Archive | December 2015

Tyson Fury stripped of IBF title….

Tyson Fury

World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has been stripped of his IBF title less than two weeks after winning it. The Briton, 27, had to agree to fight the IBF’s mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov but will instead face Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch. Fury beat Ukrainian Klitschko on points on 28 November to claim three versions of the heavyweight crown. Lindsey Tucker, championships chairman at the IBF, told BBC Sport: “It’s true he’s been stripped of his IBF belt.” He added: “Our challenger was Vyacheslav Glazkov, but instead Fury’s gone and signed a rematch clause with Wladimir Klitschko.” Fury, who is unbeaten in 25 professional contests, retains the WBA and WBO versions of the heavyweight title, while the WBC belt is held by American Deontay Wilder. The 31-year-old Glazkov, also a Ukrainian, has won 21 of his 22 professional fights. The contract for last month’s title fight in Dusseldorf included a clause for a rematch, for which the date and the venue have to be decided, and Klitschko – who had been world champion for 11 years – announced last week he would take up the option.

Neymar wins player of the month award….

Neymar named La Liga Player of the Month for November: ow.ly/VBX05

Neymar has been named the La Liga player of the month for November in Spain. This is not surprising as the Brazilian is on fire for Barcelona at the moment with 14 goals. What is surprising is it is the first time that a Barcelona player has won the award. In summary Cristiano Ronaldo has won it twice in the three seasons it has been handed out but Lionel Messi, has never won this award.

Oliseh names 26-man squad for CHAN 2016….

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Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh, has released the names of 26 players, who will report for training camp ahead of next year’s CHAN in Rwanda. Nigeria have been drawn into Group C, along with Niger Republic, Tunisia and Guinea. Invited players are to report at the Bolton White Apartments in Abuja by December 14. The tournament runs between January 16 and February 7 and is the version of African Cup of Nations played only by home based players. Nigeria came third in the 2014 CHAN hosted by South Africa where Nigeria’s Ejike Uzoenyi emerged the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

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Pistorius granted bail….

Pistorious

Oscar Pistorius has been granted bail while he waits to be sentenced for murdering his girlfriend in 2013. That hearing should take place next year on 18 April. He is being asked to pay 10,000 rand for his bail. Pistorius will be under house arrest and will be electronically tagged, but can leave the house between 7am and midday, though only to go within a 20km radius. He also has to hand over his passport. He is facing a minimum 15 year sentence – though the judge can exercise some discretion.

Bastian Schweinsteiger charged….

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association after clashing with West Ham United’s Winston Reid. Schweinsteiger, 31, caught the Hammers defender with his left arm as they contested a free-kick in the 40th minute of Saturday’s 0-0 draw. The Germany international will face a three-match ban if found guilty. He has until 1pm on Thursday to reply to the charge.

Sanchez gets fans’ award….

Alexis Sanchez

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez has been named Player of the Year by the Football Supporters’ Federation. The 26-year-old forward scored 20 goals in 2015 and topped the fans’ vote ahead of runner-up Jamie Vardy, with Sergio Aguero, David De Gea, Harry Kane and John Stones also on the shortlist.

Sierra Leone free to host football again….

Sierra Leone is able to host football matches again after the African football confederation (CAF) lifted a ban put in place in August 2014 because of the Ebola epidemic. “International football matches and CAF competitions can again be organised in the West African country,” CAF said in a statement. The 45,000 capacity Brookfields National Stadium in Freetown will soon be buzzing again.

Ferguson backs Mourinho….

Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson is in no doubt Jose Mourinho will revive Chelsea’s flagging fortunes. The reigning champions have lost eight of their first 15 games and languish in 14th place but Ferguson said: “There are signs he is getting back to a balanced level although they lost on Saturday. “I think all good leaders will eventually find a solution. I know the guy and I know the work he has done in football and I can’t see it lasting long, I can’t see it.”

Victor Moses faces scan….

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West Ham’s on-loan winger and Nigerian international, Victor Moses will undergo a scan on Tuesday to discover the extent of his hamstring problem, after limping off during the goalless draw at Manchester United on Saturday.

English Premier League results….

Georginio Wijnaldum

Sunday 6 December 2015:

Newcastle 2 – 0 Liverpool

Saturday 5 Decemeber 2015:

Stoke 2 – 0 Man City

Arsenal 3 – 1 Sunderland

Man Utd 0 – 0 West Ham

Southampton 1 – 1 Aston Villa

Swansea 0 – 3 Leicester

Watford 2 – 0 Norwich

West Brom 1 – 1 Tottenham

Chelsea 0 – 1 Bournemouth

 

Algeria and Nigeria reach U23 Nations Cup semi-finals….

Algeria and Nigeria drew 0-0 in their final Group B match of the Under 23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal to make it through to the semi-finals and keep their Olympic hopes alive. The result in Dakar was enough for both teams to qualify with Algeria finishing top of the group and Nigeria ending as runners-up. Egypt’s faint hopes of progressing were dashed after they lost 1-0 to Mali in the other Group B match in M’Bour after Ragab Abdelnabi scored an own-goal in the 18th minute. Saturday’s results mean the semi-final line-up is complete. Nigeria will play the Group A winners Senegal, whilst Algeria will take on the Group A runners-up South Africa. Both semi-finals will be played on Wednesday 9 December. The tournament also serves as a qualifying competition for next year’s Olympic Games with the top three finishers booking a place in Rio.

Hasselbaink appointed QPR boss….

We said before that he was on the verge but now it’s confirmed that Jimmy Floyd Haselbaink has been appointed as QPR boss after an impressive 13 months at Burton, where he guided them to League One promotion and taking them top of the league this season. He told http://www.qpr.co.uk: “It was not an easy decision to leave Burton, but when you get the opportunity to come somewhere like QPR, with the club where it is and the squad we have at our disposal, it was something I couldn’t turn down. “I feel that this is a club on the up – it has an exciting feeling about it. And I want to keep that feeling going by taking more positive strides forward.” Haselbaink was a great number 9 for Chelsea in his hay days.

Chicharito enjoying life at Leverkusen….

Javier Hernandez

Javier Hernandez, sold to Bayer Leverkusen for £7m in the summer, has won the Bundesliga Player of the Month award. The 27-year-old Mexico international has scored six league goals this season – more than Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial have managed combined in the Premier League this season.

Two FIFA Vice Presidents banned….

Bad news yet again from FIFA. Two FIFA Vice Presidents, Juan Angel Napout, the president of the South American Football Confederation and Alfredo Hawit, the president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football and of the Honduran Football Association have been banned from all football-related activities for 90 days. A statement from the ethics committee said: “The reason for the ban is the indictment issued yesterday by the United States Department of Justice for charges of racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.” Both men had been arrested by US authorities for issues bordering on corruption.

QPR set to appoint Hasselbaink….

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Queens Park Rangers are set to name Burton Albion manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as their new boss. BBC Radio Derby reports that the 43-year-old Dutchman is taking training at the Championship club today. Neil Warnock has been in interim charge at Loftus Road since Chris Ramsey parted company with Rangers on 4 November.

Hasselbaink was a player after my heart during his Chelsea days.

Rodgers set to make punditry debut….

Brendan Rodgers

Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is set to return to the Premier League but only as a television pundit. Richard Keys – a presenter for Middle East broadcaster Bein Sports says that Rodgers will be part of their coverage in early January.

He’ll definitely be asked questions about Klopp and the new trend of events at Anfield.

And Hayatou slept off….

Video footage of Issa Hayatou, the acting president of FIFA appears to show the 69-year-old falling asleep. The Cameroonian’s eyes appear to be closed and his head struggles to stay up before his eyes lit up and darted around the room as if checking to see if anyone had noticed. Unfortunately, they had. It was filmed following his own speech on reforms during a meeting of FIFA’s ExCo held in Zurich.

Sam Ibiam, Nigeria’s first goalkeeper passes on….

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Sam Ibiam, the first Nigerian national team goalkeeper has died at the age of 90. Ibiam, a native of Ebonyi state who was a born in 1925. In 1949, he was the goalkeeper of the first national football team that toured the United Kingdom play­ing notable English teams like Liv­erpool FC. He played alongside the likes of Dan Anyiam, Ewa Henshaw and Teslim Balogun.

Pa Ibiam was known in his playing days as The Cat or The Black Magnet.

Real face expulsion from Spanish Cup….

Denis Cheryshev

Real Madrid could face disqualification from the Copa del Rey after fielding an ineligible player in their fourth-round win over Cadiz, report Spanish media. Denis Cheryshev, 24, gave Real the lead but the Russian should have been serving a one-game ban, say reports. Newspaper AS has published a document showing he received three bookings in the domestic cup competition while on loan at Villarreal last season. This first-leg tie was the first opportunity he had to serve the ban. Real boss Rafael Benitez was manager of Valencia when they were disqualified from the Copa del Rey – the Spanish Cup – having played too many non-European Union players in a tie against Novelda in 2001. Last season Osasuna were kicked out of the tournament for playing an ineligible player after Unai Garcia was selected in the win over Mirandes despite having been sent off the previous season. Cadiz will have to report the situation to the Spanish Football Federation on Thursday. The club’s Twitter feed,  said during the game: “The Board of Directors of @Cadiz-CF will meet at the end of the match.” Cheryshev was taken off moments after half-time as a double from Isco secured victory for the 19-time Copa del Rey winners, with Kike Marquez scoring a late goal for the hosts.