July 2017

Can Pep Guardiola prove his worth this time?

Josep Guardiola was regarded as one of the best players of his generation with his combination of creativity and technically prowess and made the switch to football management first with Barcelona B, eventually succeeding Frank Rijkaard as first team manager in the summer of 2008. The Spaniard’s time at the helm of the Catalan giants was nothing but phenomenal as he won an unprecedented 14 major trophies between 2008 and 2012 at a win rate of 72.47% Nobody was as hot as him. Pep joined Bayern Munich in 2013, replacing Jupp Heynckes who won the treble with the same squad the previous season. He however couldn’t wield the same magic wand that brought him so much acclaim in Spain at the Allianz Arena, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals and receiving strong criticism from German media. Things didn’t improve in the 2014/2015 season as Guardiola lost four games in a row for the first time in his career and still couldn’t get into the final of Europe’s elite club competition, and on the 20th of December 2016, he announced he would be leaving Bavaria at the end of the 2015/2016 season. Pep won only seven trophies in his three-year reign in Germany, with some very bad losses – a far-cry from his time at Barcelona. Pep joined English outfit Manchester City ahead of the 2016/2017 season and finished outside the top-two in a league for the first time in his managerial career. City started the campaign in blistering fashion and were tipped for the title, but that form didn’t hold as a six game losing streak in all competitions was a first for the legendary Pep. City were also dumped out of the Champions League last 16 by Monaco, another low for the 47-time capped Spaniard. Guardiola’s inability to replicate his successes at Barcelona has sparked controversy with many terming the Catalonian ‘Fraudiola’. Even though his record puts him at the top of the managerial ladder, it is totally unacceptable that Pep has spent £1.037 billion on transfers – with nearly half of that coming from Manchester City alone, and not deliver trophies. The 46-year old has caught the eyes of football enthusiasts with his recent splurge on defenders in this summer’s transfer market as Man City secured the services of Ederson, Kyle Walker, Danilo and Benjamin Mendy, all costing in excess of £200 million. This is kind of reminiscent of City’s previous signings of John Stones and Eliaquim Mangala for astronomical fees yet they failed to impress. What’s worse is that the Citizen’s defense has not been close to being one of the strongest in the English Premier League not to talk of Europe. Instead the likes of last season’s relegated Middlesbrough did much better than the men in sky blue. How shameful. Manchester City might have spent all the money but they need to prove they can finally compete and fit to be amongst Europe’s elite. Pep Guardiola has the tough job of trying to shut up his critics who have been growing in numbers. The coming season might define Pep as a manager as he feels the weight of the pressure to deliver because reputation can only carry you so far without results. Where do you see Guardiola leading  Manchester city in the upcoming season. Drop your comments below. Photo Source: Zimbio.com

Can Pep Guardiola prove his worth this time? Read More »

Are AC Milan back in business?

Gone are the days when Italian football clubs dominated the game. Heavyweights like AC Milan – bankrolled by the billions of media mogul and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, became arguably one of the most successful teams in Europe in the 1990s and 2000s as they were able to attract some of the best and biggest players around. Five Champions League titles between 1989 and 2007 was a reality with names like Paolo Maldini, Marco van Basten, Cafu, Dida, Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka, Fillipo Inzaghi, Andrey Schevchenko and a host of superstars. Those glory days seem distant as Milan have struggled to assert any form of dominance both in the Serie A and Europe. The last time the men in red and black stripes qualified for the Champions League was in 2013/2014 and since the 2012/2013 season, they’ve finished below the top six in the league. Milan’s decline has given room for Juventus to hold a firm grip on the Serie A as they’ve claimed it for the past six seasons in a row. The Rossoneri have not been able to attract high end names like they once did thanks to the economic crisis that hit Italy. This affected Berlusconi’s media empire. The politician was also embroiled in corruption scandals. Things however seem to be coming back together for the San Siro outfit under the new ownership of Chinese investor Li Younghong and have also shown signs of progress under current manager Vincenzo Montella. Milan finished sixth last term and will be participating in the Uefa Europa League. The seven-time European champions have caught the attention of the football world with some of their acquisitions this summer. In what has been a busy transfer window, Milan have already secured the signings of Mateo Musacchio, Ricardo Rodriguez, Andre Silva, Hakan Calhanoglu, Franck Kessie, Fabio Borini, Andre Conti and Lucas Biglia. In what many didn’t see coming, Montella’s team have also signed experienced Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci from Juventus. Milan are also reported to be in talks with Bayern Munich to bring Portuguese youngster Renato Sanches to the San Siro on loan. Prolific striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is seeking a move away from Borussia Dortmund, has also been rumoured to make a return to the club where his football career began. Milan’s net spend so far in this transfer window is around €200 million and they don’t seem to have finished business yet. If we put all this into context, one might be tempted to think the Rossoneri will challenge for the Serie A title for the first time in six seasons but all these signings might still not spark the needed revival. The current Milan squad, bar the new arrivals, still boast of the likes of Alessio Romagnoli, Riccardo Montolivo, Suso and Carlos Bacca, but their talent has failed to deliver the results. Could that be the case again with the new players? If AC Milan doesn’t show any improvements in the upcoming campaign despite their massive player recruitment this summer, is there anything else that could bring them out of the shadows? How do you see Milan performing with their new signings? Drop your comments below. Photo Source: Getty Images and AC Milan

Are AC Milan back in business? Read More »

Roger Federer: The man, the myth, the legend

Taking a trip back to July 8 2016, Milos Raonic beat Roger Federer in five sets in an enthralling affair at the Wimbledon semifinals and within seconds of the loss, a prominent British oddsmaker circulated a press release listing odds of the Swiss maestro retiring. Fastforward a year at the same tournament and Federer won his record eighth title in SW19 and 19th career grand slam by beating Marin Cilic in straight sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. This is an incredible story because the 35-year-old grandmaster has absolutely shut the mouth of every critic who called him washed up and could no longer play at the same level we had become accustomed to seeing. Federer also going the entire tournament without dropping a set – the first man to achieve such since Bjorn Borg in 1976, makes his victory in London all the more astonishing. After that heartbreaking loss last year, Federer took a break from the sport for six months, and whatever he did during that period has produced phenomenal results. His Australian Open showing in January was a touch of class – beating hotshots like Tomas Berdych, Kei Nishikori, Mischa Zverev, and finally Rafael Nadal. The victory over Nadal was Federer’s first over his Spanish nemesis in any major grand slam final since 2007. It was also Federer’s first ever grand slam final victory over Nadal outside the grass courts of Wimbledon. 2017 has simply been a year of victories for Roger Federer. He won the Indian Wells and the Miami Open back to back and also claimed the Gerry Weber title in Halle for the ninth time. Federer was ranked third in the world entering this year’s Wimbledon and with his fifth triumph of the year now in the bag, the FedExpress might just reclaim the number one spot on the ATP world tour, which would be a far-cry from the retirement propaganda churned out a year ago. Federer’s journey has been remarkable and as he said postgame: “it’s a wonderful moment for the family…this one is for us.” This clearly shows how much this means to him and the demons he has had to overcome. 19 grand slams at the age of 35 and still not tired, Roger Federer is indisputably the best tennis player of his generation. How many more grand slams can Federer win? How long can he keep going at this level? Drop your comments below. Photo Source: Zimbio.com

Roger Federer: The man, the myth, the legend Read More »

Is the sun shining on Sunshine Stars again?

Sunshine Stars recorded their first away win of the season by beating Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC 4-2 at the Kwara State Sports Complex in what was the biggest result of match day 28 in the Nigeria Professional Football League. The win was the 11th victory on the road in the NPFL this term and the Owena Whales played some exhilarating and swift-counter attacking football which inflicted the first home loss for the Saraki Boys. The result has also taken Sunshine out of the relegation zone as they sit in 16th place with just 10 games left to play. Although, the result in Ilorin came as a surprise to many (including myself), but I have always been of the opinion that if only teams could play good (attacking) football at away grounds, results would come such that “poor officiating” won’t be able to deny them of their points. We saw a similar performance in Ibadan where FC Ifeanyi Ubah humbled Shooting Stars 3-0 right in front of its own supporters and it passed without any controversy. Despite the humiliating defeat suffered by ABS, the home supporters applauded the Akure Gunners’ players and officials right after the game. I hope other club fans can take a cue from this, embracing sportsmanship and good behaviour and saying no to violence regardless of the outcome of results. Just when it seemed Sunshine Stars were destined for the drop after being plagued by managerial issues, are things turning around for them? Earlier in the season, the players of the Ondo State owned club threatened to boycott their game against ABS on match day eight due to non-payment of outstanding salaries and bonuses, which needed the intervention of the League Management Company. From there on, the Owena Whales struggled to churn out comfortable home wins and favourable results away from home were not forthcoming. At the end of the first stanza, the poor performance of the team led to the sacking of Kayode Olujohungbe as they hung in relegation waters. In came former Super Eagles boss Austin Eguavoen but he didn’t last long on the job as poor results continued and complaints about poor officiating mounted. Like the worst hadn’t happened already, Sunshine Stars had to play behind closed doors due to crowd violence that occurred during the 1-0 home loss to Lobi Stars before been banished away from Akure to Ijebu-Ode for other offenses. Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode became Sunshine’s makeshift home and former Osun United boss, Duke Udi, was appointed. The team’s fortune has since begun to change as results at home have improved as well as on the road. Not only was the result in Ilorin impressive, it also emphasized that Sunshine Stars aren’t as bad as their 16th position suggest on the league table. The result showed renewed desire, intent and clear determination that had been missing on the path of the players and officials, evidenced by winning three of their last five league matches. Can they carry this back to Akure now that their ban is over? Sunshine Stars wouldn’t have envisaged seeing themselves in a relegation battle before the season kicked off. The 2012 CAF Champions League semi-finalists can still however go all the way in the Aiteo Cup to secure a continental ticket; but as things stand now, they need to keep up the good work and survive the relegation tsunami. Duke Udi seems to have things under control, as players that were playing minor roles under previous managers especially Ajibola Otegbeye, Sikiru Alimi and Ezekiel Thompson, have all started playing a big part in the team’s quest for survival. Udi’s impact can’t be neglected; coupled with the good fortunes of Ijebu-Ode, the team might just beat the drop now that they are back in Akure. Is Duke Udi the answer to Sunshine’s problems? Will he steer them clear of relegation troubles? Let’s have your thoughts in the comment box below. Follow Samuel on Twitter: @Undisputed_Jsam Photo Source: Google Images and Goal.com

Is the sun shining on Sunshine Stars again? Read More »

Customs edge out Baton in keenly contested Lagos derby

Nigerian Customs claimed the scalp of their rivals, Police Baton, with the slimmest of margins, winning 73-72 in week 12 of the Kwese Premier Basketball League held at the indoor sports hall of the National stadium, Lagos, on Thursday. This game was essential for both teams heading into the Atlantic Conference playoffs with Customs being third and Baton occupying the last playoff spot. The game started at a great pace but Customs were in control taking a four point lead into the halftime interval which read Police Baton 34 – 38 Nigerian Customs. Baton came out all guns blazing in the second half and had the lead with six minutes to play, but however poor decision making on offense and inability to capitalize on Customs trapping at the half court paid the price. This game had nine lead changes in a breathtaking encounter but Baton will have themselves to blame for poor execution especially electing to shoot threes instead of getting into the paint and they were made to pay for those blown possessions as Customs made the go-ahead basket on a made three with 15 seconds left in the game. Full Time: Police Baton 72 – Nigerian Customs 73 After the game I caught up with coach of Police Baton Emeka Oputa and he was disappointed with his team’s decision making in the aftermath of their loss. He also explained the inability of their guards to break the press as two of them were rookies and the veteran is slowed by age. Assistant Coach of Nigerian Customs Mohammed Abba was delighted with the fight his charges showed as they took a 3-0 lead in their season series against their Lagos rivals. The game was a spectacle and it could have gone either way in a nail-biting finish. Customs will face Rivers Hoopers in their next game on Saturday, while Baton square off against Delta Force.

Customs edge out Baton in keenly contested Lagos derby Read More »

Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United: Good deal or total waste?

Manchester united have officially signed Romelu Lukaku from Everton for a whooping £75 million and it’s got a lot of fans excited and also asking questions at the same time. The 24-year-old, who was also seriously courted by Premier League champions Chelsea, agreed a five-year-contract with the Red Devils and is expected to provide the much needed firepower upfront. The Old Trafford giants struggled against physical and resolute defenses last season, and former England international Gary Neville believes Lukaku will plug that gap. United faithful and even the neutrals need to be excited about Lukaku’s move. He’s shown consistency since moving to Goodison Park, scoring 71 goals in 133 games in all competitions. The Belgian forward was almost close to finishing as the Premier League’s top scorer last season but was narrowly beaten by Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane. In as much as there’s excitement over Lukaku’s transfer to the red half of Manchester, there are also deep questions to be asked about United’s record signing. Is this the ideal move for the former Anderlecht player considering that current Red Devils boss, Jose Mourinho, was at the helm of affairs when Lukaku was ousted out of Chelsea in 2014, despite showing his worth while on loan at West Bromwich Albion and earlier at Everton, or will they bury the past and form a great working relationship? All of these are questions everyone will be looking at in the new season. Another question lingering is if Lukaku chose the right club, seeing that Chelsea felt betrayed by his decision to move to Old Trafford – in the words of Blues coach Antonio Conte. At Chelsea, Lukaku would have the creativity of Cesc Fabregas and the pace of Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro Rodriguez. The system Conte installed at Stamford Bridge would have benefited Lukaku greatly as he would be on hand to score lots of goals. That’s not to say Lukaku won’t get good service at Manchester United but it seems his decision was swayed in United’s favor due to his friendship with Paul Pogba and his love for Mourinho despite what transpired in the past. Away from all that, the focus of the entire world will be on Romelu Lukaku to deliver goals in order to justify his enormous £75 million price-tag that could potentially rise to £90 million. After scoring 25 league goals in the previous campaign, the 57-time capped Belgian international will be confident in his ability to shine bright on the biggest stage. How do you see Lukaku’s time at Old Trafford panning out? Kindly comment below. Photo Source: Google Images

Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United: Good deal or total waste? Read More »

Police Baton bounce back with win over Oluyole warriors

After a blowout loss to the Kwara Falcons last Thursday on home court in the Kwese Basketball Premier League, Police Baton needed a response and they did against a dogged and determined Oluyole Warriors side who were on the second game of their Lagos road trip. The Lagos-based Baton came out firing and were leading for most of the first half. They led by 10 to end the first half – Police Baton 30-20 Oluyole Warriors. The first half was a tale of sloppy turnovers, poor execution and forced shots which contributed to the score being so low. Oluyole Warriors came out stronger in the second half in no small part due to their starting point guard Moses. The diminutive guard caught fire in the second period and punished the guards of the Police Baton whom I learnt were in their rookie season and they just couldn’t keep up with him. With five minutes left it was a one point game, but a missed dunk by starting center for the Warriors was the beginning of the end. From that point every time Baton got a steal, it was immediately sent to Ayodele – who went coast to coast for an easy layup. Final score ended Police Baton 62-56 Oluyole Warriors After the game, Coach Emeka Oputa of the Police Baton was delighted with his team’s performance especially their execution and defense in the clutch. Meanwhile the game’s leading scorer Moses felt the loss on Thursday still lingered in the minds of his team. Oluyole Warriors were up as high as 16 points at one stage in the game but let that lead slip and still lost by double digits. It was a tale of the last five minutes and Baton edged it. Police Baton face Nigerian Customs in Lagos for their next game while Oluyole Warriors are still on the road, heading for a formidable match-up against the Kwara Falcons in Ilorin.

Police Baton bounce back with win over Oluyole warriors Read More »

Nigerian Customs defend home court and end Falcons winning streak

This was a game many thought Kwara Falcons would steamroll as they were the Atlantic Conference leaders of the Kwese Basketball Premier League and had the momentum going into this match with five wins on a spin, which included a win over Police Baton in Lagos. However Nigerian Customs had a different idea. This was the fourth game between thns had won the previous three, so the favorite tag was duly bestowed upon them. After a great start by Kwara, they let the lead slip and by halftime the game was a close affair, only three points separating the two sides – Kwara Falcons 41 – 38 Nigerian Customs. In the second half, the Customs coach changed his defensive strategy to zone defense which ultimately won them the game. He knew that Kwara Falcons are a jump shooting team but were cold, missing open shot upon open shot. So he left them open on the perimeter (risky business if someone catches fire from downtown) and took away their option to penetrate inside the arc. It was also in no small part to lazy defense and poor execution on offense by the conference leaders. After the game I caught up with Coach Owolo of the Kwara Falcons and he simply said “We played badly”. He was also worried about his teams rebounding deficiency, something that has been plaguing them ething that has been plaguing them all season long. However the Customs coach was delighted with his team after coming back from another first quarter deficit and winning the game by double digits. Final score Kwara Falcons 68 – 78 Nigerian Customs. Kwara head back to Ilorin for their next game against Oluyole warriors while Nigerian Customs will remain in Lagos to take on Police Baton.  

Nigerian Customs defend home court and end Falcons winning streak Read More »

Wayne Rooney will always be part of Manchester United

After 13 years in the city of Manchester, Wayne Rooney is back on Merseyside with Everton, the club where it all began for him. From the 17-year old that scored that screamer against Arsenal in 2002, Rooney would go on to become one of the finest players to grace the game when he signed for Manchester United for £27 million in 2004, aged 18. At that time such amount was big money and splashing such on a teenager then meant only one thing: He was one for the future. Success was associated with Rooney as he helped the Red Devils assert their dominance in England and Europe, winning a total of 12 major trophies. Rooney leaves Old Trafford as United’s all time scorer with 253 overall goals, eclipsing Bobby Charlton’s record of 249 that stood for 43 years. Considering that Rooney is just 31 years of age, one could say he still has a good number of years ahead of him but having seen his role reduced in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, it became eminent that Rooney needed another place to find his feet and rhythm and going back to Everton makes a lot of sense as it ensures he remains in a competitive league compared to China and the United States, where he had been rumoured to move to in the past. Rooney was initially supposed to see out his contract with Manchester United until the 2018/2019 season in which he becomes ambassador to the club thereafter. This could translate to retirement at the age of 34 but with his form dropping, such a deal had to be cut short. One of the shortfalls of Wayne Rooney’s glittering career at Old Trafford is the amount of criticism he has received for poor performances. It is rather surprising that majority of the backlash aimed at the Merseysider comes from United faithful themselves. His abilities even during his hay days have been questioned and that is very unfair. Rooney tends to go off for long stretch of games, often costing the team valuable results but his contributions on the field of play outweigh his bad runs. Rooney will always be remembered for his team work and work ethic. Instead of taking glory for himself, he always laid himself down for the team, often playing a support role and even going way back to defend when the team is under pressure. It’s no surprise that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Dmitar Berbatov, Javier Hernandez and Robin van Persie all flourished because of the great partnership they formed with Rooney and the results of all these were more accolades. Rooney will also be remembered for constantly scoring against some of United’s rivals notably Arsenal and Manchester City – the latter in which he is the leading scorer for that fixture. His goals ensured the Red Devils got the bragging rights most of the time. Wayne Rooney showed great leadership skills on and off the pitch. Apart from being the captain for both club and country, the 31-year old always displayed a high degree of maturity that very few players can boast of. When it became apparent that he wasn’t going to be a regular in the United first team, Rooney never went about sulking or showing his grievances to the media. He handled all with professionalism and such is what managers like and expect from their players because it gives them to opportunity and atmosphere to work whether or not the club is reaching its desired objectives. Wayne Rooney might have left Manchester United but it’s definitely not the end for him as he might come back and have a role at the club, perhaps as an ambassador, a backroom staff or even a board member. Whatever the case is, it will be impossible to forget about him because it will take a long time to find a player like him again. What are your thoughts about Wayne Rooney finally leaving Manchester United? Kindly drop them in the comments box below. Photo Source: Zimbio.com

Wayne Rooney will always be part of Manchester United Read More »

Kwara Falcons throw out Police Batons as winning streak continues

Police Baton of Lagos welcomed the Kwara Falcons to the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium, Lagos in week 11 of the 2017 Nigeria Premier Basketball League and the visitors were superior from start to finish. The Falcons looked like the team who had lost just three games all season as they were comfortable with the ball and rarely wasted possession. It was already turning into a blowout by the end of the first quarter which the Ilorin side led 29-19. Things didn’t improve for Police Baton in the second quarter, as Kwara applied more swarming defense and pushed the ball in transition. By the end of the first half the scoreboard read Police Baton 37 – 51 Kwara Falcons. The second half was a show of class by the Atlantic Division leaders especially by guard and the game’s leading scorer, Oyeleye Mojuba. The Falcons shot over 50% from behind the arc in the game while playing elite defense, forcing misses and pushing the ball in transition. Police Baton had no answer and the game was well in hand by the end of the third quarter with Falcons up by 18. The lead didn’t get cut and instead ballooned with the final score Police Baton 58 – 90 Kwara Falcons. After the game I caught up with Emeka Oputa, coach of police Baton, and he was disappointed with his team’s defense and rebounding. Oputa also said they lacked depth in the big department which caused such a disparity. For the Falcons, they played a run and gun style. I saw a lot of quick threes with a lot of time left on the shot clock and Mojuba – whom I also had time to chat with after the game, claims it was their day. He said his team have been trying to improve on rebounds since they shot a lot, so they’d get more second chance opportunities. Kwara Falcons top the Atlantic Division with 35 points while Police Baton sit in fourth place with 30 points. The Ilorin team will remain in Lagos as they continue their week 11 action against Customs on Saturday afternoon while Police Baton hosts Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan. Photo Source: Google Images and Mojuba Oyeleye

Kwara Falcons throw out Police Batons as winning streak continues Read More »

Alexandre Lacazette: The perfect Arsenal signing

Since the £24 million sale of Robin Van Persie to Manchester United in the summer of 2012, Arsenal have not had a striker score 20 goals or more in the Premier League. That however looks set to change with the £52.7 million arrival of Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon. The 26-year old Frenchman is a whole different beast from the current crop of strikers in the Arsenal squad. During in 2015/16 Premier League season, Olivier Giroud went a stretch of nine games without a single goal. Danny Welbeck hasn’t performed any better thanks to a series of long spells on the sidelines due to injury and Theo Walcott goes missing for long periods. However with Lacazette, Arsenal have a proven goalscorer that defenses will have a tough time trying to deal with. Indeed since 2014/2015, Lacazette has scored 76 goals in the French Ligue 1. Some might say it’s only the French league which is less competitive compared to the English Premier League, but since when has scoring 20+ goals for three straight seasons been easy? Lacazette is very efficient as he’s good with the ball at his feet, so he can wiggle out of tight spaces. He’s also pacey and can run in behind defenders. Another quality of Lacazette’s game which will mesh with the way Arsenal play is his movement off the ball. He’s also great at holding up the play which will give his teammates time to catch up on a fast break. Mesut Ozil is touted as one of the best creative midfielders in world football and playing behind a striker with a proven goalscoring record like Lacazette will bring out the best in the former Real Madrid man which has been lacking for some time. Lacazette also opens up the field for Alexis Sanchez as the pressure is off the Chilean to deliver goals. He has been the focal point of attack since his arrival from Barcelona in 2014 and it’s taken a toll on him. By signing Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal has solved a problem that has plagued them for years. Will this translate to success? That’s left to be seen as the Gunners will face a tight competition towards winning the Premier League title for the first time since 2004. One thing not in doubt is that the North London outfit finally have a world class striker that is set to take the English top flight by storm. How many goals will Lacazette goals in the new season? Is he the best option Arsene Wenger could have gone for? Let’s have your thoughts below. Photo Source: Google Images

Alexandre Lacazette: The perfect Arsenal signing Read More »

subscribe to our newsletter

stay up to date with the latest content

Subscription Form

Scroll to Top