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We Didnâ€™t Have TV, I Begged To Watch EPL Games â€“ Iheanacho

Manchester City star Kelechi Iheanacho has revealed how he used to beg to watch Premier League games at viewing centres in Nigeria when he was still a little kid.
Iheanacho said things were so bad his family could not afford a television set.
â€œWe didnâ€™t have the money,â€ he told the Daily Mail. â€œMaybe after the game Iâ€™d hear the scores and all that. Iâ€™d be at home playing football and my friends would come back after being there to tell me. We didnâ€™t have a television at home.
â€œSometimes I watched the Spanish league â€“ it was a bit cheaper, maybe N30. But the Premier League was N50. Sometimes Iâ€™d watch the Premier League if I found the money, or Iâ€™d go there and beg them to let me in. Or sneak in for the second half and pay half the money.â€
He revealed the hardship his family went through when he lost his mother.
â€œIt was hard for us when my mother left us. We couldnâ€™t do anything so I said to myself â€œmove on and keep working hard.

She makes me work harder. When Iâ€™m not doing something right, or when Iâ€™m not playing or working hard enough, then I remember her. She pushed me to work hard.
â€œThere are jobs (back home) but football has always been with me. When I was growing up they didnâ€™t want me to do it because my mother was a teacher- they wanted me to go to school. But I love football and wanted to play â€“ they wanted to stop me but couldnâ€™t.

They wouldnâ€™t allow me to play outside after school but I went out anyway. Maybe I lost a bit of focus om my studies.
â€œItâ€™s amazing when you go back home now, when you remember how you were before. You go back home and all those people are calling your name, shouting. I get mobbed by the kids. They want to see you want to know you.
Now a first team player with City, Iheanacho described playing alongside Yaya Toure a dream come thorugh.

Manchester City star Kelechi Iheanacho has revealed how he used to beg to watch Premier League games at viewing centres in Nigeria when he was still a little kid.

Iheanacho said things were so bad his family could not afford a television set.
We didnâ€™t have the money, he told the Daily Mail. Maybe after the game Iâ€™d hear the scores and all that. Iâ€™d be at home playing football and my friends would come back after being there to tell me. We didnâ€™t have a television at home.
Sometimes I watched the Spanish league â€“ it was a bit cheaper, maybe N30. But the Premier League was N50. Sometimes Iâ€™d watch the Premier League if I found the money, or Iâ€™d go there and beg them to let me in. Or sneak in for the second half and pay half the money.

He revealed the hardship his family went through when he lost his mother.
â€œIt was hard for us when my mother left us. We couldnâ€™t do anything so I said to myself â€œmove on and keep working hard.

â€œShe makes me work harder. When Iâ€™m not doing something right, or when Iâ€™m not playing or working hard enough, then I remember her. She pushed me to work hard.

There are jobs (back home) but football has always been with me. When I was growing up they didnâ€™t want me to do it because my mother was a teacher- they wanted me to go to school. But I love football and wanted to play â€“ they wanted to stop me but couldnâ€™t.
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They wouldnâ€™t allow me to play outside after school but I went out anyway. Maybe I lost a bit of focus om my studies.
â€œItâ€™s amazing when you go back home now, when you remember how you were before. You go back home and all those people are calling your name, shouting. I get mobbed by the kids. They want to see you want to know you.â€
Now a first team player with City, Iheanacho described playing alongside Yaya Toure a dream come true

He stated that he never thought of getting the chance to play in Cityâ€™s first team.
â€œI support Barcelona because I watched the Spanish league. I saw Yaya (Toure) playing for Barcelonaâ€¦ And now Iâ€™m playing with him. Itâ€™s a dream come true.
â€œI have to be my own man but he is a big influence in Africa. He has done a lot in Africa and I hope to do that as well.
â€œI wasnâ€™t expecting that. I was working with thethe EDS (Elite Development Squad). He (Manuel Pellegrini) said I was going with them to Australia in pre-season and after we came back I was in the first team. I was a bit surprised.

â€œYou feel a bit nervous, these are great players. Itâ€™s important to listen.
â€œIâ€™m happy playing with them now and they give me confidence to play, they encourage me a lot. That doesnâ€™t mean Iâ€™ll disrespect them or feel Iâ€™m one of them now. I wouldnâ€™t just do anything I like â€“ Iâ€™ve got to keep my head down, keep working hard.

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Omagbemi Florence Appointed As Super Falcons Interim Coach

Omagbemi Florence has been appointed as the interim coach by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), while Perpetua Nkwocha would be an assistant coach.

Both ladies are former Super Flacons captain and defender. Their portfolio was approved by NFF executives earlier in the week following the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee.

In a statement made by the NFF, it was made known that Omagbemi would be in charge till an expatriate coach is employed

In their words â€“

â€œIn consonance with its determination to find a holistic solution to the dwindling fortunes of the Senior Women National Team, Falcons, Committee approved the recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee for the appointment of A competent expatriate Coach, within the shortest possible time, for the team,â€ the Nigeria Football Federation said in a statement on Wednesday

â€œThe expatriate Coach will be assisted by former Super Falconsâ€™ Captains, Florence Omagbemi, Perpetua Nkwocha and Ann Chiejine, with Bala Mohammed as Goalkeeper Trainer. Omagbemi will head the crew in the acting capacity in the meantime.â€

Florence Omagbemi, was one of the amazons in Nigeriaâ€™s women football featuring in four different FIFA Womenâ€™s World Cup from China 1991 to USA 2003.She led the Falcons to win the AWC title in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004 and also led the team to appear for the first time at Sydney 2000 Olympics Game.

Perpetua Nwocha, with the Super Falcons, has participated in seven CAF Womenâ€™s Championship editions (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014), winning five of them.

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Â Napoli Fans Will Wear Masks Of Kalidou Koulibaly Masks To Show Support

In a rare display of solidarity and support, a section of Napoli fans will wear masks of defender Kalidou Koulibaly in tomorrowâ€™s fixture against Carpi.
Koulibaly was the subject of racist chants when Napoli faced Lazio last week as the game was stopped for minutes by match officials.

Napoli went on to win the match 2-0 and the fans are showing their support for the defender by wearing masks of his face.
Way to go Napoli!

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Â Ogenyi Onazi happy with decision to stay at Lazio

Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, has insisted he is happy to remain at Lazio, despite interest from a few European teams. Onazi has scored three times in 67 appearances for the Serie A club, since he moved there in 2012. The Nigerian was linked with Everton, Swansea and Werder Bremen in the January window, but is now focused on helping Lazio do well this season. â€œIâ€™m glad I stayed here at Lazio,â€ Onazi told lalaziosiamonoi.it. â€œThe important thing for me is to . because football is my life. We have moved away [from Europa League] but we are positive and we believe. â€œNow we try to win and get more points [in the Serie A]. Now that the transfer window is closed, we have to work for the championship.

491

Neymar moving to Real Madrid

Real Madrid is reportedly considering signing Barcelona forward Neymar as they continue to seek a long-term replacement for Christiano Ronaldo who turns 31 in less than a week.

The former Santos star has matured into one of the finest players globally, therefore it is no surprise he has caught the attention of the Spanish giants.

Neymar is no longer just a skillful and flashy forward; heâ€™s grown more incisive and intelligent in possession and he is a real presence for the Catalan club.

Moreover, Neymar is a real contender for the Ballon dâ€™Or and he has been tipped to break the Messi-Ronaldo dominance as the top two best players in the world.

The 23-year-old has reportedly been courted by both Manchester United and Real Madrid, with both clubs having the finances to lure him away from Barcelona.

â€œI can take him to Real Madrid. Heâ€™s very young. I am sure next year he will finish even higher in the Ballon dâ€™Or,â€ said former Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos, who is believed to play a strategic role if the fellow Brazilianâ€™s transfer to the Bernabeau is to materialize.

When asked about his thoughts on Neymarâ€™s possible move to Madrid, Sergio Ramos admitted that â€œfootball is unpredictableâ€ adding that Neymar is a great player and that he â€œcan make the differenceâ€.

Neymar shone in big games for Barcelona on their way to treble glory in 2014-15 season, scoring in both quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final of the Champions League during their memorable campaign.

Of the 27 games that the Brazilian number 10 has played in all competitions this season, he has hit the back of the net an impressive 21 times and provided 14 assists for his teammates.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with Manchester United, PSG and a move to MLS in recent months

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Â Guardiola To Replace Pellegrini asÂ Manchester City Coach

Pep Guardiola has agreed a three-year contract to become Manchester City manager in the summer.
The 45-year-old, currently in charge at Bayern Munich, will replace Manuel Pellegrini, who will leave on 30 June.
A statement from ManCity said Chilean Pellegrini, 62, was â€œfully supportiveâ€ of the announcement being made.
The club said negotiations with former Barcelona coach Guardiola had been â€œa recommencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012â€.
Roberto Mancini was City boss in 2012, and led them to the domestic title in the same year.
Pellegrini succeeded Mancini in 2013 and took the club to a Premier League and League Cup double the following season.
He has won 64 of his 99 Premier League games as a manager, a record only eclipsed by Jose Mourinho, who won 73 of his opening 99 league games as Chelsea boss.
City could yet win four trophies under Pellegrini this season.
They are already through to the final of the League Cup and are second in the league behind Leicester City.
The Blues are also through to the knockout stages of the Champions League and will play Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

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Â Toure: Relieved That False Allegations Have Been Removed

MANCHESTER CITY star Yaya Toure has confessed to being relieved that a Sunday newspaper has removed several articles about his private life from their website.

The Sun on Sunday published a number of stories about the Ivory Coast midfield ace with allegations which were untrue and the African star said were "not easy to see".

They have now been removed with the paper publishing a 'clarification' on the matter. â€¨

It read: "The Sun on Sunday has published personal articles about Yaya Toure over the past 12 months. We have removed these articles from our website and apologise for any distress caused."

Toure responded on his Facebook page by saying: "I am glad this stressful situation for me and my family is now resolved.
"It is not easy to see things that are not true about your personal life printed in the media. Thank you to my lawyers and management for helping me fight to correct this."

Four-time African Footballer of the Year Toure, 32, led his country to Cup of Nations success last year. He is the younger brother of his Ivory Coast teammate Kolo TourÃ©

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Â Chelsea Sacks Steward For Calling Fabregas A Snake

Chelsea football club have sacked a steward, after he called Cesc Fabregas â€œa snakeâ€. Although the incident happened earlier this season, the footage, however, only hit the Internet on Friday.
Fabregas is shocked in the eight-second clip, as the steward tells him: â€œYouâ€™re a snake, youâ€™re Arsenal, what happened to you?â€

Fabregas made 503 appearances for Arsenal, after joining as a 15-year-old from Barcelona in 2003. The Spaniard returned to Camp Nou in 2011, before moving to Stamford Bridge in June 2014. A Chelsea spokesman told MirrorSport: â€œThe steward no longer works at Stamford Bridge.

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Home Based Super Eagles Gets $10,000 From Sports Minister

The home based Super Eagles of Nigeria were rewarded with a $10,000 cash prize after their 4-1 thrashing of Niger in the African Nations Championship.
A second half goal by Osas Okoro and a hat trick from Chisom Chikatara gave them a resounding win over their counterparts from Niger.
Nigeriaâ€™s Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung presented the $10,000 to the players on Monday after their victory.
Dalung presented the reward at a dinner organised by the Nigerian High Commission in Rwanda handed the cash to Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh who promised to ensure that the players do not spend it in Kigali.
â€œI am grateful to the moral support and believe me this money will go a long way to helping my boys sleep well tonight,â€ Oliseh said.
â€œI wonâ€™t let them spend it in Rwanda.â€
Oliseh further praised the boys and revealed that it is easy to work with them.
â€œFor me as a coach it is easy to work with these guys because they are hungry,â€ the Super Eagles coach said.
â€œThey want to learn and always asking question, sometimes too much.â€

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Â Sir Alex Ferguson To Return To Man Utd If Van Gaal Is Sacked

Former Manchester Unitedâ€™s coach, Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed to return to the club if Louis Van Gaal is sacked and Assistant manager Ryan Giggs is appointed as Head coach at Manchester United.
MirrorSport reports that, Sir Alex Ferguson will take up a hands on role and assist Ryan Giggs from now till the end of the season if he is appointed as the new manager because of his close relationship with his former protege and his desire to see Man Utd progress under the Welshman.
As reported in the story

â€If Giggs does take charge before the end of the season, as he did when Moyes was sacked in 2014, he would ask for Fergusonâ€™s help him in the closing months of the campaign â€“ and possibly beyond. I understand Ferguson â€“ who has refused offers to comment on United since he stepped down â€“ wouldnâ€™t refuse that request, especially from one of his favourite former stars, although itâ€™s believed he wouldnâ€™t want a return to the dugout.â€
Whether the Ferguson story is true or not, the underlying point is that LVG is walking a tightrope once again. United are currently sixth in the division, and fears are starting to heighten that the Red Devils will not qualify for the Champions League next season

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