Stephen Ladoye's Blog: February 2016

29 February 2016

Koeman welcomes boost to Europa League hopes

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has welcomed Manchester City's victory over Liverpool in the League Cup final as it is likely to open up an extra European qualification spot in the Premier League.

Provided fourth-placed City - on track to reach the Champions League - qualify for Europe through their league position, an additional Europa League berth that would have gone to the League Cup winners will instead be allocated on the basis of league performance – with another potentially to come depending on which team wins the FA Cup.

Manchester City's Yaya Toure celebrates with team-mate Wilfried Bony (right) as his brother Liverpool's Kolo Toure (left) is consoled on defeat, during the Capital One Cup final at Wembley Stadium, London

Over the past decade the winning side in a cup final at Wembley Stadium, more often than not, has boasted at least one player from the Ivory Coast.

That was the case once again as Manchester City clinched the the 2015-16 Capital One Cup, with a 3-1 penalty shoot-out win over Liverpool on Sunday.

In all, three Ivorians were involved in the contest, with Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony donning the blue of City and Kolo Toure the red of Liverpool.

Five-time champions TP Mazembe will begin their defence of the CAF Champions League when they travel to Saint George of Ethiopia in the first round of the competition in the weekend of March 11-13.

Mazembe, who this month annexed their third CAF Super Cup, were one of several top clubs who drew bye in the preliminary round of the competition.

Others included Egypt’s Al Ahly, Etoile du Sahel from Tunisia, Algeria’s ES Setif as well as Sudan giants Al Hilal and Al Merreikh.

The full draw:

V Club (COD) v Ferroviario Maputo (MOZ)

Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) v AC Leopards (CGO)

Warri Wolves (NGR) v Al Merrikh (SUD)

Etoile (CGO) v Entente Setif (ALG)

Nigeria goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has expressed his appreciation to former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh for giving him the chance to play for the country.

However, the Wolvehampton Wanderers first-choice goalkeeper said he is disappointed to see the former Ajax player quit his post on Thursday.

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has pledged the team will give everything under a new coaching crew headed by Samson Siasia.

Siasia will be assisted by Salisu Yusuf and Emmanuel Amuneke following Sunday Oliseh’s shock resignation last week.

He said the coaches are welcome and should expect total cooperation from the players.

Ideye clinches first league title in style

BrownIdeye-Already a champion in Greece

Nigeria striker Brown Ideye won his first-ever league title in Europe with Olympiacos is style after a 3-0 win over Veria FC on Sunday.

Olympiacos set the pace with 67 points from 24 games.

Olympiacos won their 43rd title with six games to spare to record the earliest time a Greek league crown has been won.

OAP Freeze thinks Ayodele Daniel Dada, the first UNILAG student to graduate with a 5.0 GPA should get as much recognition and endorsements as the grass-to-grace stories of people like Olajumoke Orisaguna and the hawker Ciara posted a photo of, as she’s in Lagos.
‘POVERTY MENTALITY’
When are Nigerians going to celebrate real achievements? On the left is Mr. Ayodele Daniel Dada the first Nigerian to finish university with a perfect CGPA of 5.0 and on the left is Mrs. Olajumoke Orisaguna a ‘former’ bread seller.

Before Ayodele, no one had ‘EVER’ finished with a perfect CGPA in UNILAG!!! Since it was established in 1962, he made history by becoming the first to achieve such a commendable feat!

Sredojevic Milutin alias Micho is in line to dump Uganda and be named Nigeria’s next coach at the end of a two-match mandate handed the three-man caretaker coaching team led by Samson Siasia.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have already opened up discussions with experienced Serbian coach Micho and his representatives since the CHAN in Rwanda.

Taiwo Awoniyi called up for Brazil friendly next month

The Nigeria foreign professionals named for two friendlies against the Brazil Olympic team are to fly directly from their various bases to Brazil.

The players have been ordered to report in Brazil not later than March 20.

Is Facebook about more than 'making money'?

He's the world's wealthiest and most powerful 31-year-old, but he still feels misunderstood. That's what emerged from Mark Zuckerberg's 60-minute chat with a Wired journalist on stage at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Misunderstood in India, where his attempt to give millions their first taste of the internet via Facebook's Free Basics scheme has been banned for offences against net neutrality, a "disappointing" move which taught him that "every country is different". And misunderstood more generally in his passionate mission to use his company to change the world.

As the historic presidency of Barack Obama draws to a close at the end of this year, many first generation Nigerian Americans like myself are left to wonder what is next. The black immigrant population in this country was just as celebratory and excited about Obama’s election victory in 2008 as black Americans were about it.

We finally felt that we had arrived and that African last names like Okeke, Olufemi, and others could no longer be a barrier or excuse for not achieving the highest levels of success in America. Africans, in particular Nigerians, have assimilated themselves into almost every phase of American life, except for the political arena. Right now, President Obama is the only person who has an immediate direct descendant from an African country to hold an elected political office on the state or federal level. When I think about how that sounds for a minute, that notion doesn’t seem plausible.

Lawrence Larty of Ajax Cape Town and Paulo Camufingo of Sagrada Esperanca during the 2016 CAF Confederation Cup football match between Ajax Cape Town and Sagrada Esperanca at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town on 27 February 2016 ©Luigi Bennett/BackpagePix
Ajax Cape Town are out of the Confederation Cup, following a 2-3 aggregate defeat at the hands of Sagrada Esperanca.

The Angolan side rallied from a 2-1 defeat at home last weekend to beat the Urban Warriors 2-0 at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday night, thanks to a brace from as Arsenio Cabungula.

Egypt easily beat Burkina Faso 2-0 Saturday in a friendly ahead of next month’s all-important AFCON double header against Nigeria.

Nigeria welcome Egypt to Kaduna on March 25 with a return leg in Cairo days later as momentum gathers in the qualifiers for next year’s AFCON in Gabon.

Two goals by Al Ahly midfielder Abdallah El-Said gave Egypt victory over Burkina Faso on Saturday in a game both teams played only with their home-based players.

Mpho Makola of Orlando Pirates(r) celebrates a goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic on 27 February 2016 at Orlando Stadium Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Mpho Makola scored the only goal of the game as Orlando Pirates defeated Bloemfontein Celtic in an Absa Premiership match at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.

In a game marred by missile-throwing and violence in the crowd, the Buccaneers did just enough to claim a victory which pushes them up to seventh on the log. Phunya Sele Sele remain in 12th place after suffering a third successive defeat.

Thanks for joining SLB today for LIVE blog of African footballers in Europe on 27 February 2016.

Follow the action below:

19h00 - Full-Time in the Barclays Premier League:

Leicester 1-0 Norwich, Southampton 1-2 Chelsea, Stoke City 2-1 Aston Villa, Watford 0-0 Bournemouth

- Mohamed Salah (Roma) and Seydou Keita (Mali) involved from the onset for Roma who are away to Empoli in the Italian Serie A.

Thomas Tuchel has several fitness concerns ahead of Borussia Dortmund's clash against Hoffenheim, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struggling through illness while captain Mats Hummels and Lukasz Piszczek are injury doubts.

Aubameyang has enjoyed a fine Bundesliga campaign for Dortmund this term and his return of 21 league goals is bettered only by Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) said it is applying technology and breakthrough innovation to enable funds transfer on the mobile phone for the first time in Nigeria for the bank’s customers.

In this regard, the bank has launched another first of its kind mobile channel through which its customers can conveniently perform third party transfers to both GTBank and other bank account holders in Nigeria, via their mobile phones, by simply dialing the short code *737* with details of the amount and account number (NUBAN) of the beneficiary.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri will not force Riyad Mahrez to stay at the club if he has higher ambitions.

Mahrez, 25, has been in stunning form for the surprise Premier League leaders this season, scoring 14 goals in 25 appearances.

His performances have attracted interest from several top European clubs, and Ranieri says he will not stand in the way of a player who wants to leave.

Gospel singer Benita Okojie usually shares insightful captions on her Instagram page, and today, godly relationships was the hot topic.

She urges women to note they cannot change a man.

Dear Sister, understand that you’re not God. You can’t create any human so why then do you think you can change a man? Often times, women in love give excuses for why men treat them badly or have dangerous habits. Instead of leaving and praying for him from a distance. They stay and believe that they are agents of change.

Gianni Infantino has today been elected as the President of FIFA for the remainder of the current term of office (until 2019) by the Extraordinary FIFA Congress held in Zurich. He was elected as the ninth FIFA President after the second ballot with 115 of 207 total votes. In line with the FIFA Statutes, the mandate of the new FIFA President started after the conclusion of the Congress.

Gianni Infantino born 23 March 1970 in Brig) is a Swiss football administrator of Italian origin. He was the general secretary of UEFA from 2009 to 2016 and holds both Swiss and Italian nationality.

Ciara has landed in Lagos

Ciara has landed in Lagos for Darey Art-Alade‘s “Love Like a Movie – Naked” musical event. This is the 3rd edition of the musical extravaganza which is far from a regular concert. Instead, the show features Naija, Vegas and Broadway inspired musical and dance performances.

The first year featured Kim Kardashian while the second had Kelly Rowland as a musical guest.

Flavour Donates Musical Instruments to the Church in Enugu Where he Used to Play

This is a lesson to never forget where you’re from and the people who helped you on your journey! Flavour donated musical instruments to the church in Enugu where he used to play. He encouraged others and says he is thankful to now be in the position where he can give back.

#TGIF there’s always something to be thankful for!

I thank God for putting me in a position to touch lives positively with my music. As you know the road to success is never ever easy, yet with faith, hope, determination and resilience it really is possible to achieve your dreams, goals and ambitions.

It was a pleasure going to thanksgiving service at my church, Church of God Mission in Enugu; where my love and passion for music grew from here. I’m grateful that I can now show and extend my gratitude to my church community.”

– Flavour of Africa #Thankful

Did Oliseh pocket 20 million Naira before he quit?

Oliseh (right) with special assistant Tijjani Babangida

A top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has alleged that coach Sunday Oliseh ensured he had received the backlog of four months’ pay totaling 20 million Naira before he quit late on Thursday.

The official also said Oliseh’s contract stipulated that he should give the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at least a month’s notice before he quits his post.

However, Oliseh’s special assistant Tijjani Babangida denied the coach was paid that amount before he opted to throw in the towel.

ZESCO United cruise to CAF Champions League’s first round

Zambian heavyweights ZESCO United booked their spot in the next round of the 2016 CAF Champions League, following their 3-0 aggregate win over South Sudan’s Al-Ghazal in their preliminary round tie.

After enjoying a 2-0 victory in Ndola in the first leg a fortnight ago, they kept their momentum going with a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture in Juba this Friday.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has revealed that he failed to listen to sound advice from Didier Drogba.

Boateng, 28, released his biography earlier this month, with German tabloid Bild releasing excerpts.

The AC Milan midfielder said that Drogba treated him "like a little brother" during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, but admitted that he didn't pay attention to the Ivorian's advice.

Boateng joined Spurs in 2007, but was soon told by manager Martin Jol that he wasn't needed at the North London club.

Sundowns out to turn around their CAF CL fortunes

Mzikayise Mashaba of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates a goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Black Aces on 24 February 2016 at Lucas Moripe Stadium Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Mamelodi Sundowns will target a turnaround in their CAF Champions League Preliminary Round tie when they host Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe in the second leg.

Kick-off at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Tshwane is set for 20h15 on Saturday.

Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez

Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez says they are confident of holding onto their advantage at the top of the Premier League table and claiming the crown at the end of the season.

The Algeria international has been instrumental in the Foxes’ outstanding campaign thus far, scoring 14 goals and delivering 10 assists from 25 league appearances for his side.

Claudio Ranieri’s men are enjoying a two-point lead over North London arch rivals Tottenham and Arsenal and a 12-point lead over fifth-placed Manchester United with 12 games remaining, and can realistically hope for a UEFA Champions League spot.

Quique Sanchez Flores has welcomed rumours linking Odion Ighalo to Arsenal as proof of Watford's impressive performances this season.

The 26-year-old has scored 15 goals in the Premier League this term to help fire his side to within just four points of the top six with 12 matches left to play.

Manchester United and Arsenal have been subsequently linked with Ighalo, who also claimed to have turned down a big-money move to China - worth over £200,000 a week - before the start of the season.

The Barcelona defender shared an image of him enjoying a meal with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla while they were at Barcelona over the weekend.

Ajax ready for Angolan backlash

Ajax Cape Town will be braced for an Angolan backlash when they host their second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup Preliminary Round tie against Sagrada Esperanca.

Kick-off at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town is set for 19h30 on Saturday.

Ajax, after very nearly pulling out of the competition before it even got going, claimed an impressive 2-1 away win over their opponents. Ruzaigh Gamildien and Riyaad Norodien scored the goals for the Urban Warriors.

Nigeria will most likely go along with CAF to vote Salman Al Khalifa on Friday in Switzerland as the next president of world football governing body FIFA.

Asia Football Confederation (AFC) president Salman is favourite in the presidential polls that also has UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein from Jordan, ex-FIFA chief Jerome Champagne and South Africa’s Tokyo Sexwale.

UEFA Champions League This Week

Dynamo Kyiv 1-3 Manchester City

PSV Eindhoven 0-0 Atletico Madrid

23h35 - Final whistle in Kyiv and Eindhoven.

Manchester City ultimately enjoyed a 3-1 victory at Dynamo Kyiv with a successful effort from star midfielder Yaya Toure in the final minutes of the game, while Atletico Madrid were held to a goalless draw by ten-man PSV in Eindhoven.

Nigeria starlet Kelechi Iheanacho came in for Aguero for City on the stroke of full-time.

23h00 - We are still goalless in Eindhoven between PSV and Atletico Madrid, while Dynamo Kyiv pulled a goal back against Manchester City through Buyalsky.

22h35 - David Silva sent the Citizens with a two-goal advantage into half-time, courtesy of a 40th minute successful effort from close range, while PSV and Atletico Madrid are tied at 0-0 at the break.

22h15 - Sergio Aguero put Manchester City ahead in Kyiv, thanks to an assist from Yaya Toure, while we are still goalless in Eindhoven where both sides are showing off their defensive strengths.

21h45 - We are underway in Eindhoven and Kyiv.

21h00 – The only African players in action tonight are Manchester City duo Yaya Touré and Kelechi Iheanacho, as City’s Wilfried Bony and Atlético’s Thomas Partey have been ruled out with injury.

The Côte d’Ivoire midfielder will start while the Nigeria striker has been benched.

Cuper: Burkina Faso will help us get ready for Nigeria

Egypt's head coach Hector Cuper

Egypt's head coach Hector Cuper says that he's happy to reunite with his players as they are getting ready to face Burkina Faso in a friendly.

The Pharaohs manager was quoted by KingFut.com as saying the encounter against the Burkinabe next Saturday will help to prepare for the big one against Nigeria.

Egypt are scheduled to meet the Super Eagles next month in their 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier.

NPFL new boys MFM FC are now top of the table after they defeated Rivers United 2-1 in a Week 2 game on Wednesday.

The Lagos club have made it two wins from two games to gather six points.

They shocked Nasarawa United 2-1 in their opening game of the new season on Sunday in Makurdi.

Welcome to our LIVE BLOG of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 games, first leg – Dynamo Kyiv vs Manchester City and PSV Eindhoven vs Atlético Madrid - on 24 February.

.21h45 - We are underway in Eindhoven and Kyiv.

21h00 – The only African players in action tonight are Manchester City duo Yaya Touré and Kelechi Iheanacho, as City’s Wilfried Bony and Atlético’s Thomas Partey have been ruled out with injury.

The Côte d’Ivoire midfielder will start while the Nigeria striker has been benched.

Partey to miss PSV clash

Thomas Partey will miss Atletico Madrid's UEFA Champions League Round of 16 trip to the Philips Stadium on Wednesday evening as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Atletico take on Dutch giants PSV, kick-off is at 21:45 (CAT).

The Ghana national last played for the club in 3-1 win over Eibar at the start of February.

Chelsea star Mikel Obi will have to first tell coach Samson Siasia he wishes to feature at the Rio Olympics before he would be considered for the summer games.

The 28-year-old midfielder could debut at the Olympics in Brazil in August as an over-age player after he missed out on the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Siasia said: “As for Mikel, if he specifically comes to me to request I include him in my team, I will reason. I will ask him if he really wants to play for the team.

The other day I and a friend were having a random brain storming session. Although she is a Barbie looking, always fully contoured, with nails did ajebutter babe, she is a very patriotic woman, who as much as possible buys Nigerian. She has been holidaying in Nigeria for some time now (well at least one new state a year). She is someone who strongly believes in Nigeria.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Josephy Kamwendo has sealed his move to the Mozambican side Liga Malcumana.

The Nyasa Times website reports that the creative midfielder has joined from the Democratic Republic of Congo side and current CAF Champions League holders, TP Mazembe.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is in desperate need of a top striker and according to media reports in England, top of his target in the summer is Nigeria international Odion Ighalo.

The Watford striker, who has netted 14 goals in the EPL this season, has attracted interest from Chelsea and Atletico Madrid and a £20 million offer will make Watford release him, according to The Mirror.

Watford look to have resigned to fate of losing their top scorer at the end of the season as they have lined up another Nigeria star, Isaac Success, who features for sister club in La Liga, Granada, as his direct replacement.

23 February 2016

Live Blog: Africans in Europe - as it happened (23 FEB)

Welcome to LIVE BLOG of the UEFA Champions League Round 16 games - Arsenal vs FC Barcelona and Juventus vs Bayern Munich - on 23 February.

Follow live updates here:

23h45 - Full-Time: Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona; Juventus 2-2 Bayern Munich (Mehdi Benatia came off the bench for Bayern on 74 minutes)

Lionel Messi scored a brace for the defending champions. Arsenal had their chances and Barca weren't at their best, but still managed to pull through at the Emirates. Messi scoring against Cech for the first time.

Nigeria wilill know their first round opponents for this year’s Rio Olympics on April 14 at the famous Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Dream Team VI, as the Nigeria Olympic team are known, will represent Africa alongside Algeria and South Africa.

Nigeria won the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold and were beaten by Argentina in the final of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China.

Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has said he plans to be in England this weekend to visit the country’s top stars like Mikel Obi and Victor Moses ahead of next month’s crucial AFCON qualifiers against Egypt.

His meeting with the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday in Abuja will now be shelved till next month when the training camp will open for the Egypt showdown.

Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has urged the country to put behind recent misunderstandings so as to forge a united front that will beat Egypt in an AFCON 2017 qualifier next month.

Nigeria will battle Egypt in a decisive AFCON qualifier on March 25 with the reverse leg in Egypt a couple of days later.

Emmanuela, the young rising comedian who won a lot of people’s heart when she featured in a short comic video and acted a scene where she said ‘This is not my real face’, is gradually becoming a star.

We are not sure if the Senator wants to change the entire cars in his garage, but one thing he has been doing lately is to acquire made in Nigeria cars to advocate his #BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira. You will recall that only few days ago, the Senator who just turned 60 bought an Innoson made in Nigeria SUV. He looks nice in it tho.

Temi : I am So Sorry

I hate apologies, and I can be ungracious about it because sometimes I think they are usually empty. Most times, apologies come after someone has done something particularly hurtful and they think extending a paltry “I am sorry”, giving hugs or buying gifts should make up for their wrongs. We are supposed to smile, the sun should beam rainbows, and we should start burping skittles because they are sorry.

Ailing Eagles coach Jean Francois Lusciuto has begged to be paid at least part of what the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) owe him in salaries for him to proceed to Belgium for further treatment after his surgery in South Africa last month.

It was specially gathered that the Belgian coach is owed five months’ pay, which totals 10 million Naira at two million Naira a month.

Liverpool defender Kolo Toure has not given up hope of signing a new contract at Anfield, despite having not received an offer yet.

Toure’s contract will expire at the end of the season but the 34-year-old is confident his current form – and his popularity with the club’s fans – will be enough to seal him a new deal.

"I am a fighter. What’s important is what’s happening for me right now. I’m in the team at the moment and I am showing every game that I’m still here," he explained.

Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has now agreed to pay his former Ajax Amsterdam teammate Tijjani Babangida after he insisted on having the ex-Eagles star on his backroom staff.

“He has maintained he will decide who he works with and that is why Babangida will return to the Eagles camp when it reopens for the AFCON qualifiers against Egypt next month,” an official informed on Monday.

29 February 2016

28 February 2016

27 February 2016

26 February 2016

25 February 2016

24 February 2016

23 February 2016