Welcome To Dipo Liadi's blog: July 2015

31 July 2015

Arsenal vs Chelsea: Jose Cools Rivalry Talk Ahead Of Community Shield Clash

Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger come head-to-head once more as the Community Shield heralds the imminent return of the Premier League.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has played down the rivalry with Arsene Wenger ahead of his side's Community Shield clash with Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday.

Mourinho has never tasted defeat against the Frenchman, the pair often exchanging verbal blows in the media while also needing to be kept apart on the touchline during a Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge last October.

Luke Shaw believes Manchester United can win "a couple" of trophies this season, having embarked on a major recruitment drive this summer.

The left-back, who joined the club from Southampton in 2014, endured a mixed debut campaign, making 16 Premier League appearances as the club recorded a fourth-placed finish.

And Shaw believes Louis van Gaal’s men are capable of improving their league position and challenging for major honours this time around, having recruited Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian and Sergio Romero this summer.

Ghanaian Defender Baba Rahman Hopeful On Chelsea Move

Baba Rahman is hopeful Augsburg accept Chelsea's £17.5 million (€25m) offer, according to his agent, as it would be his dream move.

The left-back has been linked with a Premier League move for months and rumours that the Blues were interested in signing him this summer increased in intensity following Filipe Luis' return to Chelsea.

Despite Augsburg chief Jonas Hoffman claiming that the Bundesliga club do not need the money that selling Baba would bring, reports surfaced on Friday that he had been subject to a bid from the Premier League champions.

Ever since Tim Duncan has been on the team, the San Antonio Spurs have always been considered to be a championship contender. However, after the Spurs added LaMarcus Aldridge and David West in the offseason, the expectations on the team are now even higher.

Duncan and Manu Ginobili were on the brink of retirement, but both players decided to come back after Aldridge agreed to join the Spurs. While Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard will lead the Spurs in the future, Tony Parker is well aware that next season could be San Antonio's last chance at winning a championship while Duncan and Ginobili are still playing.

The famous name of Sunday Oliseh has long been mentioned in connection with the Nigeria national team coaching position, and the former Super Eagles star is now in the hot seat just as the Super Eagles are about to begin their quest to not only reach - but make their mark - on the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. “For some years now, there have been offers and discussions about me taking over. It has been on the table, but it has not yet happened because the timing was off,” Oliseh told FIFA.com.

The 40-year-old admitted that even though he finally felt ready for the job, he hesitated to accept the challenging offer. “To coach Nigeria is not the easiest job in the world and one is only as good as the players. Nigeria at the moment has a lot of potential, but we don't have a lot of confirmed players in the top clubs in the top leagues, so taking over the national team now means we have to remake the whole team and introduce a new philosophy of playing style, of culture and mentality. That is very difficult to do when you are the national team coach because you have very limited time with the players unlike when you coach a club. So that is why I was very hesitant.”

Real Madrid have signed defensive rising star Jesus Vallejo from Real Zaragoza, the latter club confirmed on Friday.

The centre-back captained the Spain's Under-19s as they triumphed in this summer's European Championship, boosting his reputation and increasing talk he would join a top club.

Zaragoza have reportedly been paid €5 million for Vallejo by the Blancos, who will loan the 18-year-old back to the second-tier Spanish side for 2015-16.

The long summer saga that is Russell Wilson's contract situation is over. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora confirms Wilson and the Seahawks agreed to a four-year extension worth $87.6 million. The news was first reported by Peter King of TheMMQB.com and also confirmed by Wilson himself.

Wilson was set to make $1.5 million in base salary in the final year of his rookie contract and then become an unrestricted free agent; there's been roughly four million barbs back and forth between Seattle and Wilson's camp about the type of money he wants.

Has the goals seems to be dying up Robin Van Persie has refused to promise Fenerbahce fans goals.

Robin van Persie is refusing to set himself a goal target for new club Fenerbahce, whom he joined for €6.5 million from Manchester United this summer. The 31-year-old made his debut for the Turkish team on Tuesday as they drew against Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0 on home soil in their Champions League third-round qualification first leg.

Expectations are high that Van Persie can help Fenerbahce topple Galatasaray as Super Lig champions in 2015-16, but the Dutch forward stressed factors other than his own form will affect his goalscoring tally.

Aston Villa have signed French midfielder Jordan Veretout from Ligue 1 club Nantes on a five-year contract, the Premier League side said on Friday.

The 22-year-old has joined for an undisclosed fee reported in British media to be around seven million pounds.

"I'm really pleased Jordan decided to choose Aston Villa over the other options he had and opt to continue his development with us," manager Tim Sherwood told the club's website.

Head coach of Congo’s U23 team, Claude Le Roy is not worried about ‘powerful’ Nigeria U23 side ahead of Sunday’s 2016 Olympic qualifier in Pointe-Noire.

Nigeria won the first leg 2-1 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt on July 19 and will progress to the final round of qualifying if they avoid defeat at the Stade Municipal, Pointe-Noire.

A 1-0 win for Congo’s U23 side will however be enough to put the 1996 Olympic champions to the sword but Le Roy reckons the fixture will be anything but straight forward.

The striker was a doubt after being withdrawn after an hour of Chelsea’s friendly win over Barcelona in Washington on Wednesday after feeling a twinge in his hamstring.

Cahill, meanwhile, was also replaced after a clash of heads while scoring a late equaliser as the game finished 2-2 with Chelsea prevailing 4-2 on penalties.

However, Mourinho has now confirmed that both men are fit to face the Gunners and that he has no injury concerns ahead of the start of the new season.

The Netherlands international, a £13.8 million signing from Ajax last summer, says his fellow Dutchman was the reason behind United’s form in the second half of last season.

Blind, who has so far played pre-season at centre-back for the Reds, bemoaned last season's weak start but says Van Gaal can propel the team to greater heights this term.
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Louis van Gaal sees everything, and what he says always comes true

After Mourinho's infamous specialist of failure statement, Wenger has won two back to back FA Cup Titles. With 13 failed attempts to overcome Mourinho most Gunner fans will be expecting Wenger to break the jinx.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says beating Arsenal and Arsene Wenger is "nothing special" as he prepares to take on the Gunners' in Sunday's Community Shield at Wembley.

Mourinho and Wenger have a long-standing rivalry, with the Frenchman yet to beat his counterpart in 13 attempts, while the Blues manager described the 65-year-old as a "specialist in failure" 18 months ago.

Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Idah Peterside believes Super Eagles manager, Sunday Oliseh will succeed in his latest assignment ‘because he’s a very intelligent man’.

Peterside believes Oliseh will not fail as his cerebral disposition puts him in good stead to become a successful national team coach.

“Sunny (Oliseh) will do well because he’s an intelligent man.

Nigerian teenage star Kelechi Iheanacho will stay at Manchester City this season, a close source to the player has informed completesportsnigeria.com.

The Flying Eagles star recently got his work permit and his eligible to play in the Premier League.

The quartet of young players Jack Byrne, Seko Fofana, Angelino, Enes Unal and Olivier Ntcham have all been sent out on loan but coach Manuel Pellegrini is still holding on to the former Flying Eagles star, fuelling speculation that he will remain at the Ethiad for the coming season.

Kano Pillars forward Gambo Mohammed believes his side can still mount a Glo Premier League title challenge despite their not too impressive showing in the first half of the season.

The defending champions are nine points adrift of leaders Sunshine Stars and need a remarkable turnaround in performance and luck to win a fourth consecutive title.

And Gambo, who is yet to feature in the league in this campaign for the Sai Masu Gida due to the gunshot injury he sustained on their way to honour a match day one fixture against Heartland, is adamant his side can still catch up with the frontrunners.

Newcastle are poised to complete the £8.5million signing of Anderlecht defender Chancel Mbemba, but doubts remain about the player's age. The Magpies will sign the Congolese international on the understanding he is 20 years old. However, it has long since been reported that Mbemba has four birthdays, ranging from 1988 to 1995.

Mbemba once stated in an interview that he believed his birthday was around 1990, which would make him 25. The centre back began his career in his homeland, where his date of birth was registered as August 8, 1988. By the time he came to sign for Anderlecht in 2012, his new birthday was stated as August 8, 1995.

Tottenham star, Emmanuel Adebayor has wowed us again. Just weeks after showing us what he quietly does (housing, clothing and feeding the needy at his foundation) the footballer has come online again to share another good news and now wants us to pray along for the woman. Adebayor found this woman, an Ivorian lady with a disease which left her whole body bloated. He took her up, got a surgery done on her and today she is feeling better, but the footballer still needs us all to pray for her.

Manchester United have returned to England following their pre-season tour of America and despite the long-haul flight, new signing Memphis Depay managed to look particularly sharp, kitted out with designer clothes and accessories.

The 21-year-old forward, who joined United from last season's Eredivisie champions PSV in a £25million deal, was sporting an ensemble worth close to £10,000 as he strolled in.

Paul Pogba is confident that he has what it takes to take Arturo Vidal's role at Juventus and be the club's highest-scoring midfielder this season.

The Chile international left the Serie A champions for Bayern Munich this month, but Pogba has ensured the club's fans they have nothing to worry about.

Vidal netted 35 goals in four seasons in Serie A, hitting eight in all competitions last season, while Pogba has scored 20 times in three years in the Italian top flight.

Argentinian winger Angel Di Maria is set to end his Manchester United career on a miserable note - after being fined two weeks wages by the club for missing their pre-season tour of the United States.

The 27-year-old was meant to meet up with the squad on July 25 but failed to report for duty, amid reports that he was set to complete a move to Paris Saint Germain. L'Equipe have reported on Friday that the player has agreed a four-year contract with the French champions and the transfer could even be announced over the weekend.

United are set to make a £15m loss on the £59.7m they paid Real Madrid for the player just last summer, with reports emerging recently that a £44.2m deal had been agreed.

Earlier this week various reports have suggested that Guardiola has reached an agreement with Man City to coach the club in 2016. Bayern Munich has said its no big deal if Pep leaves.

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg believes Pep Guardiola will leave the Bundesliga champions at the end of his contract in June 2016.

The former Barcelona coach has so far been reluctant to open talks over a new deal and has been heavily linked with a departure at the end of the season.

Olympic and World Championships medalist, Blessing Okagbare is on course to cruise into the 15th World Championships in Athletics and the 11th All Africa Games both scheduled to hold this year.

The World Championships in Athletics, football’s equivalent of the World Cup, is expected to hold between August 22-30 in Beijing, China, while the All Africa Games, Africa’s mini-version of the Olympics, holds between September 4–19 in Brazzaville, Congo.

Okocha, 41, played 45 minutes for Wolverton’s reserves against Arlesey Town reserves last week, but has not yet decided on whether to make a permanent move to the Milton Keynes club.

Wolverton currently ply their trade in the Spartan South Midlands League, and were tight-lipped about Okocha's long-term future.

Amanda Keech, chairperson of Wolverton Town, said: “He did play 45 minutes last week for us but we can’t say either way whether he will sign yet.

Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai has told newly appointed coach, Sunday Oliseh to have a standby goal tender that will step into the shoes of current number one Vincent Enyeama.

Enyeama, has been between the sticks for the Super Eagles since 2002. He recently indicated that he will not be there forever, when he announced that he might call it quits after the 2017 African Cup of Nations.

Rufai, a former Stationery Stores of Lagos keeper and one of Nigeria’s goalkeeping legends advised Oliseh to start shopping for a replacement.

Shakhtar Donetsk's decision to select Fred against Fenerbahce in the Champions League is being investigated by UEFA.

UEFA is to investigate Shakhtar Donetsk's decision to play Fred in Tuesday's Champions League clash against Fenerbahce despite reports he has failed a doping test, following a complaint by the Turkish club.

European football's governing body advised Shakhtar to omit the Brazilian for the third qualifying round first-leg tie in Istanbul, which ended goalless.

Junior Ajayi is hoping for a repeat of his heroics against Congo’s U23 on Sunday when the Dream Team VI continue their quest to reach the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The Dream team won the first leg 2-1 in Port Harcourt on July 19 but Ajayi who scored both goals on the day says it was not a good result.

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu is confident the club have what it takes to win six major trophies in 2015.

The Camp Nou side are already halfway through following their Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey success in 2014-15 and can make it six pieces of silverware in one calendar year if they also claim the European Supercup, Spanish Supercup and Club World Cup.

Barca last won the sextuple in 2009 under Pep Guardiola, but Bartomeu is hopeful they can repeat the feat under Luis Enrique this year.

Arsenal must improve their consistency if they are to challenge for the Premier League title in 2015-16, according to Aaron Ramsey.

The Gunners’ performances in the second half of last season – they lost just two of their 18 Premier League games – propelled the club to their best league finish in four seasons, as they ended the campaign in third-place.

However, they suffered a difficult start in 2014-15, and found themselves 15 points behind eventual champions Chelsea after 12 games.

The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) said on Thursday it is backing national football legend Zico's bid to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president.

The endorsement was a big boost for Zico, 62, who has previously conceded lacking support from Brazil's footballing top brass. However, to establish himself as a formal candidate he would still have to get backing from four other countries.

"Zico has our support to pursue his candidacy. If he gets the other four signatures, the CBF will back his application," the body's president, Marco Polo Del Nero, said in a statement.

'We Are Delighted To Have Him Here Because He's A Top, Top Player' - John Terry

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao will prove his doubters wrong in his second season in the Premier League, according to his new skipper.

Chelsea captain John Terry believes loanee Radamel Falcao will succeed, despite his struggles at Manchester United last season.

Falcao will spend another season on loan in the Premier League after Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho decided to sign the Colombia international striker on a season-long loan deal from Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.

Luis Suarez says that while the Premier League is the game's top championship, Barcelona are "the best team in the world".

The Uruguay international spent three-and-a-half years plying his trade in England with Liverpool, winning the 2013-14 PFA Players' Player of the Year award before moving to Catalunya last summer.

Suarez took some time to settle at Camp Nou, not least because he was ineligible to play for the Blaugrana until October because of his four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but he went on to form a formidable front three with Lionel Messi and Neymar, and played a key role in Barca's treble triumph last season.

Didier Drogba said he is looking forward to the "beautiful challenge" of finishing his career in Major League Soccer after being unveiled before hundreds of Montreal Impact fans on Thursday.

The veteran Ivory Coast and former Chelsea icon addressed a crowd of fans at Montreal's Saputo Stadium, a day after jetting into the Canadian city after wrapping up his MLS move earlier this week.

"I am a man of challenges and there is a beautiful one before me," Drogba said alongside Impact President Joey Saputo.

MAN CITY: Edin Dzeko Accepts Personal Agreement With AS Roma

Edin Dzeko has agreed personal terms with Roma, according to Sky Italia. Sky report that the Bosnian’s move to the Romans has been agreed with Manchester City chiefs, and that all that remains is to agree upon a transfer fee in order for the move to be finalized.

With Steven Jovetic set for a loan move to Inter, the surprise sale of Dzeko will leave City with just two recognized strikers in Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero and Wilfried Bony (although new signing Raheem Sterling can operate as a central striker.

Olympiakos forward Michael Olaitan will spend the 2015-16 season on loan at FC Twente, the two clubs announced on Thursday.

The 22-year-old is a product of Mighty Jets and has previously spent time on loan at Ergotelis, where he featured 12 times with a goal to his credit.

“After discussions with my family, I have consciously chosen this club. Dutch football suits me, but also the way FC Twente play, ” he told the club's official website.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny says that joining Roma on loan for a year was an "easy decision".
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The Poland international goalkeeper joined the Serie A outfit after falling down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium, and he is determined to prove his quality by securing regular first-team football in both the Italian domestic fixtures and the UEFA Champions League.

He said: "It was an easy decision to join Roma; it is one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Start following account associated with desired club: it’s the ‘Come And Get Me Plea’ of the digital age.

With Karim Benzema being heavily linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, it’s surely no coincidence that the latest account he’s started following is Wengerland.

Oddly enough, Wengerland is not even a particularly big Arsenal fan account, with just 466 followers and 67 posts.

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) could run into a crisis as the second round of this season commences this weekend.

One of the top flight clubs, FC Taraba, have ran into a financial hitch and have been unable to pay their coaching and playing personnel since the start of the season. The Jalingo club have failed to pay their players' wages for 10 months and there are now fear that the NPFL bottom-placed team might fail to see out the current season.

The calendar of the NPFL is now looking threatened of being disrupted by the financial woes of FC Tarabawho who could be thrown out of the championship and have points removed from matches involving them.

Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini has been all but ruled out of the Supercoppa Italiana and could miss the start of the Serie A season.

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini faces a race against time to be fit for Juventus' Serie A opener against Udinese after sustaining a hamstring injury.

The Italy international was withdrawn eight minutes into Juve's 2-1 friendly win over Lechia Gdansk on Wednesday before being diagnosed with an injury to his right leg.

The English FA fined third-tier side Blackpool £50 000 on Thursday after a crowd invasion forced the abandonment of the relegated side's final Championship match against Huddersfield Town in May.

The club were also severely warned, subject to any appeal, about their future conduct. The match at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road was abandoned in the 48th minute, with the score 0-0, and not replayed.

Chelsea defender John Terry insists fans of rival clubs would "love" to have him in their team, and says that while he uses criticism to his advantage he does not want to be hated when the time comes to retire.

At 34 years old Terry was one of the most important members of Chelsea's Premier League-winning squad last season, playing every minute as he secured his fourth top-flight title of an illustrious career.

But he has often courted controversy and in 2012 was found guilty by the Football Association of racially abusing then Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, which landed him a four-match ban and ended his international career with England.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is paying little importance to Paris Saint-Germain's International Champions Cup success as the French champions gear up for Saturday's Trophee des Champions clash with Lyon.

PSG face last season's Ligue 1 runners-up Lyon in Montreal this weekend as the 2015-16 rears into view, with Laurent Blanc having successfully guided PSG to success in 2013 and 2014.

Blanc's men overcame Fiorentina and Manchester United in the ICC, with Ibrahimovic grabbing the second in a 2-0 win over the Premier League side on Wednesday in Chicago.

As the Dream Team VI prepare to travel out for the second leg of the CAF U23 Championship qualifier away to Congo, scribe of the NFF, Dr Sanusi Mohammed has revealed that regrettably the team would not be able to go by chartered flight, as previously planned, due to paucity of funds.

Samson Siasia and his wards are expected to depart for Point Noire by 1pm today.

French top flight club Lille have swooped for Zambia's 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winner Stoppila Sunzu on a season-long loan from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua, the club announced Thursday.

The central defender, who scored the winning spot-kick in the 8-7 penalty shoot-out victory over Ivory Coast, previously played in France for Sochaux and links up again with former Zambia coach Herve Renard.

Super Eagles new coach Sunday Oliseh is expected to resume work with the national team next week when he arrives in the country, a top source in the Nigerian Football Federation has told completesportsnigeria.

Oliseh will meet with his backroom staff before the squad list for the home-based players is released for the AFCON 2017 qualifier against Tanzania in Dar-es-Salaam.

His first assignment will be away to Tanzania in a 2017 AFCON qualifier in September. The Eagles are currently second in their group behind Egypt.

The Belgium playmaker - who continues to be heavily linked with a move to Manchester City - suffered with an apparent back problem on Thursday with coach Dieter Hecking acknowledging he could miss the final at the Volkswagen Arena.

"It is not yet clear whether he can play Saturday," Hecking told Bild.

Head Coach of the Super Falcons, Chris Danjuma has picked 18 players for the big match against Equatorial Guinea’s senior women national team in Bata on Sunday.

The players who traveled out of Abuja Today alongside other officials are:

Stoke City forward, Osaze Odemwingie, says he is still months away from full fitness. The Nigerian endured a torrid time last season following a knee ligament injury which forced him out of action for eight months.

He made his long awaited comeback towards the end of the last season and has also featured in pre- season games for the Potters ahead of the season.

He however said he still requires time to pick up match fitness.

One of the most controversial footballers of his day, following his move from Tottenham to rivals Arsenal, Campbell has recently been in the headlines in England in relation to his ambition of one day becoming the Mayor of London.

Campbell recently saw that dream get dashed, as the ex-pro was left off the four-strong Tory shortlist to replace Boris Johnson.

Samson Siasia did not spring any surprises with his selection for the African U23 qualifier in Pointe Noire, with Ajayi, Awoniyi, Sokari & Saviour making cut

Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia has named his 20-man squad for this weekend’s African U23 qualifier against Congo in Pointe Noire.

The Dream Team VI defeated the east Africans 2-1 in the first leg with Junior Ajayi grabbing a brace, and must get at least a draw to secure a ticket to the tournament billed for Senegal.

31 July 2015

30 July 2015