Super Falcons Still Remain Unstoppable

The Super Falcons last Saturday retained their Africa Women Cup Of Nations (AWCON) title by defeating the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon on Saturday in the packed Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde 1-0. Victory came with a late strike from Desire Oparanozie in the 84th minute to end any dreams the Lionesses had of winning the title for the very first time. 

The final on Saturday was a repeat of the previous edition in Namibia where Nigeria ran out 2-0 winners over Cameroon. This final however, was more keenly contested  as hosts, Cameroon had the backing of a nation who were hopeful of winning the trophy for the first time at home. The prospect of defeating arch rivals Nigeria made the final a much bigger occasion.

But the Super Falcons had other ideas and with many experienced players who have played at the highest level in the squad, they were able to handle the occasion and come out tops in a difficult final in which the hosts failed to convert some good scoring opportunities.

The victory over Cameroon means Nigeria are Champions for the 8th time. Only twice has Nigeria ever failed to win the title. Nigeria still maintains an impressive record of never losing a final. Super Falcons Coach, Florence Omagbemi becomes the second woman after Uche Eucharia to win the trophy as both player and coach.

This victory over Cameroon was quite a sweet one but the path to victory this time around however, wasn't so smooth.

As usual getting the squad together to prepare for this tournament was a challenge for the footballing authorities. Preparations were less than ideal and it showed when the competition began.

The Super Falcons had to be dogged and spirited to overcome the challenges they had coming into the championship if they were to retain their title. They didn't disappoint.

They thrashed Mali 6-1 in their first game. They were held by the Black Queens of Ghana 1-1 in their next game but returned to winning ways by despatching Kenya 4-0.

The semi final was a tighter affair as they were able to overcome South Africa's Bayana Bayana 1-0 to qualify for the show down with tournament hosts Cameroon in the final.

The Super Falcons had to battle a logistics nightmare before they arrived Yaounde as they were made to travel in batches after being abandoned for 6 hours at the airport. The first batch went to Yaounde by air but the second batch had to travel by road after a technical issue occurred with the aircraft. Whether these antics were just psychological attempts to give the Lionesses an edge over the Falcons or whether it was just sheer incompetence by the local organising committee, only the Cameroon FA (Fecafoot) can tell.

On arrival in Yaounde, the Falcons met a noisy and hostile reception both at the airport and even in the city. The players expressed their disappointment at the manner in which they were treated but as it all turned out, they were able to use the negative experience to inspire a resilient and determined performance in the final.

Arsenal's Asisat Oshoala who failed to score in the final emerged top scorer with 6 goals. She was ably assisted by Desire Oparanozie who scored 3 goals. Oparanozie who plays for Guingamp in France, was the hero of the knock out stages as she grabbed the winner against South Africa and Cameroon.

The African Champions are now back home and will be meeting the President soon as he will be hosting them to a reception in Abuja to not only celebrate with the team but to hopefully reward them.

What next for the Super Falcons? Coach Florence Omagbemi has lamented the lack of games in female football and has appealed for more club and international competitions for women in Africa. 

She believes African team's could benefit at international tournaments if there were more tournaments for clubs and national teams. She appealed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to look into this problem.

Sleeping Giant Finally Awake?

The Super Eagles over the weekend restored some respect and glory to the national team after a convincing 3-1 defeat of the Fennecs of Algeria last Saturday in the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Uyo.

Algeria which is one of Africa's in form teams with an attack that is quite formidable prior to the commencement of the World Cup qualifiers were brutally exposed by the rampaging Nigerian attack which counter attacked ruthlessly. A brace for Victor Moses and Chelsea outcast, John Obi Mikel did the trick for Nigeria.

If teams had written Nigeria off as a fallen giant in African football after its failure to qualify for the last and next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON ), this victory over Algeria may be a timely warning that this sleeping giant may be experiencing yet another resurgence.

After the dithering by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in appointing a coach for the Super Eagles after the abrupt resignation of Sunday Oliseh, it appears the NFF have made an astute appointment in the hiring of Gernot Rohr as coach after the ill fated attempt to lure Paul Le Guen.

He has been pragmatic and business like in the management of the squad. A trait which is unsurprising considering where he hails from. These traits have aided in putting Nigeria in pole position to claim the group's sole ticket for the World Cup. 

This is hoping the NFF will consolidate on these early strides made by the German coach by ensuring that they give him all the support he needs to prepare the team for the task ahead. Many that would have watched the team tackle Algeria on Saturday would have noticed that the team is far from being the finished article. There are still lots of work to be done by Rohr if the Super Eagles are to maintain their current position on the table.

August 28, 2017 is when the next round of fixtures is supposed to resume as Nigeria hosts Cameroon. It is an opportunity for the Super Eagles to strengthen their grip on first place if they defeat Cameroon knowing fully well that a sterner test will await them in the return leg. If the Super Eagles can come out with at least 4 points from that fixture, they will be quite confident in sealing their place at the World Cup with a victory against Zambia at home. For Algeria to stand a chance of turning the tables, they would have to win their next 3 games. 

It is still early days yet. August 2017 is a long time. Many things could go wrong between now and then. Key players could lose form, injuries could rule out important members of the squad, or who knows, someone in the NFF could fall out with Rohr or vice versa which could lead to disharmony in camp or even worse, a sacking... Nothing is impossible in this part of the world and so all hands should be on deck until the goal of qualifying is achieved.

Back to the game on Saturday, despite the handsome victory over the Greens of Algeria, there were some areas of key concern for the Super Eagles which Rohr will be looking to sort out quickly if our quest to qualify and actually make a serious impact at the World Cup in Russia is to be realised.

Ikeme Needs Competent Cover

Daniel Akpeyi was called upon to fill in for Carl Ikeme for the game against Algeria after he pulled out of the game due to injury. Akpeyi didn't exactly cover himself in glory as he was a bunch of nerves initially and even though he could do nothing about the goal by Nabil Bentaleb, his positioning was poor. Ikeme made Nigerians abandon their clamour for Vincent Enyeama's return. If something were to happen to Ikeme... Rohr appeared to have been satisfied with Akpeyi's performance. Nigerians will hope he knows something that they don't.

Rohr Is Yet To Solve The Right Back Conundrum 

Kenneth Omeruo played at right back last Saturday and of course he had some anxious moments during the game as he hasn't played there in a long time for the Super Eagles. The problem which the late Stephen Keshi could not solve permanently with Efe Ambrose is still proving a hard nut to crack. Rohr played Wilfred Ndidi in that role in the game against Zambia and now has experimented with Omeruo in this role as well. He wouldn't have been too convinced by his performance.

Nigeria Still Needs A Dependable Striker

Kelechi Iheanacho gave an indifferent performance at best on Saturday and even though he will have better days in a Super Eagles shirt, the fact that the other strikers in the team such as Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye seem to be wasteful in front of goal should cause some to worry that this profligacy could yet come back to haunt the team in more difficult games and against more resolute defences.

Will Coming Out Actually Improve Gay Footballers Performance?

A couple of days back, former NBA star, John Ameachi stated in a parliamentary hearing on homophobia in sport that Gay  Premier League footballers would perform better if they were to come out. 

He and British race walker, Tom Bosworth told MPs that players would be able to focus on their sport instead of hiding.

According to Bosworth a non-openly gay footballer could not be enjoying life as much as he could have.

Bosworth claimed his performance recorded a significant improvement after  he admitted publicly that he was gay.

Ameachi who insists that he is in contact with gay footballers who are reluctant to come out said that if an individual uses 1% of his energy to stop being who he is it might turn out to be the difference between being good and being great.

The logical question now is, does hiding equate to one who has stopped being who one really is?

A gay footballer might hide his sexual orientation but has that stopped him from being gay? After all, they might be in gay relationships while hiding that fact from the general public.

I think the argument posed by John Ameachi is flawed.

For one, as I have already stated, hiding one's sexual orientation is not the same as stopping oneself from being who one is. It just means that the gay footballer has a life not known by the public.

And to the crux of the matter, will coming out publicly actually have a positive effect on a player's performance levels? That Tom Bosworth's performance results have improved is hardly enough evidence to suggest that all athletes or footballers will have an improvement in their general performance if they came out.

Maybe in the short term, it might lead to some better performances as a burden would have been lifted from the footballer's shoulders. But what happens after the euphoria that comes with the freedom to openly be who one is has worn off?

In football, a bang average footballer usually remains bang average. Revealing a sexual orientation which has nothing to do with a gay player's footballing skills or intelligence is not going to change much contrary to what Ameachi would have us believe.

The highest profile footballer to ever come out, Thomas Hitzlsperger, was not exceptional in his playing days. He although represented Germany 52 times and played for some decent teams like Aston Villa, Stuttgart and Lazio. But if he were playing today, he wouldn't get into the current German squad's midfield. It is unlikely his public admittance to his sexual orientation would have made him better than he was.

Another important thing to note is that human beings have different ways they react to their environment. While people like Bosworth might notice an improvement in their performance, some others might not record any significant change in their performance and of course, there will be others whose performances may start to suffer. The possibility that there might be some negative or indifferent outcome after a player has revealed his sexual orientation does not appear to figure in the views of Ameachi and Bosworth.

Football being a team sport is not as straightforward as athletics where results can determine whether one is improving or not. With the advent of Opta and other sports statistics companies, a player's performance could be evaluated to a large degree but it all depends on what aspect of the player's game is being assessed. 

Not many players can maintain their best form consistently for long periods without a major or minor slump. Reaching a conclusion as to whether an admittance to a sexual preference is responsible for an upturn in performance might be too simplistic.

Does a player need to come out as gay? If it's important to the player and the player feels it might help him then so be it. The question now is, what does he intend to achieve by coming out? 

The Football Diary

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of The Football Diary. In this post, I intend to discuss some of the interesting matches that were played over the weekend especially in the premier league. 

Liverpool Brought Down To Earth

Just the previous week, Liverpool were being hailed for the manner in which they outclassed Arsenal for certain periods in the second half of that premier league fixture as they romped to a 4-1 lead. This past weekend however was a different story. Burnley showed Liverpool how to be clinical in front of goal while just having barely 20% of ball possession. With all the possession Liverpool could muster, they still lost 2-0 although it was partly due to some careless defending.

James Milner started at left back for Liverpool in place of Alberto Moreno who was responsible for some calamitous errors in the game against Arsenal. Apparently, his presence didn't make much difference as Liverpool were breached twice by the resilient Burnley team.

Would Jurgen Klopp have rued the fact that this game should have been played at Anfield? Liverpool opted to play this fixture at Turf Moor instead of at home which was the original venue because of redevelopments going on at Anfield currently. They would probably have fancied their chances of defeating Burnley at home and build on their impressive victory over Arsenal at the Emirates.

The inconsistency of Liverpool during the Brendan Rodgers era appears to still be their undoing at the moment as Klopp attempts to build the team in his own image. They need to stop defeating the big boys one week and then coming unstuck against weaker opposition the next.

The question of Alberto Moreno rremaining at left back is a headache Klopp may silently be wishing he had fixed earlier. Perhaps Moreno will eventually come good or maybe Joe Gomez who is currently out with a serious injury could be the cover or messiah that could save Klopp's blushes if Moreno continues with his erratic performances. Time though will tell how it will all pan out for Liverpool.

Hull City Keep Fighting Like Tigers

Hull City are currently a model in inspiration for anyone in a crisis at the moment. A team with only 13 fit senior players, a caretaker manager who doesn't know what the future holds for him and a boardroom in turmoil is enough to put any club in disarray and of course, have telling results on team spirit and performance.

But it appears Hull City have leaders amongst them who have used the unsavoury situation at the club to motivate the team to win their first 2 games with Premier League champions, Leicester City, the first to suffer a shock defeat at the claws of Hull's battling tigers. 

Swansea, Hull City's last weekend opponents, were on the front foot for most of the game but Hull stuck to their game plan and hit Swansea at key moments of the latter stages of the game. Hull City eventually ran away 2-0 winners. Swansea who were 1-0 winners at Burnley the previous weekend got a bitter taste of their own medicine.

For Hull City, time will tell how long this positive run will continue. If it does continue, then it might be the catalyst that could trigger positive changes in the club. For now, Hull City can draw strength from the positive results. The club's fortunes can change if caretaker manager, Mike Phelan, can get the job on a permanent basis and some new players are brought in to make up for the shortfall in squad players before the close of the transfer window.

Arsenal Battle Leicester To 0-0 Draw

Arsenal and Leicester both remain without a victory after 2 rounds of matches played and look set to play catch up to Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd if they both falter in their next games and their rivals grab maximum points.

Arsenal as usual remain good on the eye with their free flowing football but they could not break down a stubborn Leicester defence. Leicester returned to basics after their disappointing loss to Hull City and threatened Arsenal on the break. There were controversial moments as well as Leicester were denied 2 penalty appeals. Leicester City became more dangerous with the introduction of Ahmed Musa at the latter stages of the game but on the balance of play, the result was fair for both sides.

For Arsenal, the need to sign another defender has become as urgent as ever. With their prime target Shkrodan Mustafi proving more difficult to acquire by the day. With this failure so far to land Mustafi, Arsenal has now been linked to other players such as former Man United defender, Johnny Evans, a signing which might yet bring more scorn on under fire manager, Arsene Wenger. 

Wenger was quick to defend his position on transfers during the post match press conference with his observation of Rob Holding's performance against Leicester which has to be said was excellent. He may yet end up an astute signing by Wenger. Then there is also the striker situation which Alexis Sanchez has filled with little success as 'top dog' Olivier Giroud builds up his fitness. Would Wenger be able to sign a 'world class' striker before transfer deadline day? 

Claudio Bravo In, Joe Hart out?

When new managers come into a club, there is the occasional casualty amongst the tried and trusted players who don't fit into a manager's plan or philosophy for the team. A good case in point is the Andy Carrol or Christian Benteke scenario at Liverpool in which both were forced out by Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp respectively.  

It has happened at Manchester United already this season with Jose Mourinho axing Bastian Schweinsteiger from the first team squad and now across the city, Pep Guardiola may be about to make a real statement about the way he likes his goalkeepers to play as Bravo arrives for a medical from Barcelona.

Joe Hart who is number one at City has been dropped by Guardiola for Willy Caballero in City's first 3 competitive games this season because of Hart's deficiency in bringing the ball out of defence. As things look, Hart may be set to go from number 1 to number 3 if Bravo passes his medical.

A big fall from grace this will be for England's number one if this move materialises. 

Meanwhile In Brazil...

The Dream Team VI won Nigeria's only medal at the Olympics by winning the Losers' final by defeating Honduras 3-2 and thus claiming the bronze medal. They have thus become the fourth team to win an Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals at the Olympics.

Despite the flaws in the team, we have to congratulate the team for earning a medal. This is hoping some of these players step up into the Super Eagles seamlessly and thus provide the much needed strength in depth the Super Eagles desperately needs.

A special mention goes for John Mikel Obi for the exemplary attitude and leadership he exhibited during the games. I dare say he was handsomely rewarded for his efforts by that Japanese philanthropist.

Sadly In Niamey, Nigeria's Golden Eaglets Crash Out of U-17 AFCON

Nigeria has taken the proverbial 2 step backwards after taking one step forward after failing to qualify for the African U-17 Championship and as a result, will not defend the World Cup title it won just last year. 

What is it with us and defending our titles?  The signs that the story wasn't going to end well was when the during the screening, dozens of players were shown the way out of the camp when MRI scans showed many of the players were over the age bracket. Another show of shame.

Poor football administration appears to remain the bane of sustained development and success of Nigerian football at all levels.

The Football Diary

The Premier League is back and returned with not too much of a bang on the opening weekend but it did bring up a shocking result and some entertainment.

With the arrival of superstar managers and players to the League coupled with the fact that most Premier League clubs have spent heavily this summer, the 2016/17 season is set to be one of the most keenly contested ever.

Leicester Start Defence of The Title On A Shaky Note.

The 5000-1 favourites last season surprised many when despite the odds, won the premier league title. Their manager, Claudio Ranieri, who was ridiculed because of his last job as Greece manager was tipped to get Leicester relegated after they just survived relegation the previous season under Nigel Pearson.

But he put his critics to shame and now the rest is history. 

A new season is here now and Leicester have strengthened their squad but have however, lost arguably their most important player in N'Golo Kante who moved to Chelsea and was in action for Chelsea as they defeated West Ham at Stamford Bridge.

Their opponents last weekend was Hull City who are in a shambles at the moment. Their manager Steve Bruce resigned after leading the team back to the Premier League the first time of asking. When they faced Leicester last weekend, they had only 13 fit senior players. Care taker boss, Mike Phelan, didn't bother to make any substitutions during the match.

But instead of allowing the gloom in the boardroom to affect them, the players led by Captain, Curties Davies, were  in inspirational form and shocked the Premier League defending champions with a 2-1 win. 

As any title winning manager knows, it is more difficult to retain a title than to win one. Ranieri has an uphill task in retaining the title if he actually believes he can. The big boys have strengthened and have attempted to poach his best players. So far, Riyadh Mahrez is still a target for Arsenal. Jamie Vardy though, has extended his contract after Arsenal also tried to sign him. 

Kante's absence was felt against Hull  and the new recruits have to quickly step up their game. The trusted senior players and spine of the team, Wes Morgan, Robert Huth,Vardy and Mahrez have to quickly discover their form if they don't want  to play catch up or worse, battle relegation...

Guardiola Starts Reign With Hard Fought Victory

Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich  coach, Pep Guardiola, kicked off his reign as Manchester City boss with a last gasp victory over Sunderland as they laboured to a win with help from Sunderland defender, new signing Paddy McNair who put the ball behind his own net.

David Moyes was looking to stamp his influence on Sunderland and they typically provided gutsy performance which suggests that they might yet surprise some teams during the course of the season. Jermaine Defoe remains as dangerous as ever and who knows,  his former boss Sam Allardyce might yet extend an England invitation if his current form continues.

Guardiola would need time for his philosophy to take root at City. There will be bumpy roads along the way but he remains most bookies and pundits favourite to win the title. 

Then there is the situation of the future of some senior players. Joe Hart was on the bench in the game against Sunderland while Willy Caballero was given the nod and now rumours are rife that Joe Hart might eventually be sold if Guardiola is able to sign Barcelona's Claudio Bravo. Yaya Toure was not even in the match day squad so also Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala.

The Game Of The Weekend Lives Up To The Hype

The big game of the weekend was the fixture between Arsenal and Liverpool which was filled with great entertainment, wonderful goals and drama. 

Walcott missed a penalty, then found the back of the net shortly after. Phillipe Coutinho scored a contender for goal of the weekend with his excellent free kick to draw Liverpool level while Liverpool in the second half raced to a 4-1 lead With Sadio Mane scoring on his debut with a wonderful individual goal.

Then there was the Arsenal fight back which ended with Liverpool managing to hold on for a 4-3 win instead of strolling to victory.

Arsenal need to be commended for their fight back when all seemed to be lost and when it appeared they were in danger of another capitulation Arsenal fans are very familiar with. Liverpool without the injury prone Daniel Sturridge showed great attacking ability and if this game is used as a reference point, then expect Liverpool to score many goals this season under the charismatic Jurgen Klopp.

For Arsenal, the same old questions remain. The question of spending big and solving the striker situation remains unanswered. We should remember though, that in the last 4 seasons Arsenal have lost 3 of the opening fixtures at the Emirates but have still ended up in the top 4. If anything, expect the Gunners again to end up in the top 4.

Sparing A Thought For The Dream Team

Nigeria takes on Germany in the semi finals of the Olympics soccer event in midweek. Since it is unlikely the team will be able to stop the Germans from scoring, this is hoping the team will be clinical when the opportunities come and out score the German machine.

This is wishing Samson Siasia and John Obi Mikel the best of luck. They are going to need it.

Nigeria's Group Of Death: Can Nigeria Make It?

After the Russia 2018 African World Cup Qualifiers draws were held in Cairo Egypt last weekend, Nigeria has found itself in what is regarded as the 'group of death' in Group B with opponents Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.

Had Nigeria not been a fading force in African football, it would have fancied itself to go through despite the tough opponents it would have to face. But on the back of 2 consecutive Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification failures, many supporters will be concerned that Nigeria's chances of making it through to the World Cup as group winners may be quite slim considering Nigeria has struggled to qualify from easier groups in the past and has failed to qualify for the AFCON since the Super Eagles won it  under the management of the late Stephen Keshi in 2013.

At the moment, the Super Eagles don't have a confirmed head coach since Sunday Oliseh controversially stepped down as Super Eagles coach citing a lack of support from the NFF amongst other grievances. Presently, the interim coach is Salisu Yusuf who took over from  Samson Siasia who was drafted to  handle the squad after Oliseh's bizarre resignation. 

Salisu has been in charge of the team during recent friendlies and it is yet to be seen the role he will be given in the new management. If the statement of NFF Chairman Amaju Pinnick is anything to go by, it appears Salisu might not be considered as the coach on a permanent basis. Rumours are rife that the chosen candidate for the hot seat is former PSG and Cameroon coach, Paul Le Guen. Announcement on the identity of the coach whoever it is should be disclosed by the NFF soon.

It is important that this key aspect is taken care of as quickly as possible so that the coach can set the ground running as the Super Eagles take on Zambia in October. It is imperative that the manager if he turns out to be a foreigner gets familiar with the players he intends to use to prosecute the qualifiers against Zambia. 

Looking at the fixtures, Nigeria has the chance to build momentum and pile pressure on their group rivals if they can get a victory against Zambia away from home and defeat Algeria and Cameroon at home in the following games. Nigeria has been good at getting draws away from home and could achieve that against Cameroon and Algeria if they defeat Zambia at home. 

Easier said than done though. But it represents the likely way Nigeria will qualify if adequate preparations are made and the best players are selected based on current form and not solely on reputation. If in doubt, ask former England manager, Roy Hodgson on the pitfalls of picking a player based on reputation and not on form or fitness.

For the pessimistic lot among us, it is best not to have high hopes of qualifying if the recent failures to reach AFCON tournaments are anything to go by.  Zambia which could be regarded as the 'weakest' team in the group won the AFCON in 2012, defeating Ivory Coast in the final. Algeria won the AFCON in 1990 and are currently ranked 32 in the FIFA world rankings. They also rank as Africa's highest ranking team at the moment. If their performance at the last World Cup is to be considered, Nigeria would have to be at their very best when they come to town. 

Algeria indeed have world class players in their prime at the moment. Riyad Mahrez was voted PFA player of the year after a stellar campaign for Leicester City last season in which against all odds won the premier league. They also have the likes of Yacine Brahimi, Islam Slimani, and Sofiane Feghouli in their ranks amongst others excelling in various clubs in Europe. It has to be said though, that Algeria has a poor record against West African opposition and this represents a glimmer of hope for Nigeria.

As for Cameroon, they are in similar underwhelming circumstances like Nigeria. A former African Super power with 4 AFCON titles and 7 World Cup appearances but has been mediocre for close to a decade despite having world class players like Samuel Eto'o, Rigobert Song and Alex Song. There are signs though that they are on the brink of a resurgence and a clash with the old enemy Nigeria might trigger another rivalry similar to the glory days of both nations. 

In the last couple of years, Nigeria has emerged victorious or come out with a credible draw when they met each of the teams in their Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers group in friendlies or in a major tournament like the AFCON. Will these positive outcomes continue to be the trend or will the harsh reality of the curent state of the Super Eagles reveal how far we are behind our rivals? 

Ronaldo: The Good, The Bad, And The Downright Ugly

Laurent Blanc Set To Quit PSG 

After a clean sweep of all domestic trophies by PSG in the just concluded 2015/2016 season in France, one would have thought Laurent Blanc would at least be allowed to have another crack at the Champions League next season. Sadly, that is looking unlikely as reports have it that Blanc will be stepping down as PSG manager after only just extending his contract last February by 2 years. 

Since Blanc replaced Carlo Ancelloti as manager of PSG in 2013, it's been total domination of Ligue 1 all the way as well as winning 2 French Cups, 3 League Cups and 2 French Super Cups. It's in the Champions League they have fallen short often getting knocked out in the quarter finals.

With such achievement by Blanc's team albeit in a league were traditional rivals Monaco, Marseille, and Lyon are currently unable to compete at PSG's level of financial power, he deserves to leave when he feels he needs a fresh challenge. This mutual consensus between Blanc and the PSG management to part ways just goes to show that success is no longer a guarantee for a manager to keep his job if the 'success' is not in line with the ambitions of the club's directors.

Unai Emery has been touted as the favourite to replace him. If this turns out to be the case, he might end up an astute signing by PSG but he doesn't look the type of manager that would  upstage Barcelona, Bayern Munich or even Real Madrid if PSG was to cross paths with these teams in the Champions League. Remember, Sevilla actually failed to make it past the group stage of the champions league last season that's why they found themselves in a competition they have sort of emerged as specialists in winning after retaining the Europa League for a second year running. How ironic that Blanc's possible replacement is one who thrives in Europe's second tier competition.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Retires From The National Team

Meanwhile, Laurent Blanc's top dog at PSG, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has called it quits with Sweden. Zlatan announced during the ongoing European Championships in France before Sweden  got eliminated that he would no longer play for the national team after the Euros and thus ended speculation about his intentions to play for Sweden at the Rio Olympics.

Zlatan is retiring after making 116 caps for Sweden and scoring 62 goals. He is Sweden's record goal scorer. If the transfer rumour mill is to be believed, then Zlatan should end up at Manchester United after deciding not to extend his stay at PSG.  Zlatan has not had an illustrious career only for Sweden but at club level as well. He has turned out for the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona with trophies and accolades wherever he has been. Although the Champions League trophy remains elusive for him, a move to Old Trafford will not see him achieve this dream any time soon.

Ronaldo: The Good, The Bad, and The Outright Ugly

Real Madrid and Portugal forward, Cristiano Ronaldo's Euro 2016 adventure has gotten a lot of coverage since his criticism of Iceland's tactics against Portugal in their Euro 2016 opener which ended in a draw as he has been singled out by the media for what can be regarded as undue scrutiny.

It appears Ronaldo has become a victim of his own high standards. And when the media apply pressure, he has demonstrated a low tolerance for their intrusiveness and criticism. Every act of frustration or disappointment by Ronaldo is highlighted. 

Ronaldo has struggled in the Euros and Portugal lacking quality strikers have suffered as a result. He struggled in Portugal's first two games not out for a lack of trying though but because he didn't get the rub of the green.

But when push came to shove, when his country needed him the most during adversity, he reminded his critics what he was capable of by scoring a brace against Hungary.

Ronaldo may have a big ego, he may be petty and a sore loser as the game against Iceland revealed, he may have shown terrible disdain for the media by throwing a journalist's microphone into a nearby lake but he will continue to divide opinion as long as he continues to break and set new records like he has done during Euro 2016.

Leicester And Tottenham Make Statement Of Intent

Premier League Champions, Leicester City have shown that they mean business next season as they have been able to persuade top striker, Jamie Vardy to extend his contract at Leicester and turn down any offers from Arsenal.

Arsenal, according to reports, were said to have triggered a buy out clause said to be in the region of £20 million in Vardy's contract but Vardy has decided that his future lies with Leicester City and not in Arsene Wenger's squad. 

Vardy is currently having a mixed bag at the European Championships with England. He scored against Wales but struggled to make an impact against Slovakia. 

Would he have been a success at Arsenal? Leicester City is largely a counter attacking side and thus is set up to play to his strengths but with Arsenal, there is that odd chance that he may struggle to make an impact with their style as he is currently experiencing with England at the Euros as they labour to break down teams who defend deep which Arsenal often encounter in the premiership.

In other news, Spurs have announced the signing of Kenyan defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama from Southampton on a 5 year deal. As Spurs prepare for Champions League football next season, It appears Mauricio Pochettino has decided one area of priority is cover for Eric Dier. Make no mistake, Wanyama joining Spurs will strengthen Spurs' midfield immensely especially in potentially difficult away games against the big boys in Europe or England.

One can only wonder if this is the season Southampton finally get sucked into the relegation battle or even go down. With Ronald Koeman joining Everton, surely it's a matter of time before a big club snaps up Sadio Mane. It might yet prove one exit too many.

We May Not Have Appreciated What We Had

With the sad demise of 2 great Nigerian icons and ex-Super Eagles coaches in the persons of Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shuaibu a couple of days ago, a period of sober reflection is not out of place for anyone who in one way or the other is a stakeholder in Nigerian  football. 

As we come to terms with the shocking news of their deaths, the inevitable revelations of how they were treated while still alive has started coming to light. It is shameful that stories about how these men are still being owed salaries and entitlements by their former employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) even after being disengaged like in the case of Stephen Keshi almost a year after, is all over the news.

The fact that the NFF is owing these former employees of theirs is nothing new in a country where many Civil Servants are also being owed months in unpaid wages. However, when you look at the NFF's antecedents, the unending crises in the Glass House and Nigerian football as a whole, you would have to come to the conclusion that this was totally avoidable. 

Keshi who died 3 days before Amodu was Amodu's understudy and assistant in the African Cup of Nations in Mali in 2002. The tournament will be remembered mainly for the off the field squabbles in the Nigerian camp between the team and the NFF inspite of the fact that Nigeria won a bronze medal. What Nigeria would give now for an Afcon qualification let alone a third place finish. 

The chaos in the Super Eagles camp during the tournament got enough coverage in the media such that when the team failed to win the Afcon tournament, it was no surprise when Amodu and Keshi got sacked and the team disbanded. It marked the end of the  national  team careers for some great Super  Eagles legends such as Sunday Oliseh, George Finidi, and Victor Ikpeba.

This would be the first time Amodu would  lose the chance to take Nigeria to the World Cup after leading Nigeria successfully through the qualifiers. Amodu would be denied again by the NFF in 2010 from leading the Super Eagles to the World Cup in South Africa after again claiming bronze at the Afcon. The NFF famously said they would "sink or swim" with Amodu this time but went back on their word and decided to hire the Swede, Lars Lagerback, instead.

It is pertinent to note that on both occasions when Amodu was denied the chance to lead the Super Eagles to the World Cup, Nigeria was eliminated from the World Cup in the first round. Would it have been better for the team and cheaper to have allowed Amodu to lead the team rather than Festus Onigbinde or Lars  Lagerback?

Stephen Keshi was luckier in this respect than Amodu was. He benefited from the change in the Afcon calendar in that tournaments were no longer held in a World Cup year. Who knows? Keshi might have lost his job too? He actually stepped down from his post after leading  the Super Eagles to Afcon victory in 2013 in protest at how he was treated by the NFF in South Africa. It was the intervention of the Presidency that persuaded Keshi to rescind his decision. But the seeds of discord between he and the powers that be in the NFF had been sown and as soon as power shifted towards the NFF, he was  dismissed in July 2015  for reasons of disloyalty and indiscipline.

Keshi and Amodu may not have been perfect. None of us are. They both have their share of the blame in the way things turned out for Nigeria in major tournaments. For instance, Amodu famously said he was not going to include Wilson Oruma in his squad for the Afcon in Mali in 2002 even if he was scoring on the moon. A misguided comment which he had to back track on. It was a comment which would not have fostered unity in the national team camp because it suggests he had his favourites who would always get the nod irrespective of form.

Keshi also had his own battles. He famously fell out with Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo during Afcon 2013 in South Africa but got away with it as his preferred centre back partnership of Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Obaobona ultimately delivered. He was also fingered as one of the leaders of the 'cabal' in the Super Eagles during his playing days. 

As we can see, Amodu and Keshi were far from perfect but what is undeniable,however,  was their contribution to the success of Nigerian football over the years and the fact that they were serial achievers of success in their careers. Amodu on several occasions was called upon to embark on several rescue missions when it seemed the Nigerian teams were on the verge of losing out on qualifying berths for major tournaments like in the case of the Atlanta Olympic qualifiers and the Korea-Japan World Cup qualifiers. He also led Nigeria to World Cup qualification in 2010  and 2 Afcon bronze medals. 

Keshi of course had an illustrious career as a player for Nigeria and also led Togo to World Cup qualification in 2006 as a coach. He also had a spell as coach of Mali. He has 5 Afcon appearances for Nigeria and won the Afcon as a player and coach with Nigeria in 1994 and 2013 respectively. He is also credited with starting Nigerian players exodus to the European leagues.

Nigerians may not have fully appreciated their service to the country while they were alive but in the coming years as we struggle to regain our rightful place in world football, we might be forced to accept that Stephen Keshi who departed us at age 54 and Amodu Shuaibu who a few days later followed suit at age 58 were truly heroes and perhaps sadly, have lost 2 great men who had time on their side to contribute more to the growth and development of Nigerian football.

Being On Blogging Hiatus And Bouncing Back

It's been nearly 2 months since I last wrote an article on my blog and on other blogs that I write. The reason isn't far fetched. 

There comes a time when circumstances change, your job changes, you start new relationships and certain things just kind of take priority over what you normally do. 

The key has always been learning how to strike a balance between work, relationships, social and spiritual activities, recreation and relaxation.

Unfortunately, one flaw of mine is that I am not as disciplined and organised as I would love to be. And so, hobbies such as blogging tend to take a back seat when change comes.

In the last couple of months, my work load has increased and most of my time is spent doing a job. I have struggled to keep up with my blogging and I have sort of become lazy.

Perhaps I am lacking in motivation. Perhaps I am allowing circumstances to get the better of me. Perhaps I am discouraged at how things have panned out for me since the last quarter of last year. Perhaps I have grown disillusioned with my dreams.

Whatever it is, I want to make a U-turn. I want to try. I want to try and do what I enjoy. Even though there are many reports of depressing things happening today in our country and writing articles on football might seem trivial. But I won't let it deter me. Not any longer.

We all have a choice to focus either on what is positive or on what is negative. I am not saying we should totally ignore happenings in our environment or our world but there needs to be some sort of filter we need to implement in our lives especially to what we expose ourselves to both on social media and conventional media organisations.

If we focus on what makes us happy, we would be happy. The opposite is the result if we focus on the negative. My articles might seem out of place in a world filled with news on terror, the fall of the naira to a dollar, our weakening economy, secession etc. But I have no choice but to focus on doing what I fill gives me fulfilment and pleases me.

I am not saying I will do this perfectly but I would rather do this and fail than fade out into oblivion with my blogs.

I wish to announce that I would be a guest writer on a Chelsea blog going by the name CHELSEA DIURNAL. I will be writing articles about the fortunes of Chelsea FC at least once a month on the blog. I will also maintain my Paul Oviero's blog and adopt different strategies and styles in the articles on my blog.

I hope you all will stay tuned. Cheers.