Tag: General Sports

Ibrahim Gusau, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has exuded confidence in the Super Eagles’ capability to secure victory at the imminent 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Gusau attributed his optimism to the formidable presence of Victor Osimhen, whom he lauded as the continent’s premier player and the form of the countries Europe based stars, positioning Nigeria as strong contenders for the coveted championship.

In an interview with Totori News, Gusau voiced his belief in the team’s potential, emphasizing the exceptional talent and contributions of emerging players flourishing in their respective European clubs.

“We have upcoming and talented players, who are doing wonderfully well in their European clubs and ready to make a name for themselves,” expressed Gusau.

Specifically singling out Victor Osimhen, Gusau hailed the striker as the best player in Africa, highlighting his unparalleled skills. Despite Osimhen’s individual prowess, Gusau acknowledged that the coveted AFCON title is yet to grace the striker’s illustrious career.

Under the guidance of manager Jose Peseiro, the Super Eagles are poised to kick off their AFCON campaign against Equatorial Guinea at the Alssanne Quattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on Sunday, January 14. The NFF President’s unwavering confidence in the team reflects not only high expectations but also a profound belief in the potential of Nigerian football to excel on the grand continental stage.

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The Japanese performance in the middle of the park for Liverpool has been a joy to watch in the past weeks. Stepping in for injured Mark Alister who was already in fine form for the Reds before sustaining a disappointing injury during their Premier League win at Sheffield United had some fans doubting if Endo would be able to fill in that gap properly.

The Japanese warrior did not just fit into the team, he reminded the fans why he was signed from  Stuttgart for a fee of about £16.2m (19m euros). He repaired his manager’s faith in him by becoming a key part of more controlled Liverpool performances.

The 30-year-old midfielder was an underrated signing because when Liverpool signed Endo in August, there were more than a few eyebrows raised. Many had never heard of him, and even though others who were aware of Endo’s talents spoke highly of him, there was still plenty of surprise that Liverpool deemed him worthy of the famous red shirt.

In the absence of Mac Allister due to injury, Endo started five games in 13 days during the busy festive period, becoming the first outfield player to do so for the club since January 2006.

His showing in the 2-0 win at Burnley on Boxing Day drew particular praise from his manager, who said afterward: “I loved his game, I have to say. It’s a bit of a shame he finds his feet and now he goes to the Asian Cup.”

In Premier League games where Endo has featured at any time, Liverpool have won 11 of 15 (73.3%), scoring 34 goals (2.3 per game) and averaging 2.4 points per game.

His ability to drop deep to defend allows Alexander Arnold the opportunity to move forward which has been seen in Liverpool’s previous games.

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Despite a brutal sack following a disappointing spell in the Championship with Birmingham City with only 13 weeks in charge, former teammate Dimitar Berbatov has tipped Wayne Rooney to manage Manchester United in the future.

Speaking to Betfair, Berbatov said: “I sympathize with him because I know he wants to be a manager and one day maybe he’ll be the manager of Man United – I still stick to that.

“His time at Birmingham shows every footballer who’d like to go into management that even if you’re a big name, it can’t save you from the sack.”

The former Manchester United striker was sacked after suffering a humiliating 3-0 loss to Leeds United in the Championship.

Birmingham City was without a win in five games and after just 15 games in charge as Birmingham City manager, The Tom Brady-owned Championship club languished in 20th place, following a poor run of form. Birmingham was 5th in the Championship when he was appointed as manager.

He has a 13% win percentage at the Championship club. Before his sacking from the Championship club, the former Manchester United man recorded 9 losses, 4 draws, and 2 wins in 15 games.

“Unfortunately, Rooney’s time with us did not go as planned and we have decided to move in a different direction”, the club statement confirmed.

Wayne Rooney failed to win 13 of 15 games.

According to Sky Sports News, Rooney has insisted that he will not give up his career as a football manager. he retains a burning ambition to become a top-flight coach but however, he will take an extended break to reflect and consider what he wants from his next role.

In a statement, he admitted “it will take me some time to get over this setback” and it’s clear that Rooney has been hurt by both the manner of his sacking, and by the abuse he has received from some supporters.

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In a significant move aimed at recognizing and rewarding excellence in African football, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a substantial 40% increase in the Prize Money for the Winner of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

The Winner of the TotalEnergies AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 will now receive an impressive $7 million (R131 million) in Prize Money.

The Runner-up of the tournament will also benefit from the increased prize pool, receiving $4 million (R75 million). In addition, each of the two Semi-finalists will be awarded $2.5 million (R46 million), while the four Quarter-finalists will each receive $1.3 million (R24 million).

Dr. Patrice Motsepe, the President of CAF, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in elevating the Prize Money for AFCON and other major competitions over the past two years.

He stated, “CAF has made significant progress over the past two years in increasing the Prize Money of the AFCON and all its other major competitions. We have increased the Prize Money of the AFCON Winner to USD 7 000 000 which is a 40% increase from the previous AFCON Prize Money.”

Motsepe also expressed confidence that a portion of the increased Prize Money would contribute to developing football and benefit various stakeholders, including Member Associations, in enhancing their administrative capabilities.

The move reflects CAF’s commitment to fostering the growth and prosperity of African football on multiple fronts.

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GTI Asset Management and Trust Limited, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to improve the Nigeria Federation Cup [FA Cup].

The collaboration aims to elevate the commercial value of Nigeria’s oldest domestic club competition, attracting sponsorships from Corporate Nigeria and Multinationals, ultimately contributing to the growth of the football community.

The FA Cup, established in 1945, stands as the premier football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria, engaging over 2,000 teams across the 774 local governments of the Federation and FCT.

GTI’s entry into Nigeria’s football ecosystem in 2022 as strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) demonstrated their commitment to reshaping the elite league, leading to the newfound partnership with the NFF.

Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the President of the NFF, commended GTI Group’s accomplishments with the NPFL and anticipates a positive impact on the development of the FA Cup through this partnership. Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the NFF General Secretary, expressed delight in the collaboration, highlighting its potential to robustly improve the country’s football economy and revive the glory days of the Federation Cup.

Abubakar Lawal, GTI’s GMD, affirmed that their expertise and experience will contribute to the enhancement of FA Cup management. He assured stakeholders that, starting from the 2023/2024 edition, both the structure and prize money would be improved, transforming the tournament into a highly competitive event filled with excitement and glamour.

Lawal also urged the investing public to consider supporting football development through The Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF), a registered tool by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that has played a pivotal role in driving football development in the country. The strategic partnership between GTI and NFF marks a significant step towards furthering the growth and professionalism of football in Nigeria.

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In a groundbreaking move, Juventus has officially announced the signing of Nigerian forward Jennifer Echegini, marking a historic moment as the first Super Falcons star to join the prestigious Italian club.

The talented midfielder has inked a two-and-a-half-year contract, running until 30 June 2026, and will proudly wear the coveted number 26 shirt for Juventus Women’s team, under the management of Joe Montemurro.

Born in 2001 in England, Echegini has established herself as a standout midfielder, making a significant impact in the football world. Hailing from Florida, USA, she arrives at Juventus after a successful stint with the Florida State Seminoles, where she showcased remarkable skills and garnered numerous accolades.

Echegini’s achievements in the United States include being a finalist for the prestigious MAC Hermann, the highest honor in US university football. Notably, she clinched the Honda Sport Award for women’s football in December, highlighting her outstanding contributions to the sport.

Her impressive performances led to several accolades, including being named ACC Tournament MVP, “ACC Offensive Player of the Year,” and earning a spot on the “United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American.” Finishing 2023 with an impressive tally of 16 goals, Echegini secured the eighth-best result in her university’s history, becoming the first among the Florida State Seminoles to achieve double figures in goals for multiple seasons since Deyna Castellanos.

Having represented the Super Falcons in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Echegini played a pivotal role as Nigeria reached the knockout rounds without losing a game in regulation time.

Her addition to Juventus Women’s team adds a new dimension to the squad, and fans eagerly anticipate witnessing her talent on display in Italian football

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The former Liverpool man has given back to his community once again. Recall that the now Al-Nassr forward previously transformed his home village of Bambali in Senegal when he spent over £700,000 on new buildings including a hospital, school, post office, and petrol station.

According to Sadio Mane who told the Guardian in 2020; “I remember my sister was also born at home because there was no hospital in our village.

“It was a sad situation for everyone. I wanted to build one to give people hope.”

Not only has Mané given money to build schools, he has helped students in his village participate in education by giving Laptops and $400 each to the best-performing students of Bambali High School. He also gives each family in the village €70 monthly and provides 4G internet for them.

In June of 2022, Mane was spotted playing with some former Premier League stars Papiss Cisse and El-Hadji Diouf on a mud-soaked pitch in his home village of Bambali, Senegal, while on holiday.

A year and a half later, Mane transformed the mud-soaked pitch into a modern mini stadium which was officially launched yesterday in Bambali and given the name Stade de Bambali. After the inauguration, Mane officially handed the newly refurbished mini stadium to the people of Bambali to enjoy.

The 31-year-old who already has a stadium named after him in Senegal for his performance at the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon joined the Saudi side Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League last summer from Bayern Munich for a fee of €30 million. He has since formed a formidable partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo in the team’s attack line.

The former Liverpool man has scored 12 goals across the competition for Al-Nassr with a total of 39 shots of which 20 were shots on goal. Sadio Mane has completed 74% of passes this season for Al-Nassr.

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The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep shock at news on Wednesday morning of the death of the first man to lead an African team to win a FIFA World Cup, Coach Sebastian Brodricks-Imasuen, at a hospital in Benin City, Edo State.

The 85-year tactician, according to his family, was undergoing treatment for stroke and diabetes but gave up the ghost at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday, 3rd January 2024.

“The NFF and the entire Nigeria Football fraternity are sorely pained by the demise of Coach Sebastian Brodricks-Imasuen. He worked very hard at his craft and was tireless in his efforts to bring honour to the homeland through the various National Teams he worked with. No one can ever forget how he led an unsung group of boys to China to win a first-ever FIFA World Cup for Nigeria and Africa,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday.

Brodricks-Imasuen was Head Coach of the Nigeria U16 squad that won the inaugural FIFA Cadet World Cup in China in 1985, defeating West Germany 2-0 in the final at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing. Two years later in Canada, he led the team to runner-up position after a penalty shootout defeat to the former Soviet Union, and two years later, in Scotland, his team lost to eventual winners Saudi Arabia on penalties in the quarter-finals. Two years later, FIFA upgraded the competition to an U17 tournament.

The soft-spoken, easy-going tactician also assisted Dutchman Clemens Westerhof as Nigeria finished as runners-up at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Algeria.

Nicknamed Sabara, Brodricks-Imasuen featured for Bendel Insurance in his playing days, famously scoring the winning goal when Insurance edged feisty Mighty Jets in a replayed 1972 Challenge Cup Final in Ibadan, after both teams were deadlocked at 2-2 in the first match at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos, thanks to the heroics of late Sam Garba Okoye.

Apart from his successes at international level, Sabara also coached El-Kanemi Warriors, Udoji United FC and Bendel Insurance.

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Owner and founder of 1472FC Dozy Mmobuosi who is also the founder and CEO of Tingo Group has been charged with three charges in the US; securities fraud, conspiracy, and making false filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The billionaire business mogul may face a 45-year sentence if found guilty of the charges.

According to U.S. prosecutors who shared details of the criminal charges against him, the business mogul is accused of reporting hundreds of millions of dollars in fictitious revenues and assets for three companies he controls.

According to the indictment, the founder and CEO of Tingo Group, a Nasdaq-listed “agri-fintech” startup “orchestrated a scheme to enrich himself by falsely representing that Nigerian companies he founded, Tingo Mobile and Tingo Foods, were operational, profitable businesses generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, respectively.”

In 2022, Tingo Group reported that it had cash and cash equivalent of $461.7 million for the fiscal year. Investigations showed that its bank accounts held less than $50 in total.

1472FC was founded in October 2023 by the FINTECH billionaire, Dozy Mmobuosi to become a beacon of excellence and inspiration in Nigerian and African football. The new Nigerian professional football club was officially unveiled to the public in Lagos in November 2023 after his initial attempt to purchase Sheffield United collapsed. It was reported that Dozy was close to finalizing a deal to acquire ownership of the English club for around £115 million. However, the takeover fell apart due to an agreement not being reached.

1472 Football Club competes in the second tier, the Nigeria National League (NNL). The club is based in Surulere but plays its home matches in the NNL at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan in Lagos pending the completion of renovation at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.

The club has since adapted to live in the NNL.

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SuperSport TV viewers will miss out on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Multichoice failed to secure broadcast rights for the tournament.

The sports network, owned by Multichoice, announced that it would not be airing the AFCON, scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from January to February. This development comes after SuperSport lost the bid for broadcast rights to a Togo-based broadcaster.

While SuperSport has been a reliable broadcaster of various African competitions over the years, it has shown less interest in displaying Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions recently. The network was notably disinterested in broadcasting the newly launched African Football League, where Mamelodi Sundowns emerged as the inaugural champions.

In an official statement released on January 3, Multichoice confirmed its failure to secure the rights to broadcast the continental spectacle. CAF awarded the broadcasting rights to Togo’s New World TV, with CAF president Patrice Motsepe describing the agreement as a mega deal unmatched by any other broadcaster.

“The Media Rights Agreement with New World TV is the biggest investment by a Pan-African broadcaster in CAF’s history,” said Motsepe. “We are very proud to partner with such a globally competitive and innovative broadcasting company, which has adapted quickly to the changing demands and viewing patterns of the modern football audience.”

Motsepe highlighted New World TV’s introduction of new ways to consume video content, including partnerships with mobile operators and television networks. The AFCON is set to kick off on January 13, with Ivory Coast hosting Guinea-Bissau in the opening match. Other notable fixtures include Egypt vs. Ghana on January 18 and defending champions Senegal facing Cameroon a day later.

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