Sports
NFF To Name New Eagles Coach Before AFCON
If everything works according to plans set out by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), a new foreign coach will lead the Super Eagles to the Cameroon 2022 African Nations Cup.
The competition kicks off on January 9, 2022, in Cameroon.
NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, said during an interactive session with sports editors, yesterday, in Lagos, that the Federation has reached an advanced stage in its bid to recruit a new technical adviser for the Super Eagles, adding that the new man, a European, barring any unforeseen hiccup, will be unveiled sometime next week.
“We have our own internal process and we are working closely with the ministry of sports and our lawyers to ensure we tidy up the situation soon.
“We have spoken to three top coaches and next week, the Federation will announce the name of the new manager.”
Pinnick revealed that the NFF has interviewed the three coaches, who made the shortlist of candidates for the job.
“The thing is that every top coach wants to coach Nigeria, but our emphasis is on discipline. We have looked at the coaches’ antecedents and the technical and executive committees of the Federation have chosen from the three.”
Tidesports source gathered that among the three coaches considered for the Super Eagles’ job are Jose Peseiro and Mladen Krstajic, the latter, who, however, has joined Israeli side, Maccabi Tel Aviv.
”We want a coach that is ready for the challenge immediately. He must be somebody that the players will respect.
“I had an interface with Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho on our search for a new coach. The sports minister also spoke with Mourinho,’ he said.
“Our last coach stayed up to five years, which shows that we are a steady country. We don’t want to be going back and forth. We want everything in a near-perfect situation.”
The NFF boss dispelled insinuations that the Federation does not value its Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen, saying the former Super Eagles captain has a vital role to play in the system.
“We know that Eguavoen can do the job expertly, but we also know that he will be more useful controlling the technical department. However, if we cannot get the coaches to start work immediately, we will empower them to take the team to Cameroun. And if Eguavoen wins the Nations Cup, we might have a rethink. In that case, the foreign coach will now become the technical director, while Eguavoen takes the position of technical adviser.”
On the Federation’s relationship with the sacked coach, Gernot Rohr, Pinnick said the NFF is in touch with the German, adding, “In the next few days, we will clear all debts owed Rohr because we want to start on a clean note.”
Pinnick revealed that NFF recently signed a partnership with Stanbic IBTC, which is now the official insurer as well as the banker of the Federation, explaining that the partnership is player-based.
“Every player is insured in a deal worth N2.3 billion, which translates to N30 million per game,” he added.
Pinnick also revealed that the NFF wants to build a centre of excellence in Abuja, which he called a technical centre that will have a camp for the national teams and football fields, among other facilities.
“To do this,” he added, “we will also have to upgrade our secretariat to make it as modern as others across the world.
“FIFA is supporting the project, but we are also talking with our partners for counterpart funding. I want it to be my legacy when I leave office.”
On his rumoured desire to continue in office at the expiration of his second term, Pinnick said he has been under immense pressure to contest for a third term, adding, however, that the decision rests with his family.
Sports
Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie A Lead
Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.
Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.
Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.
But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.
Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.
It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.
Sports
Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool
A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.
Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.
“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.
For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.
Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.
His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.
Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.
Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.
The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.
“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”
Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.
The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.
“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”
He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”
Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.
The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).
Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.
Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.
Sports
Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors
Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.
Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.
Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.
Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.
Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.
The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.
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