June, 2017 – Kunle Fayiga's Blog

Aiteo Cup deal: A step forward for Nigerian club football

1 Comment / Contributors, Football / Samuel Areo

The Nigerian domestic cup competition, Federation Cup, will now be known as the Aiteo Cup after the energy group signed a sponsorship deal with the Nigeria Football Federation on Wednesday. The deal is expected to bring the necessary funds that has been lacking in the competition for so many years. According to the details of the deal, the men winners will take home N25,000,000 and the females are expected to have N10,000,000 in their kitty while the runner-ups of both categories are to take home N10,000,000 and N5,000,000 respectively. The sponsorship deal, which its worth wasn’t disclosed, is expected to run for a period of five years. Back in history, the newly named Aiteo Cup started as the “Governor’s Cup” in 1945 after succeeding the “War Memorial Challenge Cup” that had been limited to football teams in Lagos. By 1954, the competition was renamed the “FA Cup” and it remained so for the next six years. By the start of the subsequent decade, the former name was replaced with the “Challenge Cup” and it stayed that way for a long period of years until 1999, when the first sponsor came in and the name got changed to the “Coca-Cola FA Cup”. After ten years, when the sponsorship deal was over, the competition returned with the “Federation Cup” in 2009 and has been that way until now. Undoubtedly, the coming on board of the energy company Aiteo as the sponsors of the foremost cup competition in Nigerian football is seen by many observers as a way to go in the development of our club football. Furthermore, the deal is expected to add more (like Nigerians will say) “ginger” into the dull and forgotten cup competition. Now that the deal has been signed, the gladiators in the glass house must not rest on their oars as this should be the beginning of more great things to come. Meanwhile, the board must now swing into action to properly plan a calendar that will see the final coming up before the end of September as the league will be ending in the first week of that month. Asides that, the board must also look into the countless accusations been labeled at referees for their biased performances throughout the whole competition last year. If this deal is here to stay, the NFF and the Nigeria Referees’ Association must collectively see to that in order to create a good image for the tournament. The NFF must also come up with a capable media team for the Aiteo Cup in order for it to gain the necessary attention and publicity before and during the competition itself, even as the league season is gradually getting to its climax. On the flip side, I expect more teams to be committed to the competition more than ever as it will not only be the prize money alone but a continental berth is also on the cards. It’s been a while that we have seen a domestic double champion since 2005 with Enyimba and 2017 wouldn’t be a bad year for history to repeat itself. Will the partnership of Aiteo pay off on the long run for Nigerian football? Drop your comments below. Follow Samuel on Twitter: @Undisputed_Jsam Photo Source: Google Images

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Is VAR the future of football?

5 Comments / Contributors, Football, Trending / Guest Writer

The Video Assistant Referee is the latest football innovation to be introduced by world governing body Fifa. It involves two referees sitting in front of a television monitor to review decisions made by the head referee through headset communication. There are four kinds of decisions that can be reviewed; 1) Goals, 2) Penalty decisions, 3) Red card decisions and 4) Mistaken identity in awarding a red card or yellow card. This system is already been used at the ongoing Fifa Confederations cup in Russia and with the view of using it at the World Cup finals next year, it’s making headlines and dividing opinion among football lovers over its effectiveness. The dilemma however is; is this good for football or it’s just something that’ll kill the pace of the game and make the game a snoozefest? Since referees are humans, they are subject to clear error, which means during the flow of the game they can make potential decisions that might be wrong, which is corrected by the VAR. During this Confederations Cup finals alone, the VAR system has forced a change in referee’s decision seven times in 12 games. The plus is that the VAR allows for transparency and fair play which is what Fifa is all about. It makes the game free of controversial issues and ensures everyone is beyond a doubt of the referee’s decision. The VAR also takes the pressure off the referees, since they now have video replay technology that can either prove their decision is correct or wrong which can force a change. It also means more games aren’t decided on refereeing errors. For instance in the Chile vs. Cameroon game, Eduardo Vargas scored a goal just before halftime which by eye test was onside but the video review showed the player was offside. This is thus welcome so teams won’t feel slighted anymore. With every good thing however, comes its side effects. In as much as I applaud the video replay technology, I am vehemently against it. Football thrives on chaos and controversy. The best footballing moments have come when the game was open and free flowing but with video replay, we might have a slow and dragged out game. The referees will use the VAR as a crotch. Most times they are supposed to be sure before making a call. That’s what they are trained and payed for after all, but now refs know they get a do-over if they get it wrong, so they might become lax and the game will suffer for it. Such was seen in the game between Mexico and New Zealand in which Gambian referee Bakary Gassama spent so much time consulting the VAR in the dying minutes over a melee that ensued between both teams. Four added minutes became nine due to Gassama’s inability to use his own discretion. The fact that players or managers can’t call for a review makes it unreasonable. If a player makes the review sign, he’s punished by an automatic yellow card, if it’s a team official, they’re penalized with a sending off. This doesn’t make any sense since the people who are directly involved can’t even contest their cases. This kind of gives referees too much power which isn’t good for the sport. Video technology is used in both the United States’ NBA and NFL and most times players call for reviews especially in close games. That’s the way it should be in football. How many reviews are allowed per game is another issue and how many times can the referees use this technology in game? This stretches the game which nobody wants to watch past the two hour mark. With all this, the decision still rests with Fifa law making body IFAB. Even Fifa head referee Massimo Busacca says the VAR must be reformed and improved before the World Cup finals. I love my football the way it is and don’t see the need for the video replay system. If VAR is the next best thing in football, I might become medieval. Is the VAR system a good or bad idea for football? Kindly leave your comments below. Photo Source: Getty Images

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Daniel Itodo: Plateau United’s Weapon of Destruction

1 Comment / Contributors, Football / Samuel Areo

Football is a team sport as well as one filled with individual skills in taking set-pieces or even extra-ordinary ones like Ricardo Quaresma’s rabona way of assists. The beautiful game is one that has its unique skills associated with different teams, who often use them in unorthodox fashion to acquire results in difficult situations. This special artistry such as the ability to take penalties like Southampton great, Matt Le Tissier, exquisite free-kicks like Juninho in the last decade, has always left supporters and even teammates anxious to know the outcome in such moments when the need arises for the set-piece skills to be used. Before now, we’ve seen Rory Delap and Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha shoot Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers respectively to victories and comfortable mid-table finishes with their unpopular but destructive long throw skills in the Premier League. Back in the days in Nigerian league football, we had Godwin Obinaya, whose missile throwing abilities got Stationery Stores favourable results in the 1980s. Nigeria football great, late Stephen Keshi, was also known for causing havoc with this skill for New Nigerian Bank. Launching a long throw into the penalty area has come to age once again in the Nigeria Professional Football League and it is now an unlikely but successful way of navigating difficult games for a particular team. Current NPFL leaders Plateau United have punched above their weight in an outstanding manner this season. They’ve been a delight to watch with the characteristic free flowing football known with their gaffer, Kennedy Boboye; but they’ve found a weapon of mass destruction (not Obafemi Martins) in Daniel Itodo, who has been a thorn in the flesh of many teams so far this term. Itodo, who is the club’s first choice at left-back, has assisted more than 15 goals in the Nigerian top flight from the start of last season, with all coming from his deadly canon-like throws. Itodo’s throw-ins have also led to numerous goalscoring situations just like in his team’s last game against Abia Warriors in Umuaiha, even though they lost 2-1. Itodo has also been wonderful with his feet, his goal securing a point for the Peace Boys in their away game at Katsina United earlier this season. Unsurprisingly, Itodo’s team are still top of the NPFL due to his wonderful contributions across board. Defensively, he isn’t a weakness at all as he’s helped the Tin Boys to concede just 18 goals after 25 league games, the second lowest in the NPFL this term. If Plateau United will be crowned champions at the end of the season, their creator-in-chief must be in top gear. The fear of Daniel Itodo’s cannons is the beginning of wisdom for any opposition. Would Daniel Itodo’s long throws eventually lead Plateau United to the NPFL title? Let’s have your comments below. Follow Samuel on Twitter: @Undisputed_Jsam Photo source: Google Images

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Should Ronaldo leave Real Madrid?

6 Comments / Contributors, Football, Trending / Guest Writer

That’s the question on everyone’s mind since reports surfaced that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to quit Real Madrid. This came after he was alleged to have avoided paying tax worth €14.7 million to Spanish authorities between 2011 and 2014. After such a successful year in which he won the Euros, the Club World Cup, the Ballon d’Or, the La Liga and the Uefa Champions League back to back, maybe Ronaldo was reflective and decided there’s nothing left to win with Los Blancos anymore, hence needs a new challenge. The question however is where will he find it? A move away from the Santiago Bernabeu will hurt the Portuguese international more than help him based on some reasons. Firstly, Real Madrid built a team around Ronaldo. He’s been the face of their franchise since he was signed for a then world record fee of £80 million from Manchester United in the summer of 2009. This is not the first time CR7 has threatened to leave the Spanish capital though. Anytime he did this, the Madrid hierarchy would appease their superstar with an improved mega contract. Also with the caliber of players in the squad, it’s not a mistake all of them make Ronaldo look great. They all sacrifice for him and the result is he gets to score 50+ goals each season – something that has happened for the past six prior to the just concluded one. That’s not a fluke incident, that’s a team that feeds their best player and gives him the opportunity to shine brightest. Secondly, with Ronaldo’s kind of contract, nobody in their right minds will make a move for him. He’s tied to the Bernabeu until the summer of 2021, earning over US$50 million a year before taxes. That salary alone is enough to scare away anyone considering he’s 32 years of age and won’t be at his best anymore as the age starts to tell on him. Simply put, nobody in world football can afford Ronaldo because he’s got a release clause of US$1 billion which is outright insane money to pay for a player at his age no matter the accolades he’s accrued over the years. Thirdly, Lionel Messi is the reason Ronaldo keeps trying to get better and better. If CR7 wasn’t in this generation, we would be heralding Messi as the greatest player that ever walked the earth. Messi is hands down the better player but Ronaldo has made it a rivalry because of the Real Madrid-Barcelona duopoly. If Ronaldo leaves Spain, he forfeits the ability to challenge for top individual football honours, meaning Messi could have an outright lead over him. Lastly, Real Madrid needs Ronaldo and Ronaldo needs Real Madrid. No player is bigger than a club but in this case, Ronaldo is close to being bigger than the club since everything revolves around him. CR7 has been turned more or less into an out and out striker because of his ungodly goal scoring expertise. This system suits him as his game would get better since he won’t be expending a lot of energy on the offense. He’s loved by his teammates and adored by the fans so why would he want to throw all that away? Even after all this, human nature is funny. The heart like they say, wants what it wants. So if Cristiano Ronaldo wants out of Real Madrid, I’m sure club president Florentino Perez would let him go. Perez is ruthless and that’s one of the reasons he has overseen one of the most successful decades in Los Blancos’ history. The ultimate decision rests on whether any club is willing to risk spending an absurd US$1 billion on Ronaldo, which would mean shattering the world transfer record by an unthinkable mile. Real Madrid at this point won’t settle for less, neither would Ronaldo, whose reputation continues to increase, want to settle for a massive pay cut. To that effect, it’s as good as saying that Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at the Santiago Bernabeu this year and even in the foreseeable future. Will any club do the unthinkable and bid for Ronaldo? Will he really pack his bags out of Madrid? Let’s have your thoughts in the comments box below. Photo source: Zimbio.com

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The burgeoning Golden State Warriors dynasty

1 Comment / Contributors, Other Sports, Trending / Guest Writer

20th June 2016 was a dark day for the Golden State Warriors as they lost the NBA finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3 in the best of seven series. They became the first team to lose a 3-1 lead in finals history, after a regular season in which they broke the record for most wins in a season at 73-9. Draymond Green sat in an empty parking lot at the Oracle Arena and made two calls – first was to General manager Bob Myers with a message: sign KD and the second was to Kevin Durant himself. Warriors indeed signed Durant in the off-season from Oklahoma City Thunder, after he decided that the team was what would propel him to the forefront of NBA greatness. This decision was by no means easy. I was very sure he would have thought of the potential backlash from fans and the media as a whole. That was the reason he said he was taking the hardest road, not in terms of actual basketball but the aftershocks of his decision. Durant would never regret his choice of moving to the Golden State as the Warriors revenged last year’s final defeat and thumped the Cavaliers 4-1 this time around, gifting them their second title in three years. In the 2016 finals, the Warriors had an offensive rating of 108.5 and a defensive rating of 109.5 which was down to injuries and suspensions. Fast-forward to 2017 and the Warriors had an offensive rating of 121.3 (the second best record in NBA history) and a defensive rating of 114.6, the difference being Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. So what’s the big deal about the Golden State’s recent dominance? The Golden State Warriors team came about by sheer luck. Stephen Curry having glass ankles in the early stages of his career and concerns for his longevity made him sign a US$44 million five-year contract in 2012. This proved to be a blessing in disguise as Curry got over his nagging injuries and became literally a human torch, with a two-time Most Valuable Player and first unanimous MVP. Warriors’ success has also came about by the incredible decisions made by the front office. First was the decision to trade Monta Ellis instead of Curry, whom many fans thought a liability because of his nagging injuries. It might have been dumb luck or hindsight but it was the correct decision. The W’s are also a model for every team heading into the draft Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli all part of their first Champions run were all drafted by Golden state. Warrirors’ owner, Joe Lacob, was booed when he announced the decision to trade Monta Ellis but he wasn’t fazed. Lacob gave the boot to Mark Jackson after a first round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, trusting the professionals he hired. Steve Kerr for instance was heading to the New York Knicks but somehow Golden State convinced him to stay and he did. This shows an organisation that goes after what they want and get it. The Oracle Arena outfit also made it an attractive place for free agents and veterans, and that In itself is a testament to the amount of work the front office has put in, signing Andrew Bogut, Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa, Andre Iguodala and Marreese Speights which formed one of the most formidable bench mobs in 2015. Warriors were not afraid to gut their bench to sign Kevin Durant but still managed to keep hold of assets and still add more talent in the process. Players at one time or another have had questions about their future but the dogged determination to succeed, backed up by a front office that believes in them has done the magic. Joe Lacob said in February: “we are light years ahead” and after winning their second tittle in three years, the rest of the league is scrambling to play catch up, and the Golden State Warriors seems set to dominate for the next five years at least because their core is so young and seem to enjoy playing together. Like Draymond Green said “If getting Kevin Durant was the price for losing, then they’re glad for that loss last year.” The Warriors are the best team in the NBA currently and no one is close. Photo source: Getty Images

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The transfer market has really gone MAD!!!

Leave a Comment / Football, Trending / Kunle Fayiga

The transfer market is arguably the most exciting aspect of the football calendar because it affords clubs the ability to strengthen and challenge season objectives. However the current market is so hyperinflated such that clubs especially top guns have to dig extra deep to get their targets. Gone are the days when a good bargain especially for a young prospect, would be around the region of £15 million and £25 million. A bargain today is considered in the region of £30 million upwards, such as Manchester United’s recent £40 million purchase of 22-year old Swedish defender Victor Lindelof from Benfica. Other youngsters like Torino’s Andrea Belotti, Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata and Everton’s Romelu Lukaku have all been linked with transfer moves thanks to their proven quality. Belotti scored 26 league goals in the Italian Serie A last season while Lukaku scored 25 Premier League goals for the Toffees. Morata didn’t have similar figures like the other two but he still netted 15 La Liga goals and 20 in all competitions. As good as these players are, their parent clubs are demanding what is beyond their potential value, setting a price within the range of £100 million which is downright ridiculous or better put- MAD!!! Paul Pogba broke the world transfer record when Manchester United resigned him for £89.3 million from Juventus last summer. It was a move that sent shockwaves globally considering the 24-year old Frenchman is just a midfielder. The justification of that price tag has remained debatable till date. Pogba’s mega transfer could have possibly set the tone for other clubs to follow suit and charge ridiculously. Kylian Mbappe was one of the hotshots in Europe last term, thanks to his dazzling displays with AS Monaco that saw the principality club win the French Ligue 1 and reach the Uefa Champions League semi finals. He’s been interested by the giant clubs and with Monaco known to sell their best players for good money, the 18-year old Mbappe will cost excess of £100 million if he is to leave the Stade Louis II. That again is just unbelievable and ridiculous. Former Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson exclaimed that football had gone mad after Paris Saint Germain bought a then 19-year old Lucas Moura from Sao Paulo for £38 million in 2012. Fergie said this after the Red Devils made a £23 million bid for the promising youngster which was rejected. The problem with these overpriced players is that a lot of expectation is put on their shoulders and they might not meet up at the end of the day. This could be said of Pogba whose return to Old Trafford wasn’t 100% reminiscent of his time at Juventus, making football followers question his £89.3 million price tag over and over again. Will Mbappe, Belotti and the other heavily priced players live up to their tags should they move? That is yet to be seen but should they fail to perform, there will be problem of trying to offload them as they won’t command a good fee based on poor form. Such is the challenge Manchester United could have in letting go of Luke Shaw who cost them £30 million from Southampton when he was just 18 in 2014, but has failed to replicate his Saint Mary’s form because of niggling injuries. He might not be interested by any other party and it is certain his transfer value would drop massively if he left Old Trafford. The current football transfer market is filled with players of burgeoning talent and reputation but don’t expect anyone even a 16-year old to come cheap. Rather prepare to see more crazy transfer records that will certainly knock you off your feet. Do you know of any other player that is ridiculously overpriced? Kindly drop your comments below. Photo source: Zimbio.com

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2016/2017: Another Year for Cristiano Ronaldo

17 Comments / Contributors, Football, Trending / Guest Writer

Cristiano Ronaldo is someone who has been at the forefront of the footballing world for the last 15 years, either winning the Champions League with Manchester United, becoming the first player in English football to win the FIFA World Player of the Year or his then world record transfer of £80 million to Real Madrid. Ronaldo is an epitome of two things: hardwork and more hardwork. This was evident throughout the 2016/2017 season, with Real Madrid beating Barcelona to the La Liga title for the first time in five years and also winning the Uefa Champions League in the most astonishing fashion against a solid and resolute Juventus team in Cardiff. There has always been the long argument of who is better between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as they continue to go neck and neck. Without a shadow of doubt, this year belongs to the Portuguese and not the Argentine. Messi is the best footballer I’ve ever watched in terms of pure skill and ball movement, but Ronaldo countered it by turning into an absolute goal machine and in the process firing his team into trophies that earned him personal accolades. I know many make the Ronaldo is selfish argument but let’s look at it this way; he’s scored a minimum of 50 goals across all competitions in each of his last six seasons. Take those goals away from Real Madrid and see if they win any of the trophies accrued during that time. He’s also become the first player to score in three Champions League finals, rendering mute the choker argument. Ronaldo had a sluggish start to this campaign, with people already heralding his decline, forgetting he was hampered by the injury he sustained in the finals of the Euro 2016 tournament in France. He scored three goals in the group stage of this season’s Champions League, yet he finished the competition with 12 goals, surpassing Messi (with 11) in the process. This means CR7 has scored 10 or more goals in the last six seasons in the Champions League, the only player in history of the competition with such a record. Not also forgetting that his second goal against Juventus was the 600th of his football career. The Portuguese maestro might have scored 42 goals all season, which his lowest since scoring 33 goals when he arrived the Spanish capital in 2009, but to still achieve such at the age of 32 is simply remarkable. Hardly can any player his age boast of such figures. CR7 always turns up when his team needs him most and if you ask me to pick a player when the game is on the line, I’d pick Ronaldo over Messi. This isn’t to knock Messi off, after all he finished as the highest goalscorer in Europe this season with 54 goals but Ronaldo just has that killer instinct and drive to win, which the diminutive Argentine lacks. Regarding the Messi vs. Ronaldo argument, I only have one thing to say: These are the two most dominant footballers in history – without even slighting other footballing legends but the amount of records broken by these two alone sets them apart in another stratosphere. They are on Mount Olympus and the rest of us can only look and behold their glory form Athens. In closing, Cristiano Ronaldo cannot exist without Lionel Messi and Messi cannot be independent outside Ronaldo. I am truly blessed to be watching two of the best players football has ever produced in my generation go head to head, but this round goes to Ronaldo and it’s not a close one. Photo source: Zimbio.com

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Mario Mandzukic: the reinvented but unsung hero of Juventus

5 Comments / Contributors, Football, Trending / Guest Writer

Rewind to the summer of 2013 and Mario Mandzukic was on top of the footballing pedestal, winning the treble of the German Bundesliga, the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Champions League, with Bayern Munich. The Croatian international was pivotal in this run for the treble, scoring a total of 22 goals in all competitions. Fast-forward to 2017 and he’s on his way again to those heights with Italian heavyweights Juventus, but in different circumstances, different roles and a different mindset. The Old Lady take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final at the Millennium Stadium in city of Cardiff on Saturday night, but Mandzukic heads there with the reputation of an unsung hero, which is rather unfortunate considering his contributions towards another potential treble. Mandzukic arrived Juventus for €19 million from Atletico Madrid ahead of the 2015-2016 campaign but his season wasn’t so fruitful, scoring just 13 goals in all competitions, the first time he’s failed to reach the 20 goal mark since 2011-2012 while with Wolfsburg. The Croatian had to take on a new role for the 2016-217 season as the Old Lady signed Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for a bumper €90 million. Mandzukic’s name remains the same but the player – who became the first Croatian to score in a Champions League final, is the one who’s now dogged in chasing after wingers and embracing team play. So what’s responsible for this transformation? At Bayern, his 22 goals during the 2012-2013 season made him the top goal scorer on the way to the treble – the first German team to accomplish that feat. However at Juventus, he had to change from being an all and out striker to a defensive-minded winger. With €90 million man Higuain playing the obvious role of main striker, Mandzukic’s main chance for regular game time was to play on the flanks. The Croatian’s transition was made possible thanks to his versatility as well as physical and mental strengths. Comparing his defensive score (using Squakwa stat matrix), he was a -153 on defense at Bayern but he’s a positive 84.05 at Juve and that’s a huge leap. The 31-year old has created 36 chances in the just concluded Serie A season, four of them assists and seven goals. He had a pass completion rate of 73% which is also very good. Mandzukic was pretty effective in the air too. Thanks to his 6ft 3in height, he won 62.25% of all his aerial duels in 34 games played. The 75-time capped Croatian international only picked up 5 yellow cards and no red cards despite having to do a lot of running, chasing back and shielding the defense. Mario Mandzukic has given up a huge part of his game which is goalscoring, to become a perfect replica of what makes Juventus a model team. Under the management of Massimiliano Allegri, everyone knows their roles and fulfils it without asking questions and why indeed would Mario want to ask questions when this might be the best role he has played in his career? The Slavonski Brod native might have a knack for scoring goals but his defensive attributes are too good to be underutilized. The spotlight for this final will be on the likes of Higuain, Dani Alves, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon but it will be wrong to lose focus on a player whose mental and defensive strengths is one of the strongest in the team. Should the Bianconeri lift the trophy in Cardiff for the first time since 1996, even if one of the aforementioned stars gets all the credit, which will likely be the case, just remember that Mario Mandzukic played a vital part to the first treble in the Turin giants’ history and the second of his career. Photo source: Zimbio.com

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June 2017

Aiteo Cup deal: A step forward for Nigerian club football

Daniel Itodo: Plateau United’s Weapon of Destruction

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