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Uche Not Bothered By Criticism

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Recuperating Nigeria striker Ike Uche is convinced that public and media criticism of the Super Eagles is a ‘healthy’ development.

Despite qualifying for the 2010 World Cup without a loss, Shuaibu Amodu’s Super Eagles have been subjected to a torrent of ferocious criticism at home, even leading to calls for the manager to be replaced by a Technical Adviser.

It is a situation that has sent Amodu, his officials and most of his players to the trenches, but Uche says he has no problems with it “I understand why they criticise,” he told Tidesports’ source.

“All of Nigeria wants to see us win in the first half. They want to see us play good football, but other teams try to frustrate us and it is not easy.

“But the criticism is allowed. It is not something we should fight about. I don’t think it is a problem for Nigerians to say the team is not playing well.

“For me I think that it is healthy. What it means is that we have to go back, watch our games and learn from our mistakes.”

Uche admits that the Super Eagles played like a team short on confidence, but says World Cup qualification would be the fillip needed to get the team playing with a spring in their step again “Qualifying for the World Cup will give us confidence. It will motivate us to do better. I think it is the only motivation we need as players.

“It will make everybody come out and give out the best of what he has and that will see us playing good football for the fans.”

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City’s January Spending Propelled By Fears Of Transfer Ban?

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Pep Guardiola has denied that Manchester City spent big in January in case the club are hit with a transfer embargo for alleged Premier League financial rule breaches.
City splashed out around £170 million ($211 million) on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez before Monday’s transfer deadline.
They are much-needed reinforcements for a side who are well off the pace in the Premier League and who just scraped into the Champions League play-offs.
Guardiola, whose side edged third-tier Leyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, was asked whether the club’s striking outlay was triggered by the possibility they would be hit by a transfer ban.

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Chelsea Fall Short Against Brighton

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Brighton came from behind to beat Chelsea and reach the fifth round of the FA Cup.
The Blues took a fortunate lead early on when Cole Palmer’s volleyed cross from the left was fumbled into his own net by Bart Verbruggen.
But Albion came back and Georginio Rutter headed in from Joel Veltman’s cross.
And they took the lead when Rutter picked out Kaoru Mitoma, the subject of a rejected £54m bid from Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr before the transfer deadline, who dinked the ball over Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea felt the goal should have been disallowed, as the ball struck Tariq Lamptey’s arm in the build-up, though there are no video assistant referees in the FA Cup fourth round.
Those goals came from Albion’s only shots in the first 60 minutes.

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FA Cup: Minnows Stun Liverpool, End Dream

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Plymouth Argyle produced a classic FA Cup giant-killing as the Championship’s bottom club stunned Premier League leaders Liverpool at a raucous Home Park.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot made 10 changes from the side that swept Tottenham aside to reach the Carabao Cup final and paid the price as Plymouth made the most of the opportunity to secure a place in the fifth round.
A scrappy tie came to life eight minutes after the interval when Plymouth were awarded a penalty after Harvey Elliott’s handball, Ryan Hardie drilling home the spot-kick in emphatic fashion.
Hardie almost added a second shortly afterwards when his shot was turned on to the post by Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Liverpool applied some pressure in the closing stages, keeper Conor Hazard saving superbly from Diogo Jota then miraculously from substitute Darwin Nunez’s header, but Plymouth closed out a landmark win under new manager Miron Muslic.
Plymouth’s atmospheric Home Park erupted with a deafening roar as the final whistle sounded on a victory they will recall forever in Devon.
The sinking of Liverpool was a triumph for Plymouth’s charismatic manager Muslic, who has won the hearts of the ‘Green Army’ since succeeding the sacked Wayne Rooney.
In a stunning atmosphere, Plymouth sensed their chance when Liverpool’s teamsheet landed, with stellar names such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk not even on the bench.
Plymouth, as they had to, made the tie a scrap and then the decisive moment came when Elliott needlessly handled, allowing Hardie to assume the role of match-winner.
And they found a hero in keeper Hazard in those closing moments as he saved from Jota, then miraculously from Nunez’s header.
The main priority remains survival in the Championship, but the FA Cup demonstrated its enduring magic by producing a result that Plymouth hope will help their fight to stay up

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