Nigerian international, John Utaka, gets married

 

The wedding was announced by Kanu Nwankwo on Twitter.



Nigeria Super Eagles and Montpellier forward, John Utaka, will be getting married today in France where he is based.

News of the wedding was confirmed by former Super Eagles captain, Kanu Nwankwo, on his Twitter page this afternoon.

“Heading to john otaka wedding to be there for him. His my young Bro so am in France,” Nwankwo tweeted.

via Premium Times

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WORST SPORTS TATTOO EVER

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Eric Abidal ends his career at Barcelona

A tearful Eric Abidal has called an end to his six-year Barcelona playing career, less than two months after returning to action from a liver transplant.


"I am going, but I am sure I will be back in another capacity," the French defender told a news conference at the club, which said it had offered him a role running the club's training schools.

"I would have liked to continue playing for Barça, but the clubs sees things differently and I have to respect that," he said, with tears in his eyes.

The team is my second family. We have gone through a lot together and I'll remember this forever.

Eric Abidal 

 

"It's a very difficult day for me," he added via Barcelona's official Twitter account. "I have played for Barca for six years and it's been the biggest experience of my life.

"I understand and respect the decision of the club. I'm going, but I'll be sure to return. I want to thank all the fans of the club who have supported me and have been looking after me. The team is my second family. We have gone through a lot together and I'll remember this forever."

Abidal, 33, who made a remarkable recovery from last year's liver transplant to return to first-team action last month, is out of contract at the end of the season. He had said he hoped to continue playing for another couple of years. "I had two aims: firstly to fight for the sake of my daughters and see them grow up, and secondly to start playing again," he said of his recovery.

Abidal "has become a very special person for all of us", said the club's president Sandro Rosell, sitting alongside the player as Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and other stars of the Barcelona squad looked on. "He is an example of how to overcome difficulties. He will go down in our history for the way he managed to come back as a player," Rosell said.

He added that Abidal was welcome to return to Barça "whenever he wants to come back", even if he left first to play for another side. "We are not saying goodbye," Rosell said. "When he stops being a player, the doors are open for him to be a technical director of our schools at international level."




credit to FIFA.COM

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NIGERIA FEDERATION CUP 2013, WOMEN’S DRAW

Dynamic Sports Vs Ibom Angels

Kogi Confluence Vs FC Real Dynamos

Oginni Queens Vs Delta Queens

GOD Ciity Queens Vs C. I. Angels

Pelican Stars Vs FCT Queens

Nasarawa Amazons Vs Sunshine Queens

Taraba Queens Vs Yaba Queens

Osun Babes Vs Adamawa Queens

Shettima Babes Vs Bayelsa Queens

Martins White Vs Florence Babes

Champions Rivers Angels and Inneh Queens draw bye

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FIFA World cup qualifier: Eritrean Maeruf Kherseed to take charge of Eagles/Namibia match

World football-governing body, FIFA has named Mensur Maeruf Kherseed
from Eritrea as referee for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match
between Nigeria and Namibia, slated for Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek
on Wednesday, June 12.

Maeruf Kherseed, 40, became an international referee in 2008.

He will be assisted by compatriot Berhe Tesfagiorghis O’Michael, 38,
who is Assistant Referee 1, and who became an international assistant
referee in 2004.

Hassan Egueh Yacin from Djibouti will be the Assistant Referee 2, with
another Eritrean, Luelseghed Ghebremichael as Fourth Official.
Ghebremichael, 41, became an international referee in 2004.

FIFA also appointed Mady Kanoso Bora from Madagascar as Referee
Assessor and Abbasi Ssendyowa from Uganda as Match Commissioner.

The match has been slated to kick off at the artifical turf of Sam
Nujoma Stadium as from 8pm Namibia time.

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Eagles Calm, Ready For Action, Says Inyama

Leader of the Nigerian delegation to Friday’s prestige friendly
against Mexico (Saturday morning, Nigerian time) in the United States,
Chief Emeka Inyama, has said the Super Eagles squad he is with in the
States is composed and ready for action against Mexico.

Speaking to team’s Media Officer, Ben Alaiya from Houston, Inyama, who
is the Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, said he was
delighted at what he is seeing adding that he believes that the team
will do well against Mexico. “But the ultimate target is to have a
team that will qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup.”

He continued: We just had lunch and all the 22 players we have been
doing great and rearing to go. The coaches must be commended for the
wonderful drilling they are giving our boys. I am very sure we will
not disappoint the nation against Mexico.

The former Abia State Sports Commissioner praised NFF President,
Alhaji Aminu Maigari for the initiative of organizing top grade
friendlies for the national team. “We have reached a height in our
football that was never attained in the last 19 yars and we don’t want
to even come down again”, he said.

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Keshi: Eagles Will Do Well Against Mexico

 

Stephen Keshi

 …As Ideye, Akpala Lead Strike Force

Super Eagles boss, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi remained calm Thursday
evening ahead of the team’s last training session before the encounter
against CONCACAF champions, Mexico in Houston, the United States.
Keshi who expressed joy that the game will be televised live in
Nigeria, says there are no injury worries in the team, promising that
the team will not have any reason to faulter against the Mexicans. 

“We will do our best and ensure that we come clean against Mexico, as
usual we want Nigerians to pray for us. On our part we will defend the
national colours well against any opposition and Mexico is just one of
them”, he declared.

Camp sources also revealed that Ukraine based hitman Brown Ideye and
German based Joseph Akpala, may be the preferred strike force to start
against the Mexicans as the duo have shown maturity at training
sessions.

Big midfielder John Ogu is also said to be pulling his weight and it
won’t be surprising if he starts the match against the very tricky
Mexicans. “I don’t know who will start and who will not but we have a
team that should do very well against Mexico”, Keshi said on Thursday
evening. The match is scheduled for 8pm Houston time and 2am Nigeria
time on Saturday morning which will still be Friday evening in
Houston.

 

twitter @aderonkew

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YSFON HAILS ELEGBELEYE'S APPOINTMENT

The appointment of Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye as the new Director General of the National Sports Commission by the President,Dr Goodluck Jonathan is a welcome development just as he  has been charged to bring to bear his vast experience as a grassroots sports development personality.


The President of Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf  Gawuna said the appointment of Hon.Elegbeleye who was former chairman of the Ondo State chapter of the body was not only a welcome development but a plus to the presidency for choosing him.

Alhaji Guwuna explained that the new Director General has what it takes to turn sport round for good in the country as he can easily key into the grassroots sports initiative of the present administration that is gear towards revolutionizing sports in the country.
 

"Honourable Elegbeleye is a good choice, he has the capacity to run things in the commission, his contributions to grassroots sports development is not in doubt, his legacy, is there in his home State where he did well in the development of sports at the grassroots level through many programmes he initiated in support of the youths,he is in a familiar terrain and we believe he can do well in his new job, but he must not go to sleep," Gawuna explained.

According to him, while YSFON will continue to strive for the general well being of youths in the country through its programmes, the appointment of the new Director General is a pointer that this administration is committed to it quest to change the sporting fortunes of the nation positively.

The body also tasked the Director General, to bring to bear his vast experience as a grassroot mobiliser to sports at the national level, adding that YSFON is proud to be associated with his foresight for the development of youths through sports.  

 

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David beckham retired from Football

David Beckham, one of the most iconic football stars of his generation, has announced his retirement.
 

His decision comes days after the 38-year-old won his latest title with French club Paris Saint-Germain.

Beckham, who won the Champions League with Manchester United in 1999, also won league titles with Real Madrid, AC Milan and Los Angeles Galaxy before arriving in the French capital earlier this year.

The midfielder won 115 caps for England and is married to former Spice Girl and fashion designer, Victoria, He is estimated to be the country's wealthiest sportsman.

 

"If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over one hundred times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy," said Beckham in a statement.

"I'm fortunate to have realized those dreams."

Despite the glittering career with some of the world's top clubs, Beckham singled out captaining his country as one of his "proudest achievements."

"I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country.

"I'm honoured to represent England both on and off the pitch. I want to thank all my team-mates, the great managers that I had the pleasure of learning from.

"I also want to thank the fans who have all supported me and given me the strength to succeed.''

Champions PSG's last two games are against Brest at the Parc des Princes in the French capital on Saturday and at Lorient next Sunday.

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Ex-super Falcons coach, Jossy Lad, is dead

 

Jossy Lad died in Ibadan on Thursday.


A former Super Falcons Coach, Joseph Ladipo, is dead.

The former Shooting Stars Chairman, popularly referred to as Jossy Lad, died on Thursday afternoon in Ibadan after a long illness.


Before his death, Jossy Lad was placed on life support machine at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan but was later discharged.

A close source to the Ladipo family in Ibadan told PREMIUM TIMES that Jossy Lad had been going from home to receive treatment periodically at the UCH even as his family had been making frantic efforts for him to be flown abroad for better medical services.

The health condition of the former coach, however, deteriorated; with the family rushing him back to the UCH.

Jossy Lad, who captained top Nigeria club, 3SC (then IICC Shooting Stars) and played for the senior National Team failed to win the battle to stay alive as he joins the growing list of dead Shooting Stars legends

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David Moyes is the new Manchester United Coach

David Moyes

Manchester United appointed David Moyes to succeed Alex Ferguson as manager on Thursday and the Everton boss has signed a six-year contract with the Premier League champions.

Moyes, who announced earlier that he would be leaving Everton after 11 years there, was the hot favourite to take over from his fellow Scot at Old Trafford and was recommended by Ferguson for the post.

"When we discussed the candidates that we felt had the right attributes we unanimously agreed on David Moyes," Ferguson, who is staying at United as an ambassador and director, said in a statement.

"David is a man of great integrity with a strong work ethic. I've admired his work for a long time and approached him as far back as 1998 to discuss the position of Assistant Manager here.

"He was a young man then at the start of his career and has since gone on to do a magnificent job at Everton. There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this Club."

Moyes will start his new job on July 1, taking over from Britain's most successful manager who is retiring at the end of the season after winning two Champions Leagues, 13 league titles, five FA Cups in more than 26 years at United.

Everton had earlier confirmed that Moyes would be leaving, saying the Scot had told chairman Bill Kenwright that he wanted to join United.

"The chairman, on behalf of the club, would like to place on record his thanks to David for the massive contribution he has made to Everton since his arrival in March 2002," Everton said in a statement on their website (www.evertonfc.com).

"He has been an outstanding manager."

Factfile:

Name: David William Moyes

Age: 50

Date of birth: April 25, 1963

Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland

Playing career

Position: Centre-back

Teams: Celtic (1980-1983), Cambridge United (1983-1985), Bristol City (1985-1987), Shrewsbury Town (1987-1990), Dunfermline Athletic (1990-1993), Hamilton Academical (1993), Preston North End (1993-1999)

Playing honours

Celtic

Scottish League Premier Division (1): 1981-82

Preston North End

Football League Third Division (1): 1995-96

Managerial career

Teams: Preston North End (1998-2002), Everton (2002-2013), Manchester United (2013-)

Managerial honours

Preston North End

Football League Second Division (1): 1999-2000



Reuters

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Top 10 Best Defenders

Here are Top 10 Best Defenders According To Sky Sport

 

 

 1. Ramos | Real Madrid

2. Vidic | Manchester United
3. Kompany | Manchester City

4. Dante | Bayern Munchen

5. Subotic | Borussia Dortmund

6. Hummels | Borussia Dortmund

7. Chiellini | Juventus

8. Pique | Barcelona

9. David Luiz | Chelsea

10. Rafael | Manchester United

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BREAKING:League management company (LMC) has confirmed the receipt of N1.89 bn from #NPFL sponsor Globacom for 3 seasons.

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American Fifa Executive Committee Member Chuck Blazer Provisionally Banned

 

The chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, has decided to provisionally ban FIFA Executive Committee member Chuck Blazer from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for a maximum period of 90 days. 

The decision was taken following a request made by the acting deputy chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Robert Torres, based on the fact that various breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics appear to have been committed by Chuck Blazer and that a decision on the main issue could not be taken early enough. 

The investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee previously opened investigation proceedings against Chuck Blazer in response to the final report of the CONCACAF Integrity Committee (cf. www.concacafintegrityreport.com). The CONCACAF General Secretary, Enrique Sanz, asked FIFA to assume jurisdiction in “view of the serious alleged misconduct” and the implications for FIFA.

The chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Michael J. Garcia, declined to participate in this investigation due to the fact that he holds the same nationality as Chuck Blazer (cf. art. 35 par. 2 c) of the FIFA Code of Ethics).

culled from FIFA.COM

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Coach of the Beach Soccer National Team Adamu calls 18 for African Beach Soccer Championship

Head Coach of the Beach Soccer National Team, also known as Supersand
Eagles, Audu Ejo Adamu has invited 18 players to camp ahead of this
month’s African Beach Soccer Championship in Morocco.

The African Beach Soccer Championship, which also serves as the
qualifying tournament for this year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup,
will take place in El Jadida, Morocco between 20th – 26th May, 2013.

Invited are old reliables like Isiaka Olawale, Abdul Isah, Bartholomew
Ibenegbu, Ogbonnaya Okemiri and Victor Tale, and new faces like
Danladi Isah, Jerome Parara and Adufu Abutu. Heartland FC of Owerri’s
free-scoring forward Isah Akor is also called.

The team will camp in Badagry, Lagos, with Coach Adamu to pick only 12
for the African championship.

THE FULL LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS

Abdul Isah (Kaduna United); Oladipo Olalekan (Owibeseb FC, Lagos);
Isiaka Olawale (Dolphins FC); Abuh Azeez (Kwara United FC); Emeka
Ogbonna (Owibeseb FC, Lagos); Abdul Haruna (Heartland FC); Isah Akor
(Heartland FC); Shehu Maijama’a (Wikki Tourists FC); Ogbonnaya Okemiri
(Kwara United FC); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Heartland FC); Victor Tale
(Bassa United, Kogi); Adufu Abutu (NYSC FC, Kogi); Babatunde Badmus
(Owibeseb FC, Lagos); Danladi Isah (Sharks FC); Emmanuel Owhoferia
(Owibeseb FC, Lagos); Jerome Parara (Igala United, Kogi); Taiwo Adams
(Owibeseb FC, Lagos); Emmanuel Zabi (Adamawa United)

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Super Eagles get US and German visas

 All set for high-profile friendly against Mexico


The Embassies of United States of America and Germany have granted
entry visas into their different countries for players and officials
of the National Team, Super Eagles, ahead of some important programmes
in the summer.

NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu on Monday praised the two
Embassies for their usual co-operation: “The American and German
Embassies have always been very understanding and we salute them for
this.

“The Super Eagles have received their entry visas into Germany for the
training camp, and have also been issued entry visas into the United
States for the prestigeous friendly with Mexico at the end of this
month.”

The delegation of home-based professionals and officials will depart
Nigeria on the night of 16th May for a two-week training camp in
Nuremberg, Germany, and will fly into Texas, USA on 29th May for the
friendly against CONCACAF champions Mexico at the Reliant Stadium,
Houston on 31st May.

After the match, the team will return to Germany on 1st June, and fly
out to Nairobi in the early hours of 4th June, to arrive in the
morning of same day and train ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifier
the following day at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.

On Friday, June 7, the team will fly out of Nairobi to Windhoek, where
another 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier is set for June 12. The day
after the match, the delegation will connect Johannesburg from
Windhoek, and fly to Sao Paulo in Brazil for the 2013 FIFA
Confederations Cup.

Also, players and officials of the U-20 National Team, Flying Eagles,
will leave for a training camp in Germany on Saturday, 11th May. The
team will be there until 27th May when it flies out to France for the
Toulon Invitational Youth Tournament. After the tournament on 8th
June, the Flying Eagles will return to the camp in Germany, and be
there until 17th June, when they are due t fly to Turkey for the FIFA
U-20 World Cup finals.

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Liverpool Football Club to Visit Capetown, South Africa

English Premier League side Liverpool will face PSL side Ajax Cape Town in a friendly match on May 21. 


The Reds been in negotiations with the City of Cape Town for a while and city Councillor Grant Pascoe has now confirmed that the Merseyside club will hit the South African shores later this month.
Brendan Rodgers' men are set to take on the Urban Warriors at the Cape Town Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 20:15.
“Cape Town is making headway as the events capital of South Africa," said Pascoe.

 "The success of hosting Bafana Bafana along with the Manchester United game recently held in Cape Town, has demonstrated the tremendous pulling power of soccer events at Cape Town Stadium.

“The successful hosting of sporting events at the Stadium not only positions Cape Town as a safe, exciting sporting destination, but also contributes to the financial sustainability of the Stadium.”

 Ajax will complete their Absa Premiership campaign against Lamontville Golden Arrows on May 18, while Liverpool will conclude their Premier League season at home against Queens Park Rangers a day later

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REVEALED: Ex Man United Star,Wilfried Zaha's brother 'is a street gangster behind string of violent crimes'

Wilfred Zaha with his Notorious Brother Herve

The brother of a promising football star is a 'general' in a criminal gang believed to be involved in shootings, stabbings and violent street battles over territory.


Wilfried Zaha, 20, has been signed by Manchester United after the winger, who currently plays for Crystal Palace, impressed reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

But his 24-year-old brother Herve has gone down a different path as a high-ranking member of the feared Don't Say Nothing crew, also known as DSN, according to the Daily Mirror.

'All u aluminium gangsters coverd by other peoples fame, u knw hu u r, get real. level has changed. my TEAM DO, DID AND THEY F****** DOES THIS THING. so n***** please, cos u dnt wanna see my n****** squeeze, cos if we do we leave ur f****** body ina fridge, let it freeze...let it go six feet deep...bigup my up all my DSN mandem (Jamaican slang for 'man them', commonly used by British gangs to describe members) say no mre.'

Last year, Herve received a 12-month conditional discharge for criminal damage after he threw a paving slab through the window of a car as a woman sat at the wheel. He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation, £100 to the victim and £80 court costs.

His Facebook page features a picture of him with his younger brother, although there is no link between Wilfried and the gang.

Wilfried Zaha

The Mirror also claims to have seen an online music video of Herve posing with members of DSN.

A prominent member of DSN is Joland Giwa, AKA Dexter, who famously posted a picture of himself using a cameraphone while still in prison at Rochester Jail.

Zaha comes from a strict family in Croydon, originally from the Ivory Coast, and his father imposed strict curfews.

In one interview, Wilfried said: 'We all lived in a three-bedroomed house. Good times. I shared with my brothers.

'My mum and dad were giving me the advice. My dad knew how much I wanted it. I had strict parents from an early age.

'I had the earliest curfew ever. It was 6pm and 7pm… and I was 17.'

As part of the £15million transfer to Manchester United, Zaha was allowed to stay at Championship side Palace until the end of the season and is could now help propel the club into the Premier League via the play-offs.

Zaha’s agent did not comment on Herve’s links to DSN.

 

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KeNneth Omeruo to join Chelsea

Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo will join up with English Premier League side Chelsea for pre-season training ahead of next season.


Omeruo has been on loan at Dutch club ADO Den Haag from Chelsea for the past one and half seasons.



Top representatives of the central defender informed MTNFootball.com that the 19-year-old defender has begun processing his travel papers to train with Chelsea ahead of the new season.

“Kenneth has begun processing his papers to allow him join Chelsea for pre-season in the summer,” one of the player’s handlers disclosed.

“There will most likely be some changes at Chelsea and it would be after those changes that one would really know whether he will now stay at Chelsea or be loaned out again.”

Last year, Omeruo failed to join up with ‘The Blues’ for pre-season training in the United States of America because he could not get an entry visa to the USA in good time.

Omeruo, who has made 26 appearances and scored two goals since his arrival in January 2012, featured for ADO Den Haag in central defence on Sunday as they beat Feyenoord 2-0.

“He was very excited with his performance as a central defender. This was most probably his last home match for ADO,” said the player’s representative.

Omeruo’s Dutch club are ninth on the table with 40 points from 33 matches and play their final game of the campaign on Sunday at PEC Zwolle.

Chelsea already have two Nigeria stars in their ranks – midfielder Mikel Obi and winger Victor Moses.












Credit to mtnfootball.com

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Robin Van Persie and Rafa Benitez wins PFA Awards

 

 

 Robin van Persie has won April's PFA Player of the Month award, while Rafa Benitez has scooped the manager's prize.

Van Persie netted six times in five league matches, including a stunning hat-trick at home to Aston Villa which clinched a record 20th title for Manchester United.

The prolific Dutchman also scored on his return to the Emirates Stadium against former club Arsenal, and leads the Premier League scoring charts with 25 goals.

He unlikely to be caught either, as his nearest rival Luis Suarez (23) will not play again this season, having been given a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.

Van Persie, however, was pipped to both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards by Tottenham star Gareth Bale.

Benitez guided Chelsea to three wins and a draw in April as the Blues close in on a third-place finish.

The Spaniard will also lead his side out against Benfica in the Europa League final after seeing off Basel in the semi-finals of the competition this week.

 

 

 

Article by Futball galore

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Wayne Bridge and Fiancee, Frankie are expecting their first child together

 

Wayne Michael Bridge (born 5 August 1980) is an English footballer who plays as a left back for Football League Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion, on loan from Manchester City.


Frankie Sandford has revealed she is pregnant with her first child with fiancé Wayne Bridge.
The 24-year-old singer announced the news on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, writing: 'Some big news from me today! 

'Wayne and I are having a baby. We are both SO happy and can't wait for his or hers arrival!'

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INTERESTING: Kobe Bryant NBA Star and Mom In Bitter Legal Battle

 
Kobe Bryant is in a tooth-and-nail fight with his mother over some priceless basketball memorabilia, including his 1998 All Star ring.


Seems Kobe's mom, Pamela Bryant, made a deal with Goldin Auctions to sell hoards of Kobe's bball swag, including a 2000 All Star game signed ball, game and practice jerseys from his days at Lower Merion High School, a Lakers jacket and shorts, trophies, his varsity high school letters and lots of other stuff.

According to a lawsuit ... obtained by TMZ ... the auction house gave Pamela a $450,000 advance, which she says will be used immediately to buy a new home.  According to the lawsuit, Pamela told the auction house Kobe gave her all the stuff outright 5 years ago.

But Kobe has beef, claiming he's the owner of the stuff and he's trying to block the auction. 

So a fearful Goldin Auctions has gone to court, naming Kobe as the defendant and asking a judge to declare Pamela the owner of the goods.

A judge has yet to rule.

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Emerging African Footballers impressing in England

 

After the remarkable exploits of Didier Drogba, Tony Yeboah, Yakubu and others in recent years, it will come as a surprise to no-one that a new crop of Africans are once again taking the English Premier League by storm. All in all, 22 Africans have struck the back of the net during the 2012/13 season, demonstrating the strength in depth of the continent’s attack-minded performers.

The list of scorers obviously includes some very familiar names, such as the Senegalese pair of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, Côte d’Ivoire’s Yaya Toure, South African star Steven Pienaar and Togolese target man Emmanuel Adebayor. But it also features some surprise guests that have succeeded in getting on the scoresheet in one of the toughest leagues on the planet.

FIFA.com turns the spotlight on five African players currently enjoying some of the finest spells of their careers.

Arouna Kone
Côte d’Ivoire, Wigan Athletic
The success enjoyed by Robin van Persie since leaving Arsenal could never be described as unexpected, while the signing of the explosive Michu may well go down as the bargain of the year. On a sliding scale of Premier League transfer expectations, the outcome of Arouna Kone’s move to Wigan resembles that of the Swansea attacking midfielder significantly more than that of the Manchester United man.

Not only has the Ivoirian delighted Latics fans by helping their heroes secure an unexpected berth in the FA Cup final, he has contributed ten valuable goals (the second largest haul by an African, behind Demba Ba’s 15 strikes) in their quest to avoid relegation. Four matches remain for Roberto Martinez’s charges to extricate themselves from the 18th spot they currently occupy. It is a challenge that is unlikely to unnerve the international attacker, who can also boast nine goals in 39 appearances for Les Elephants.

Kone’s 15 goals while on loan at La Liga side Levante brought to an end five difficult years during which he found the back of the net just three times in 50 league matches for PSV Eindhoven, Sevilla and Hannover. The season that saw the striker return to form still had the most curious of endings, however. A clause in his Sevilla contract stipulated that if he managed to score 18 times for Levante, he would return to Andalusia the following season.

Having clocked up 17 goals in all competitions with a handful of games left, he was then torn between scoring one more goal to assist his team, a feat which would precipitate a move back to a Sevilla outfit where he had never truly established himself, and ensuring that his tally remained stuck at 17, thereby pursuing his adventure with Los Granotes. In the end, Kone did not score again during season 2011/12, which suited Levante perfectly - until they transferred him to Wigan a few weeks later.

Mohamed Diame
Senegal, West Ham
For Mohamed Diame, who left Wigan last summer, the major plus point of this campaign is not that he has settled in well at West Ham and scored for the London side, but simply that he is able to play the game at all.

In fact, the Creteil-born defensive midfielder came close to turning his back on a career in football, when, at the age of 19 and on the verge of signing his first professional contract with Lens, he was diagnosed with a heart problem that forced him to almost give up on his dream.

“Just as I was about to achieve my goal, they told me that I wouldn’t be able to play in top-flight matches any more. It was a terrible shock,” recalled Diame, who spent an entire season on the sidelines, receiving treatment and pondering his future. 

In the summer of 2007, the midfield man returned to the pitch, keen to make up for lost time with Linares, a third division Spanish side. Rejuvenated, his performances caught the eye of Rayo Vallecano, then playing in the second tier; this time, the medical revealed nothing untoward.

A subsequent strong season at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas then led to a move to Wigan and the English Premier League in 2009. It did not take Diame long to become one of the team’s key players, opening the doors to the Senegalese national team in the process. 

Having since racked up 17 caps, he has developed into a commanding figure in the centre of the park for the Lions of Teranga, where his displays have marked him out as a possible successor to Pape Bouba Diop, hero of Senegal’s memorable 2002 FIFA World Cup™ campaign. After joining the Hammers last year, he has already scored three times and become a firm favourite with the home fans.

Kei Kamara
Sierra Leone, Norwich City
Kei Kamara’s career almost never left the starting blocks. At the age of 14, he left his war-torn homeland of Sierra Leone to rejoin his mother in the USA by way of Gambia and a refugee support programme.

The American dream gradually became a reality for the budding footballer as, after building a promising reputation at high school and university, he found himself drafted by MLS outfit Colombus Crew in 2006. Stints at San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo followed for the attacker, before he put pen to paper with Sporting Kansas City in 2009.

Three seasons, 98 matches and 31 goals later, Norwich’s interest was sufficiently piqued for them to tempt the winger-cum-striker across the ocean on a loan deal in January of this year. The move triggered celebrations in the country of his birth, where English matches are shown at the cinema.

“All the screens back home were packed,” he said after his first appearance as a substitute for the Canaries against Fulham on 9 February. “There’ll be loads of yellow jerseys with my name on them,” he added. Since then, Kamara, who has 15 caps for Sierra Leone, has played in eight further encounters on English soil, scoring a goal against Everton in one of them.

His supporters back in west Africa are said to feel great pride in his achievements, not least his devoted mother. After making his Premier League debut, he wrote “Mum, I did it” on Twitter, alongside a photo of a Norwich jersey.

Gael Bigirimana
Burundi, Newcastle United
Gael Bigirimana’s story has also been described as a fairy tale. Born in Burundi in 1993, his family moved to England as refugees in 2004 after spending some time in Uganda.

He was only 11 when he knocked on the door of Coventry City’s youth academy, confidently asking for a trial. He was told politely that he would have to be spotted by a scout while playing for a local team, but as he sprinted back home, he was called back by a member of staff. “They said it was because they saw how fast I could run, but truth be told, I was just jogging,” recalled the 19-year-old midfielder with a smile.

Following a successful trial and numerous convincing performances in various age categories, the Burundian turned professional with the second-tier Sky Blues, despite having not yet turned 17. The prodigious talent would remain in the West Midlands for just one season, during which he earned the division’s Apprentice of the Year award, and in doing so attracted the interest of Newcastle United.

Bigirimana continued to impress at St James’ Park, opening his account for his new club in December with a superb left-foot strike versus Wigan. “He shouldn’t have been playing in this team. He should have been playing in our youth team, but our situation was such that he was given a chance,” said Newcastle manager Alan Pardew after the aforementioned goal.

“And as you saw, it’s a chance he’s grabbed with both hands. He went one step further, in fact, scoring a fantastic goal that he’ll remember all his life. He has an exciting future ahead of him,” Pardew added.

Jimmy Kebe
Mali, Reading
Recently, Reading winger Jimmy Kebe became a virtual team-mate of Bigirimana for a few seconds, when he announced on Twitter that he, a Malian born in France, would be joining Newcastle, taking a tongue-in-cheek dig at the Magpies’ French-focused signing strategy.

But humour is not all that Kebe has to offer, as he demonstrated this campaign for Reading, the club he has represented since 2008. Unfortunately, his five goals were not sufficient to save the Royals from relegation, but the lively performer certainly did not look out of place in England’s top flight.

Reading got a sense of Kebe’s potential even though the wide man had never actually played in Ligue 1. Loaned out by Lens, for whom he had only ever played reserve matches, to Chateauroux in 2007, he won over then-Reading manager Steve Coppell, who insisted on signing the player right there and then.

“I’d always dreamed of going to England; it’s a great opportunity to play against teams like Arsenal or Manchester United, and to face guys like Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said at the time of the transfer, adding, “It’s the chance of a lifetime.”

Unfortunately, Reading were relegated at the end of season 2007/08, and Ronaldo’s high-profile move to Spain in 2009 meant that Kebe would not get the chance to test himself against the Portuguese star after all. But what better motivation than an unfulfilled dream to spur on an ambitious footballer?

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