Didier Drogba refuse 1year contract Extension

Drogba Turns Down Extension Offer

 

The 33 years old Didier Drogba (Chelsea striker) refuse a one-year contract extension with the Premier League side and is looking for a bigger club for a big-money move to finish his career, his agent said on Tuesday.

His contract expires next summer and he is looking forward  to walk away from Stamford Bridge for nothing, with his agent Thierno Seydi claiming he has been looking for an alternative in the United States, Russia or Asia.

“Drogba has had the offer of a one-year extension from Chelsea. That does not suit us,” Seydi is quoted as saying by The Sun.





“We know what we want, where we want to go and what offers we have said the professional player.
“AC Milan came in for Didier on loan with an option to buy but I said ‘No’ straight away. Their offer did not interest us.
“At Didier’s age, he has nothing left to prove as a player. He will go where he is offered the most money.
“It could be the United States, Russia, Qatar or somewhere else in Asia.
Once you are well into your thirties you have to go to a club where you can be certain you’ll be able to pay your bills.


“LA Galaxy are a possibility among many others. He has been linked with Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, as they pay well. But neither Didier nor I have had an offer from them.”


Drogba joined Chelsea in 2004 after previously playing for French clubs Marseille, Guingamp and Le Mans

Nigeria Tackle Morroco today in Olympics Games

Nigeria Tackle Morocco In Olympic Games

 

            Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles begin their chase for the ticket to play in the football event of the 2012 Olympic Games when they take on their Moroccan counterparts in the opening game of the inaugural CAF U-23 Championship today at the Tangiers Stadium, starting from 5.30pm Morocco time (6.30pm Nigeria time).


The Dream Team V as the Nigerian team are fondly called are the hope of the nation to feature in any serious football tournament next year after the Super Eagles failed to secure the Nations Cup ticket under Samson Siasia and the Super Falcons under Coach Uche  Eucharia failed in their bid to secure the ticket to play in the women football event of the 2012 Olympics.





Though coach of the U-23 side, Austin Eguavoen, admitted that he and his team are not under pressure to deliver the ticket, there is no doubt that Nigerians won’t accept any excuse if the team fail in the quest to bring the ticket home.

Eguavoen said that his boys are in high spirits to start the campaign in the qualifying playoffs on a bright note by beating Morocco in today’s encounter.
“We must start well because the opening game in any competition is very important,” Eguavoen charged his team. “The boys are in high spirits and we are building more confidence into them for them to be ready for the battle ahead. The target is a top-three finish to begin with, but we will take it a step at a time.”

Goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai said the team have watched the Moroccans on tape and they are not fantastic.
“I have watched the tapes of the Moroccan side and I don’t see anything fantastic about the team. If we can play out our hearts on Saturday, we will come out victorious,” said Afelokhai, whose  ensured that Kano Pillars reached the last four of the CAF Champions League two years ago.

Skipper Obiora Nwankwo has equally expressed confidence of victory on Saturday.
“We will be banking on the prayers of all Nigerians so that we could come out victorious. On our part, we are going to do our best,” promised the Parma of Italy defensive midfielder.

“We just have to keep our heads up, play to the referee’s whistle, and take our minds away from the crowd. We just have to work for the victory”, added defender Terna  Suswan, who was in the team that reached the last eight at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia in July.

Nigeria will also play Senegal and Algeria in their Group A pool.
They take on Senegal also in Tangiers on Tuesday, 29 November 29 before shifting base to Marrakech, where they will take on Algeria on Friday, 2 December.

GHANA STARS CLIMBS UP IN FIFA RANKING

Ghana Climbs Up In FIFA Ranking

 

Ghana Black Stars moved  four places up in the FIFA rankings which was released earlier wednesday morning

 

 

 

 

UP GHANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I can't Use a Second Hand Car said KESHI

I Can’t Use A Second Hand Car: Keshi

A new twist is now playing out in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi sensationally turned down the official car assigned to the office.
Former gaffer, Samson Siasia, who was dismissed for poor performance in October, Monday, handed back the car brought for him as one of perks of his contract.
Siasia returned car following the payment of outstanding sum of N10 million salaries for two months by NFF, which became a subject of dispute after the termination of his contract for failing to secure an Africa Cup of Nations qualification, prompting Siasia to institute legal action against the federation for breach of contractual agreement.





Even with the car now safely moored in the parking lot of the ‘Glasshouse’, incumbent coach Keshi, stunned the federation after he bluntly said he would not use a car that has been used by his predecessor, though the automobile in question is only 10 months only.

We learnt on authority that apart from the fact that Keshi felt he deserved to be treated by the NFF like Siasia, he has vowed he would not accept the car for fear of spiritual attack, as the car in question was officially in Siasia’s possession for almost a year before his acrimonious sack.

The spiritual imputation to the saga cannot be far from the fact that Keshi secretly held talks with the NFF Technical Committee for the Eagles job even before the board resolved to relieve Siasia of his appointment.
Apart from that, both Keshi and Siasia jostled for the job last year before the board employed Siasia and placed him on a N5 million per month salary.

The latest saga has put now NFF officials in a quandary as they are now pondering the option of putting the car up for sale in order to finance a new purchase.
Even if they find as new buyer for the car it will be dispensed of at a loss, while the federation in addition will have to make up for balance for a new car.

The brand new Ford Taurus 2010 edition was delivered to Siasia in January with an official driver.
The market value of the car at the time it was acquired was reportedly put at N6.5 million.
Source: thisdayonline

As Viewed By Hotnaijanews: NFF  should treat keshi  like  Siasia too. Moreover, would NFF treat a foreign coach like that? Who no like good thing?

BBC FOOTBALL AWARD FOR AFRICANS

BBC Football Award:No Nigerian Player Again

The Low level of Nigeria’s football continued to show few days after no Nigerian player made the shortlist of nominees for the 2011 African Football of the Year as they have again been left out of this year’s BBC African Footballer of the Year Award.

The five candidates for the 2011 BBC African Footballer of the Year award were revealed yesterday on the BBC’s Sport Today programme with the Ivorian pair of Yaya Toure and Gervinho as well as Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew of Ghana, Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o and Mali’s Seydou Keita making the shortlist while last year’s winner Asamoah Gyan narrowly missed out..

The Award is given after African listeners of the BBC have voted online. They have till December 9, 2011 to vote for their choice while the winner will be announced a week later on December 16, 2011. Presentation of the Award in the year of the Nations Cup is usually done at the venue of the competition.

The last time a Nigerian won the Award was in 2004 when then Super Eagles captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha beat all including Cameroon’s Samuel Eto to the crown. Okocha, who was then starring for English clubside, Bolton Wanderers, had earlier won the 2003 edition and remains the only player to have won it back to back

While the Super Eagles players have remained without prizes in their various clubs and could not make it to the 2012 Nations Cup, Manchester City striker Toure and Arsenal midfielder Gervinho starred for Ivory Coast as they qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations by winning all their matches.

Toure scored the winner for Manchester City as they won the FA Cup while Gervinho was instrumental in Lille’s double in France before he moved to Arsenal.

Ayew, who is one of Ghana’s key players, helped Marseille to win the French League Cup and Super Cup while Mali’s Seydou Keita was part of Barcelona’s historic Champions League winning team.

Eto’o netted 21 goals for Italian side Inter Milan before leaving for Russian Anzhi Makhachkala in August and has scored seven goals in eight matches so far this season.

The shortlist was determined by a panel of experts across Africa who took into consideration individual skill, technical ability, teamwork, consistency, impact on results and fair play

Keshi Doubts Mikel’s Claims

 

Mikel Obi’s battle with the big hammer of the Super Eagles coaches may not have gone with the exit of Samson Sisia. The Chelsea midfielder has become a special focus for new manager Stephen Keshi also following the injury claim that sidelined him from Nigeria’s games against Botswana and Zambia.
aaKaduna said he would take a second look at Mikel’s continued role with the team if it is confirmed that he preserved himself for better service to his club side this weekend.
Keshi said, “I will be disappointed if he plays for Chelsea this weekend. I will be very, very disappointed. There is no sentiment about this. Whoever will come to this national team will have to do that on merit. Nigeria is too big for this kind of attitude.


“It’s a shame that we are not at the (Africa) Nations Cup but that is in the past. Now we need to start looking forward. Let’s bring those that are available, capable, and in good shape to come and play for us and fight to get a place in the national team. They will have to fight, because when I was playing I was fighting.”

Few days to the first match the Eagles captain Joseph Yobo also called on his teammates to show greater commitment to the national cause rather than relegate Nigeria while making their clubs sacred.

Chelsea will be playing a high profile match against Liverpool on Sunday.
On the team’s performance against Zambia, Keshi rated his team well.

“I really commend the players for their attitude on and off the field. It was really encouraging, disciplined, great attitude in training sessions. They gave me everything a coach wants in a team. I am looking forward to the next call-up against Rwanda. Now I know those I want from this group to come back for that game. Then I will try to pick some players from the local league,” he said.

“It wasn’t really about victory today, but for me to see the quality of most of the players and those I will need next time but the victory came and we thank God for that.”
Even though it is a new team management the former coach of Togo ruled out a complete change of the squad.
He said, “I did not say I would overhaul the team but where changes are needed, we will make them. I had like 10 strikers today and I was looking for midfielders to play but I couldn’t find them. I can’t put a striker on as a midfielder.

“I need to have the numbers of players in every department that will allow me change players if one is not doing well. Today (Tuesday) I could not do it. I was trying to joggle with it but I won’t overhaul the team. I will make sure that for every 18 or 25 we get to camp, there are twins in every position.”

Eguaveon name squad for olympic 2012

Eguaveon names squad for Olympic 2012

 

Eguaveon has named his final squad for the London 2012 Olympic qualifying tournament in Morocco.
He stated that he has full confidence in the squad he is taking to Morocco for the tournament, which begins on November 26.


The squad is made up of 11 players from the domestic league, nine foreign-based players and one player who is unattached.
The Nigeria Olympic team is drawn in Group A alongside host country Morocco, Algeria and Senegal.


Final squad:
Goalkeepers: Dele Ajiboye, Olufemi Thomas, Theophilus Afelokhai
Defenders: Kingsley Udoh, Markson Ojobo, Usman Amoda, Emmanuel Anyanwu, Edet Ibok, Suswam Terna
Midfielders: Osas Okoro, Ayo Saka, Odah Onoriode, Obiora Nwankwo, Nosa Igiebor, Lawal Raheem
Forwards: Jude Aneke, Olarenwaju Kayode, Stephen Worgu, Michael Babatunde, Daniel Uchechi, Gbolahan Salami
Standby: Semiu Liadi, Papa Idris, Rasheed Olabiyi, Olaitan Otubanjo, Atu Irumekhai