Coach Stephen keshi's final list

  

 

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi

After months of suspense, the 23 players that will form the Super Eagles final squad for the 2014 World Cup will be known today (Monday). June 2 is the deadline set by the world football governing body, FIFA for all teams to submit their final list from the provisional 30 sent in last month.

Some other teams billed for Brazil have since announced their World Cup teams with defending champions Spain releasing their final 23 names on Saturday. Experienced strikers Fernando Torres and David Villa were both included in coach Vicente del Bosque’s final squad as he sought to cover Diego Costa’s injured hamstring.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said on Friday that he had an idea of the players that would make the final cut but would still wait until the last minute before making it public.

Keshi, who spoke after Nigeria first work-out at the Philadelphia Eagles Stadium in Philadelphia, USA, said he wanted to take a closer look at those not on the list.

He said, “Yes, I have an idea of those who will go with us to Brazil but we will still wait till the last minute before we announce the list. June 2 is the date we are looking at.”

And after the training session on Sunday, Keshi insisted he was still ‘confused’ on which players to drop.

He said, “These players have all convinced me of their abilities but they are also confusing me on whom to pick or drop.

“It’s a difficult decision to make regarding the naming of the final 23 but we have no choice but to do it, otherwise we will be failing in our duties. The players have been so committed, so professional that you feel like shedding a tear because some of them must just go home.”

In the USA, Nigeria will play against Greece in Chester, Pennsylvania on June 3 and the United States team in Jacksonville, Florida on June 7 ahead of the World Cup which kicks off in Brazil on June 12. The 30-man squad started their camping in London with the friendly match against Scotland last week Wednesday which ended 2-2.

Those close to the selection process for Nigeria told The PUNCH that some of those who were already on Keshi’s final list were not featured in the match in London against Scotland. Top of the list of such players are the country’s number one goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi. Enyeama was voted the best African player in France and the second best goalkeeper overall for the just concluded season.

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French Open: Federer, Djokovic ease through

May 31, 2014

   

 

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic reached the last 16 of the French Open despite dropping their first sets of the tournament on Friday, ESPN reports.

Federer defeated Dmitry Tursunov 7-5 6-7(7) 6-2 6-4 to reach the fourth round for a record-breaking 12th time, while Djokovic overcame Marin Cilic 6-3 6-2 6-7(2) 6-4 as the pair continue to remain on course for a semi-final clash at Roland Garros.

There was nothing to separate Federer and Tursunov on their serves as neither player could create a break point opportunity. However, when the first break of the match came along, it turned out to be set point for Federer in the 12th game as he clinched it 7-5.

The second set followed the pattern of the first, but Federer was unable to convert any of his three set points when leading 6-5. Tursunov forced a tiebreak, came from 4-1 down and saved another set point to level the match by taking the tiebreak 9-7.

Federer seized an early break in the third set to comfortably take it 6-2 as Tursunov struggled following a lengthy injury timeout. And the record 17-time grand slam champion converted a break in the seventh game in the fourth set to go on and seal a spot in the fourth round, beating the previous record of 11 appearances held by Guillermo Vilas.

Overall, Federer converted only four of his 21 break-point opportunities against Tursunov and even joked when asked, moments after the match, whether his poor conversion rate worried him.

He next plays Ernests Gulbis, who reached the fourth round for the first time since 2008 – the year he reached the last eight – after beating Radek Stepanek 6-3 6-2 7-5.

“I don’t want to tell all my cards. But I have a game plan,” Gulbis said. “You don’t need to be scared to do certain things against him.”

Federer leads Gulbis 2-1 in their three career meetings. All of those matches were in 2010, and they are 1-1 on clay.

Djokovic secured a ninth win in as many career meetings against Cilic to join Federer and Gulbis in the last 16.

The world No.2 won five games in a row by coming from 3-1 down to take the first set 6-3. The Serb also broke twice in the second set to hold a comfortable advantage.

But Cilic came out fighting in the third set and took it 7-2 in the tiebreak after 64 minutes. The 25th seed then came from 4-1 down to level at 4-4 in the fourth set, but Djokovic won the next two games to end the challenge of his opponent.

 

Radwanska crashes out

 

The top three women’s seeds are all out of the French Open after Agnieszka Radwanska lost 6-4 6-4 to Ajla TomIjanovic in the third round on Friday, Skysports reports.

While not as big a shock as either Serena Williams or Li Na’s exits, it was a sizeable upset nonetheless and leaves fourth seed Simona Halep as the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament.

Radwanska has never enjoyed playing on clay, particularly in the slow and heavy conditions that have been a feature of the first week at Roland Garros this year.

She reached the quarter-finals for the first time last year but was on the back foot from the start against 21-year-old Croat Tomljanovic.

It was a breakthrough at the top level for the Croatian world No 72, who is through to the fourth round at a grand slam for the first time at her maiden French Open.

This has been a tournament where the young guns have made their mark, and the powerful Tomljanovic joins Garbine Muguruza, Kristina Mladenovic and Taylor Townsend as a headline maker.

Tomljanovic, Muguruza and Mladenovic, the conquerors of the world’s top three in Paris, were all born in 1993.

The Croatian said, “After seeing the two first seeds go out, you kind of feel like ‘I can do this too’. I grew up with these girls that are beating them.

“I went on the stadium for the first time, and she kind of feels like home there, because she’s been there a lot more than I did. I went out there, and I really, inside really thought I could win. I think that showed and it is why I won.”

Tomljanovic moved to America eight years ago to train at Chris Evert’s academy and remains close with the 18-time grand slam singles winner.

“She really wants me to do well, and I can feel that from her,” Tomljanovic said. “I’m really happy that she’s someone I can rely on.”

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi says he has already decided on his 23-man squad for next month’s World Cup in Brazil but intends to wait until the Monday deadline before unveiling his roster.

Keshi earlier this month released his 30-man provisional squad for the football’s showpiece in the South American nation. And the list has been greeted with an avalanche of criticism, much of it based on the omission of Villarreal hitman Ikechukwu Uche and Schalke 04 forward Chinedu Obasi, as well as the inclusion of former Newcastle striker   Shola Ameobi and on-loan Norwich defender Joseph Yobo on the list.

Nigeria battled to a 2-2 draw against Scotland in London on Wednesday and face World Cup-bound Greece in the United States on June 3.

Speaking ahead of the clash against 2004 European champions Greece at the Philadelphia Eagles Stadium in Philadelphia on Friday, Keshi said he had made his decision on the players to board the plane to Brazil for the World Cup.

“Yes, I have an idea of those who will go with us to Brazil but we will still wait till the last minute before we announce the list,” the former Nigeria captain and Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner was quoted as saying by the spokesman for the national team Ben Alaiya.

Alaiya also quoted Keshi as saying that he had decided to delay the announcement of the list to enable him “ to have a second look at those who are not measuring up”.

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Abuja - Kano Pillars have been boosted by the provision of a new team bus for the club by the Kano State Government.

The government provided the Glo Premier League champions with a new 64-seater Marco Polo Bus which it hoped would boost the team’s performance in future national and international competitions.

Secretary to the State Government, Rabiu Bichi, also said the gift was meant to appreciate the achievements of the team on the local scene in recent times.

“The gesture is to further encourage them and appreciate the efforts they are making to bring more laurels,’’ Bichi said.

On his part, Chairman of the club, Ibrahim Haruna, lauded the government for the gift and promised that the team will do heir utmost to retain the title for a third consecutive year.

- Kick Off Nigeria

Nigeria -Tension flare up in the camp of the Super Eagles as coach Stephen Keshi is set to announce his final 23 man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

After the Nigerian national team played out a pulsating 2-2 draw against the Tartan Army of Scotland on Wednesday in London, players of the World Cup bound team have started to take blame of what may be in the coming days with many of them saying they don’t envy Coach Stephen Keshi at this very difficult period.
The team touched down in the USA ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Greece.
Team Skipper, Joseph Yobo said if he was the coach he will find it difficult to drop any of the players that is presently in the 30-man squad.
“Nigeria is blessed with talents and that is why I think all the players here merit to be in Brazil, even when we have some other very good ones still hanging out. If you watch the game against Scotland, you will know that the ‘Big Boss’ needs to be pitied over dropping players and picking those who will make the final 23. It will be tough.”
Stoke City’s Osaze Odemwingie said he was happy at the response of his teammates to his return to the national side.
“But how do we drop players now from this squad. Everybody here is good but we should leave that to the coach but I know it would be a tough task.”
England based Shola Ameobi declared that featuring for the Nigerian side has made him a better team player because of the quality of stars in camp and wished he had started playing earlier for the team. “We are all good but we should just pray for the coach to ensure that he picks the best for the World Cup.”
Towering defence ace, Azubuike Egwuekwe put it more succinctly: “When I was going into the match against Scotland I said to myself O’boy you are on trial, now I know that it’s our coach who has a really difficult job of picking the 23 players for Brazil 2014 to do.”

Barcelona banned from making transfers for the next two seasons!!

Barcelona have been banned from transferring players in the next two windows by FIFA.

The Spanish giants are deemed to have breached rules relating to the "international transfers of non-Spanish minors", according to a statement from the game's governing body, and they have also been fined along with the Spanish FA (RFEF).
Following investigations by both the FIFA Transfer Matching System and the Disciplinary Committee, Barcelona and the RFEF have both been found to have violated several provisions of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, as well as other regulations regarding the registration and participation of certain players in national competitions.
The FIFA statement added: "The disciplinary committee emphasised that the protection of minors in the context of international transfers is an important social and legal issue that concerns all stakeholders in football.
"The committee highlighted that while international transfers might, in specific cases, be favourable to a young player's sporting career, they are very likely to be contrary to the best interests of the player as a minor.

"Young football players are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse in a foreign country without the proper controls. This particular fact makes the protection of minors in football by the sport's governing bodies, especially by FIFA, even more important."
The Spanish FA, which violated article 19 of the regulations regarding the first registration of the players, has been given a period of one year in to regularise their regulatory framework and existing system concerning the international transfer of minors in football''.
Barcelona will almost certainly appeal against the transfer ban, which has cast a shadow of doubt over moves already agreed for Borussia Monchengladbach keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Croatian 17-year-old Alen Halilovic, who turns 18 in June.
Barcelona have a trio of youth players from South Korea, including much-sought after 15-year-old striker Lee Seung Woo, plus other players from Africa.
FIFA only allows international youth transfers when one of three situations apply: the player's parents have moved country for their own, non-related reasons; the move takes place within the European Union if a player is aged between 16 and 18; or the player's home is less than 50 kilometres from the national border being crossed.
Sky Sports' Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague, said: “The immediate reaction is shock, but at the same time there have been so many cases not investigated for so many years, not just at Barcelona, but at other clubs too.
“Barcelona say they are calm and they believe they have an explanation as to why and how these players have been signed. I very much doubt Barcelona would do that illegally and they must have some explanation.”