IK UCHE IS BACK: KESHI INVITES 25 SUPER EAGLES PLAYERS FOR 2015 NATIONS CUP QUALIFIERS

Ikechukwu Uche has been recalled to the Super Eagles national team by Stephen Keshi after being out on international wilderness for almost two years.
In first his assignment since coming back as national team manager, Keshi released a list of twenty-five players that he has invited for Nigeria's 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers next month.
Nigeria has two very important games to win against Congo and South Africa, if they wish to qualify for next year's Nations Cup tournament.
The eye-catching name on the list is IK Uche who is returning to the Super Eagles after being out for a very long time.
The Villarreal FC striker who fell out with Keshi and has not featured for Nigeria since the 2013 African Nations Cup, but both men seems to have now sorted out their differences .

Meanwhile Keshi continued in his tradition of calling up locally based players, this time inviting seven who ply their trade in the Nigeria Professional Football League.

But there was no place in the team for Victor Moses who missed the last qualifiers against with an injury, although he has recovered from the injury.

KESHI BOUNCES BACK AS EAGLES COACH

Sacked Super Eagles coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi bounced back to his post today following a presidential directive for his recall just as he says he is willing to continue were he stopped.
Keshi who was sacked by the Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation board for poor performance told journalists today at the National stadium Abuja that since the order is coming from the father of the nation, he has no option than to accept the recall.
“I just came in to see the Sports Minister and rub mind on some issues, for now I am not officially informed of the development but if it is true that President Goodluck Jonathan has asked for me to be recalled, to me is an honour for a father to recall his son, so who am I to reject it.

COURT SACKS PINNICK’S NFF

Nigeria is in danger of another FIFA ban after a court ruled that elections that ushered in Delta FA chairman Amaju Pinnick as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last month were illegal.
World football governing body FIFA have warned that should anything hinder the newly-elected NFF executive committee led by Pinnick from operating, they will move for an automatic ban for the country till the next FIFA congress in May.
On Thursday, Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court Jos ruled against the NFF elections in Warri of September 30 as well as the congress preceding it because they were against his orders.
“I have set aside all the proceedings and decisions of the Warri Extra Ordinary meeting of the 20th September and the Elective Congress of 30th September which were direct contravention of the orders of this court as granted on the 19th September,” said Justice Allagoa.

SABOTEURS PLOTTING HIS DOWNFALL, KESHI RAISES ALARM

Chief Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles won’t accept blame for his team’s woes in recent outings especially in the ongoing 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifying series; instead he has raised an alarm that saboteurs are plotting his downfall.
Keshi, 52, does not have a contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF after his initial three-year deal ran out after the World Cup in Brazil. He led the Eagles to win a third Nations Cup last year and guided the Super Eagles to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup in Brazil. And his record in his last 11 games has left for a very poor reading – lost five, drawn five and won one. The most astonishing was the weekend’s loss to Sudan in an away game of the Morocco 2015 Nations Cup qualifier.
Speaking on Brila FM early today, Keshi said that he found it difficult to believe how his players were not responding to instructions on the field of play in the last few matches when 90 per cent of the players were used to prosecute the qualifying series for the 2014 World Cup and the World Cup proper in Brazil.

I’LL NEVER INVITE IKE UCHE AS LONG AS I’M IN CHARGE – KESHI

Super Eagles Head Coach Stephen Keshi yesterday warned that he will not be interested in talking about out-of-favour striker, Ikechukwu Uche who is yet to play for the national team since after the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) win.
A visibly angry Keshi said that he will never beg any player to play for the country because during his time he was never begged by any coach to play for the national team.
The former national team captain who was explaining why he chose to invite young and inexperienced players while ignoring established players like
Uche and Obafemi Martins, Keshi said hence forth he would not entertain any question about Uche again.
“This will be the last time I will speak about Ike Uche and I will not speak about him again, we are not quarreling. Before the match against Congo, i gave them the list because I never thought I will come back to handle the team. I told them I will not do the list because I am not your coach they say no, so I did the list.

ARSENE WENGER PUSHES JOSE MOURINHO AS RIVALRY BOILS OVER IN ARSENAL'S TRIP TO CHELSEA

• Wenger shoved Mourinho in the chest in the first half at Stamford Bridge
• The Arsenal boss unhappy with Gary Cahill's challenge on Alexis Sanchez
• Referee Martin Atkinson called over both managers to calm them down
• Wenger and Mourinho's rivalry dates back to 2004

Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho's rivalry spilled over at Stamford Bridge on Sunday when the Arsenal manager shoved his counterpart and the pair failed to shake hands at the full-time whistle.
Wenger was furious with Gary Cahill's rash tackle on Alexis Sanchez with 20 minutes gone which saw the Chelsea defender booked in a fiercely-contested encounter.
The Frenchman came out of his technical area to gesticulate to referee Martin Atkinson before then raising his arms to the oncoming Mourinho.

AMAJU PINNICK ELECTED NEW NFF PRESIDENT

At the end of the second round of voting, Delta FC chairman Amaju Pinnick has been elected as the new president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
In the first round, Pinnick took the lead with 25 votes, while Taiwo Ogunjobi from Osun polled 9 votes. Dominic Iorfa from Benue State was able to get 6 votes. while Shehu Diko from Kaduna had 4 votes.
Amanze Uchegbulam, Imo and Mike Umeh Anambra had no vote.
Pinnick, Iorfa and Ogunjobi then went head-to-head in the second round, to determine the winner of the election via simple majority.
After the second round, Pinnick polled 32 votes, Iorfa got 8 votes, while Ogunjobi had 4 votes

I WANT MY SUPER EAGLES JOB BACK FROM KESHI —SIASIA

Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has confirmed speculations that he is interested in staging a come back as the team’s gaffer, a job Stephen Keshi is currently still hanging on to in interim capacity.
Speaking during a media parley with Friends of Football Foundation in Abuja yesterday, the coach stated that though it is the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive committee that will determine who leads the Eagles, there was nothing wrong in his indicating interest to take the job.
He insisted that since coaching is all about hiring and firing, there was no big deal in his eyeing Keshi’s job, more so when Keshi was the one he lost the job to in 2012.
He stressed that the Eagles job is up for grabs since Keshi’s contract had expired.
His words: “I have read several reports concerning my taking over from Keshi, but I don’t know what is going on because the NFF has to get itself together before anybody can talk anything about Eagles coaching job.

FRANCE KNOCK OUT EAGLES FROM WORLD CUP

France reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup as Paul Pogba’s header and Joseph Yobo’s own goal knocked out Nigeria in Brasilia.
Nigeria’s Emmanuel Emenike had a first-half goal ruled out for offside before Vincent Enyeama saved Pogba’s volley.
Victor Moses cleared Karim Benzema’s shot off the line after the break and Yohan Cabaye volleyed against the bar.
Pogba headed home after Enyeama’s misjudgement before Yobo diverted Mathieu Valbuena’s cross into the net.
France will play the winners of Monday night’s match between Algeria and Germany in the quarter-finals at the Maracana on Friday.

...AND LUIZ SUAREZ BITES ANOTHER FOOTBALL PLAYER

In August 2013, Liverpool player and Uruguay Forward, Luiz Suarez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a match in Anfield, an action that got him benched for 10 matches afterwhich he apologized.
Fast forward 10 months later and he's done it again. During the Italy-Uruguay match that took place this evening June 24th, Suarez appeared to bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder
Suarez is seen chasing Giorgio for the ball and then suddenly both men fall to the ground, with Suarez clutching his teeth as if in pain while Chiellini pulls his shirt down to show the referee the bite marks on his shoulder. Unfortunately the referee didn't see the attack so didn't penalize Suarez but thankfully cameras captured it and people expect Suarez to be sanctioned again.
This is months after Suarez and his club manager claimed he'd changed his ways.....More pictures inside

EAGLES ALMOST GAVE ME HYPERTENSION —KESHI

Super Eagles gaffer, Stephen Keshi, has revealed that he almost suffered hypertension when his players were finding it difficult to penetrate Bosnia in the keenly contested second group F tie of the World Cup.
According to Keshi he was not comfortable when the Bosnia team were piling pressure on them, especially in the dying minutes of the game.
He however praised his boys for holding on to the one goal lead till the end of the game declaring that it was a display of strong character by his team.
The Delta born Chief tactician maintained that his boys are getting better by the day and is confident that they would even improve beyond what they played against the Bosnia team in their subsequent matches.
”I am happy that we won the game and the boys showed a little bit of character,” Keshi said after the game.

OSAZE DIDN’T PLAY TO INSTRUCTION – KESHI

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has given several explanations on why the Super Eagles failed to beat the Iranians in their Group F World Cup match played in Curitiba, Brazil on Monday.
The Nigerian team which featured professionals from the European leagues were highly tipped to beat the Iranians that paraded mainly amateur players from their domestic league. Ashkan Dejakah of Fulham is Iran’s biggest star in Brazil.
Keshi told the international media after the game that a few things didn’t follow the script including Osaze Odemwingie’s contribution to the match that ended goalless. The coach lamented that the Stoke City striker failed to play to instruction and that caused the Eagles setback.

CAPELLO BANS RUSSIANS FROM TWEETING

Coach Fabio Capello known for his disciplinarian attitude has imposed a social media black out on his Russian squad at the World Cup.
That means no Facebook, Twitter, Instagram nor any of the other forms of online communication until they leave Brazil.
The Italian, explaining his reasons for the draconian measure on Monday, said: “Players can’t use social media here.
“They must abstain for one month, then when they get home they can go crazy.”
Warming to his theme he continued: “Tweets sometimes can be a nuisance, if they’re not written in an intelligent fashion – so in order to prevent that nuisance I’d prefer to ask my players not to use social media.”
Capello was speaking in Cuiaba on the eve of Russia’s opening Group H game against South Korea.

NIGERIA BATTLES IRAN IN CURITIBA

…We won’t take them lightly, vows Keshi
Nigeria and Iran go to battle in Curitiba tonight in their first match at the on-going World Cup in Brazil
The Super Eagles have taken just two points from six matches in their last two appearances at the World Cup, but have higher hope this time around after winning the Africa Cup of Nations last year.
And Coach Stephen Keshi believes getting the better of his opposite number, Carlos Queiroz, will be the biggest challenge for his side as they take on Iran.
“I think their coach is their biggest weapon, because he’s well experienced, he knows the game well,” Keshi told FIFA. com.

BLATTER HINTS AT FIFTH-TERM FIFA PRESIDENCY BID

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has dropped the strongest hint yet that he is ready to stand for re-election as head of football’s global governing body, according to UK-based body SportsBusiness.
Blatter has been president of FIFA since 1998 and has repeatedly hinted that he will stand for a fifth term in office next year, in spite of initially promising that his current four-year term would be his last.
The incumbent head of world football body has previously said he would make a decision at FIFA Congress, which will be held in June ahead of the World Cup in Brazil.
When asked if he would ask for the support of the FIFA Congress to run again, Blatter told a Swiss newspaper: “I want to do it because it is not over yet.
“My term is indeed over, but my mission is not finished yet.’’

WORLD CUP: WESTERHOF OFFERS TO ASSIST KESHI

Former Super Eagles technical adviser, Clemence Westerhof, has offered to assist Stephen Keshi to prosecute this year’s FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in less than six weeks in the South American country of Brazil.
Westerhof made the offer in an interaction with some sports journalists in Lagos. The Dutch tactician made history when he led the Eagles to win the Africa Nations Cup for the Nigeria in 1994 and at the same time qualified he country to her World Cup debut the same year in the United States of America.
Westerhof’s desire to assist Keshi is borne out the love he has for the country even as he maintained that this is the best time for the reigning African champions to play in the last four at the World Cup.

NFF WANTS BRAZILIAN EMBASSY TO APPREHEND IMPERSONATORS

The Nigeria Football Federation has called on the Embassy of Federal Republic of Brazil in Nigeria to arrest persons who come to the embassy with forged NFF letter-headed papers, introducing themselves as officials of the Federation or persons or groups known to it.
NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu disclosed that the Federation is in possession of a number of such forged letters sent to the Embassy of Brazil by some scamsters with intent of securing entry visas into that country for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals.
“We have been alerted to this scam and we are taking it seriously. Some officials in the Embassy of Brazil informed us about what is going on, and we are in possession of some letters written by these scamsters, with intention of getting entry visas into Brazil, ostensibly for the FIFA World Cup finals.

KESHI RELEASES NIGERIA’S PROVISIONAL BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP SQUAD

Nigeria Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has today released a 30-man provisional list of players from which he hopes to pick the team that will execute the Brazil 2014 World Cup billed to start on June 12, 2014.
Find the list below:
Goal Keepers: Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim, Daniel Akpeyi.
Defenders: Elderson Echiejile, Juwon Oshaniwa, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kenneth Omeruo, Joseph Yobo, Kunle Odunlami.
Midfielders/Attackers: John Mikel, Obi Ogenyi Onazi, Ramon Azeez, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Mba, Gabriel Reuben, Nosa Igiebo, Joel Obi, Michael Uchebo.
Strikers: Shola Ameobi, Victor Moses, EmanuelEmenike Victor Nsofor, Osaze Odemwingie , Michael Babatunde Michael, Nnamdi Oduamad, Ahmed Musa.
Nigeria Super Eagles are grouped alongside; Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran. The 2014 Brazil World Cup starts by June 12, 2014 and ends by July 13, 2014.

DAVID MOYES: MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER SACKED!

Manchester United manager David Moyes has been sacked, only 10 months after succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson.
He was dismissed at a meeting with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward at the club's Carrington training ground shortly after 0800 BST.
Moyes, 50, was chosen by Ferguson as the man to succeed him when he retired after 26 years in charge last summer.
Player-coach Ryan Giggs is expected to take charge of United's next game at home against Norwich on Saturday.
The BBC understands coaches Steve Round and Jimmy Lumsden have also left their posts.
The club had previously refused to comment on national newspaper reports on Monday that Moyes - who left Everton to sign a six-year deal with the Premier League champions - would be dismissed before the end of the season.

NFF WON’T RENEW KESHI’S CONTRACT

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is not likely to renew Stephen Keshi’s contract as Super Eagles manager after the summer World Cup in Brazil irrespective of the team’s performance.
A source at the football house disclosed that the federation has started bracing up for life after Keshi’s tenure, insisting that the coach has limited tolerance for candid advice from the authorities.
“I can tell you right here that Keshi’s contract will not be renewed. Of course, another test case for him is the World Cup; we have given him all the necessary assistance and free hand he requires to succeed, but the World Cup will be the destination point between us,” a member of the NFF board said.
The source, who did not disclose specific offence the coach committed simply said, “Don’t you read the newspapers? He ignores simple official administrative directives, fails to pardon even the most cool-headed and experienced Nigerian players. We cannot further harbour such inconsistencies in our fold.”