idea is to win them and defend them and that’s what he wants to do.”

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Former Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu does not believe Mikel Arteta is the right choice for English Premier League side Arsenal, saying his lack of experience as manager is not what The Gunners need.

Kanu was a stalwart for Arsenal over five seasons and part of their Invincibles squad of 2003-04. He believes that The Gunners
need a manager with more experience.

“The recent poor performances of Arsenal can improve with experienced management,” Kanu told reporters.

“I know every fan is disappointed with the games the club has been playing of late. This is not the same Arsenal people used to know. But, all the same, we can still turn it around. “We have a new interim coach, Freddie Ljungberg, but things are not really going on well for him. When you have players, they should always tell themselves the truth.

“The players alone cannot be blamed, but the entire management also. But it is clear that Arsenal are not where they are supposed to be, they have to change a lot of things and ensure that they return to the basics.

“We need a strong hand to bring back the glorious days of Arsenal,” Kanu concluded.

Arsenal hope to have Manchester City assistant manager Arteta in place for their trip to Everton on Saturday.
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Soccer is still the most popular sport which people love to follow around the world. This is certainly true in Nigeria and the whole of Africa where millions of people love to keep an eye on what is happening. It is now thought that there are around 3.5 billion soccer fans globally! It is not only watching games which people enjoy either – sports betting in soccer is big around the world as well. It seems fans love to get more involved via online sportsbooks to bet on the outcome of games – the betrivers site is now a very popular one for soccer fans to wager with.

Those who follow the beautiful game in Africa will love to see players from the continent making their mark at the highest levels. While there are several leagues in the world where this is happening, it is perhaps the English Premier League that tops the list. But who are the top African stars plying their trade there at the moment?

Alex Iwobi

Fans of the Super Eagles will know all about this talented attacking midfielder. Iwobi is a regular for the national team and he has built up a decent career in the English Premier League to date. Born in Lagos, Iwobi joined the Premier League club Arsenal in 2004 when still a young boy. He rose through the ranks in North London to eventually become a key member of the first-team squad.

Known for his pace, direct style of play and quick feet, he was often someone who could make a difference in games for the Gunners. This made his shock move to EPL rivals Everton in the summer of 2019 something of a surprise. In all, he played 100 games for Arsenal and scored 11 goals before making the £28 million switch to Merseyside.

Sadio Mane

Another top African player who plies his trade in the EPL currently is Sadio Mane at Liverpool. Born in Senegal, Mane is a forward who has the pace to burn, great movement and a real eye for goal. He started his career at Metz in France and at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria before moving to the top level of English football in 2014 with Southampton.

Mane made a big impact there and this earned him a big-money move to Liverpool in 2016. So far he has played 108 games for Liverpool and has scored 54 goals. He was also a key member of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League in the 2018/19 season, the UEFA Super Cup in 2019, and finished 2nd in the Premier League in 2018/19.

Mohammed Salah

When you talk about current African players in the top tier of English football, this man has to be mentioned. Playing in the same Liverpool team as Mane, they have formed a front three with Roberto Firmino, a trio that has terrified defenses for the last few years. Salah was born in Egypt and showed promise as a footballer from a young age. Known for his dribbling, speed, and finishing, he has since gone on to be a world-class talent.

He initially made his name at the Swiss club Basel before completing a move to England with Chelsea in 2014. This did not quite work out though and he had to resurrect his career at Roma before moving to Liverpool in 2017. With 63 goals from 88 appearances, his impact has been obvious! As per Mane, this player was crucial in Liverpool lifting the Champions League in 2018/19 and the UEFA Super Cup in 2019.

Wilfred Ndidi

Nigeria is a country with a proud history of its players making the grade in England’s Premier League – Wilfred Ndidi is the latest in a long line to impress. A hard-tackling, hardworking midfielder who can also pass well. Ndidi has been a revelation since breaking into the Leicester team. Still only young, the potential this player has for club and country is huge. He initially came to prominence with the Belgian side Genk before moving to Leicester in 2017. Since then he has gone on to play 100 games and has become a vital member of the team. Ndidi has played a major role in maintaining the team’s current form under manager Brendan Rodgers.

African stars are lighting up the Premier League

As the above shows, there are some seriously good players from Africa who have moved successfully to the EPL. Nigerians will be pleased to see that some of our very own players are amongst them! One thing is for sure – these players and others who will surely follow are central to the excitement and drama that soccer in England is famous for.
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Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he supports the club’s interim coach Freddie Ljungberg but knows how Mikel Arteta can succeed as the Gunners’ substantive head coach if he is eventually hired as Unai Emery replacement.

Arteta who played for Arsenal for five seasons before retiring from professional football has been Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City since 2016.

The Spaniard has reportedly been picked by Arsenal’s hierarchy to become the next substantive manager following the sacking of his compatriot and Wenger successor, Emery, and will be officially announced in the coming days.


Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he supports the club’s interim coach Freddie Ljungberg but knows how Mikel Arteta can succeed as the Gunners’ substantive head coach if he is eventually hired as Unai Emery replacement.

Arteta who played for Arsenal for five seasons before retiring from professional football has been Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City since 2016.


The Spaniard has reportedly been picked by Arsenal’s hierarchy to become the next substantive manager following the sacking of his compatriot and Wenger successor, Emery, and will be officially announced in the coming days.


“I am an Arsenal supporter and at the moment I support the manager in charge. The manager in charge is [Freddie] Ljungberg,” Wenger told reporters in Doha.

“When Arteta will be in charge I will support Arteta.

“Of course, Arsenal is going through a difficult period. It’s better that I don’t comment on that. I just suffer like every supporter.”

Wenger added: “I believe that Mikel [Arteta] has a great future. He has certainly learned a lot in his first position as an assistant coach and after that he will have to deal with the fact that he as no experience at that level.

“He will have to get surrounded well [with experienced backroom staff] and get a good environment at the club.”

“Most importantly, every club – and Arsenal especially – is built on special values and inside the club people have to take care of
that.

“That is most important. What makes the culture of the club great is, first, the values of the club, and you have to be faithful to that.

“He will have to be surrounded, if he comes in, to respect that,” Wenger concluded.

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Most soccer fans focus on the English Premier League simply because it is easily accessible. But if you know how to take advantage of the internet and technology, you can watch one of the world’s best soccer leagues-Bundesliga. The German football league has some of the best teams, talent and fans around the world. Although you might have seen Bayern Munich and some other teams in the Champions League, there are still some interesting facts about one of the world’s most exciting leagues you need to know.

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History of Bundesliga

Historically, German professional soccer was divided into multiple regional leagues before the Bundesliga was officially formed in 1963. There was a debate about dissolving these leagues to form a single top division for years. And until after the 1962 World Cup, Germany’s national soccer federation decided to implement a single, national league. The Bundesliga has existed ever since.

The Bundesliga is one of the world’s most exciting leagues

As you might be familiar with the name Bayern Munich, it is also the most successful club since the introduction of the Bundesliga. Having won 28 Bundesliga titles and owned five Champions League/European Cup titles, the Bavarian giants are the gold standard of German club soccer. This club also has some of the best football players in German history, including Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeness, Lothar Matthaus, Gerd Muller, and Oliver Kahn. There is no surprise that Bayern Munich is the best club in Germany, it is also one of the best clubs in the world.

The next successful and famous club in Germany is Borussia Dortmund, with five Bundesliga titles. In the 1990s, Dortmund was a power and saw a resurgence under manager Jurgen Klopp in 2010. In particular, they won the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012, also made the Champions League final in 2013. Borussia Dortmund comes from North Rhine-Westphalia-Germany’s most fertile football state. The region has five clubs currently in the Bundesliga. The others are Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach, FC Koln and Schalke 04.

The Bundesliga also has other successful and popular clubs, including Werder Bremen, Hamburger SV, Eintracht Frankfurt, and VfB Stuttgart. If you notice, they are mostly from the western half of Germany. That can be explained by the effects of the Cold War in Germany. In fact, there is no club from the former East Germany competing in the current iteration of the Bundesliga.

The league’s structure

If other Europe’s top leagues has 20 clubs, the Bundesliga is a little bit different, they only have 18 clubs competing. That is also the UEFA country coefficient, which gives the Bundesliga four spots to compete in the Champions League every year.

There are 18 clubs competing in the Bundesliga

Similar to other best leagues in the world, the Bundesliga uses a system of promotion and relegation. However, compared to England, the system is still a bit different. In England, the three teams at the bottom in the Premier League will automatically be relegated, and the top two teams in the Championship will be promoted. In addition to that, the third-through-sixth-place teams will be competing in a playoff for the final spot. In Germany, the two bottom teams in the Bundesliga will be relegated, and the top two teams in the Bundesliga 2 which is the German second division will be promoted. Moreover, the 16th Bundesliga team and third Bundesliga 2 team will be competing in a two-leg playoff. The winner will get the final spot in the top German division which creates a pair of high-stakes and dramatic matches at the end of the season.

In addition, compared to many other leagues, the Bundesliga has more financial oversight. Since 2009, the Bundesliga has had a set of regulations which stipulates clubs can’t spend more than they bring in and go into debt. If a club doesn’t follow, they will be subject to fines and a reduction of points. Also, to continue to compete, clubs must apply for a license with the DFB after each season. With that being said, the DFB will go through financial documents of the clubs to assess their financial health. The main reason is because the ownership model implemented by the DFB.

Fans of the Bundesliga

In England, clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea were bought by billionaires and used as their personal play things. In Germany, the Bundesliga has its own rule. In particular, a majority of the ownership shares of any German club must be owned by club members. This rule has helped protect them from foreign investments like in the Premier League. In turn, the fans take much pride in their clubs, as their clubs are fan-owned. So there is no surprise that the Bundesliga has some of the biggest and most passionate crowds in Europe.

The Signal Iduna Park stadium has the biggest capacity

However, there are still exceptions. Clubs like Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg were both formed as factory teams, now are owned by pharmaceutical company Bayer and Volkswagen. If you have ever attended any Bundesliga match, you will see huge crowds. Most of the stadiums can hold from 30,000 to 60,000 spectators, while five clubs can hold more than 60,000. There are only two stadiums in the Bundesliga have capacity under 20,000.

The two biggest stadiums are the Allianz Arena, which belongs to Bayern Munich and can hold 75,000. The other one is the Signal Iduna Park, also known as the Westfalenstadion, which is owned by Borussia Dortmund and can hold more than 81,000. The Westfalenstadion is well known to be home to some of the most passionate fans in the world. This stadium also makes it an extremely difficult place for the club’s opponents. Additionally, the southern terrace is the largest free-standing grandstand in Europe.

Top players

The Bundesliga has some of the best players in the world in recent years. The system has produced great talent players such as Marco Reus, Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and many others. They don’t just make the clubs better, they also helped Germany win in the 2014 World Cup.

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