It will not be fair to invite Yobo, bench him – Keshi

Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has said
Fernabahce of Turkey star defender, Joseph Tambarin Yobo,
remains the national team skipper, even if he has not been in
constant contact with him recently.
Also after four months injury lay off, Emmanuel Emenike is
back playing in the Russian league. The Nigerian came on for
Spartak Moscow in the 66th minute to replace Yura
Movsisyan on on the opening day of the Russia Premier
League at the Stadion Metallurg home of Krylya Sovetov.
Coach Stephen Keshi and Captain Joseph Yobo.
Speaking at a media interaction at the team’s Bolton White
Apartments camp in Abuja on Wednesday, Keshi said he has a
lot of respect for Yobo because of what he has done for the
nation and cannot invite him to the team only to put him on
the bench.
“It will not be fair to invite Yobo to the national team and ask
him to be on the bench, it will be a huge disgrace and I won’t
be part of that. When the team needs him he will be recalled
and will definitely start as captain even if along the line we
substitute him”.
Keshi used the opportunity to praise the proactive manner the
Nigeria Football Federation have been handling affairs of the
national players despite its lean financial situation and
thanked the Aminu Maigari led board for their hardwork.
He called for more support for the NFF so that they can meet
their obligations to all the national teams and declared that all
the players who have not been invited in the current squad
still have an opportunity to be part of the team

Moyes tight-lipped over Rooney’s future

Manchester United manager David Moyes Thursday avoided
talking about the burning question of Wayne Rooney’s playing
future, but club legend Bryan Robson insisted the star striker
was “not for sale”.
Moyes, preparing the Red Devils for Saturday’s pre-season
match against Australia’s A-League All Stars, remained tight-
lipped about the Rooney transfer speculation at an official
team lunch in Sydney.
Jose Mourinho has launched his new reign at Chelsea with a
sensational offer for Rooney, saying in Bangkok where his
team is on tour that the bid, for a reported 10 million pounds
(11.5 million euros, $15.1 million), was “clean” and “ethical”.
But United’s longest-serving
captain said the club was
firm in its refusal to part
ways with Rooney, who is
back in England after leaving
the Red Devils in Bangkok
with a hamstring injury just a
few hours into their pre-
season tour.
“David Moyes has said
Wayne Rooney is not for
sale. As far as we’re
concerned, that’s the end of
it,” Robson told reporters in
Sydney, where he is
accompanying the team.
The former England
midfielder added that the ongoing speculation about Rooney
had not distracted the team from their pre-season
preparations.
“They’re getting on with training. Unfortunately Wayne got the
hamstring strain, which he didn’t want — you don’t want any
of your top players out at this stage of the pre-season. But it
hasn’t been a disruption to the other boys,” he said.
Former United strikers Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, also
accompanying the Red Devils in Australia, said they want
Rooney to stay at Old Trafford.
”I’d love him to stay — and I think everyone wants him to
stay,” Cole said.
”But now we’re going to get asked this question again and
again until it’s resolved. Wayne is a fantastic player, and
we’re all hoping he stays. Every Manchester United supporter
hopes he’ll be at Old Trafford next season.”
Despite the rising swell of talk about a transfer away, Yorke
believes Rooney will see out his contract under Moyes.
”There’s nothing to feel bad about — except that he’s not
here in Australia and had to go home and get treatment for
his injury,” he said.
”We all know the speculation, we all know the talk, and that’s
what happens when you’re a big player. But I believe he’ll be
a Manchester United player for the next two years.” AFP

Mourinho reign starts with Rooney bid

Jose Mourinho launched his new reign at Chelsea with a
sensational bid for Manchester United star Wayne Rooney and
a friendly victory in Bangkok on Wednesday.
The charismatic Portuguese, in his first game back after six
seasons away, led a side brimming with new faces to a 1-0
“training session” win over Singha All-Star XI.
But the game, in front of tens of thousands of blue-shirted
Thai fans, was completely overshadowed by news that
Chelsea had tabled an undisclosed bid for the unsettled
England striker.
Mourinho said the bid, for a reported 10 million pounds (11.5
million euros, $15.1 million) was “clean” and “ethical”, and he
contradicted reports that Juan Mata or David Luiz had been
offered as make-weights.
Jose Mourinho
“End of story — we made a bid and now it’s up to Man United
and it’s up to the player,” he said, adding that Chelsea were
not targeting any other players.
“We love the player, we are interested in the player, we made
the bid. We have nothing more to say and nothing more to do.
And now we have to respect and be ethical in this process,”
Mourinho said.
“The official bid is just about a certain amount of money, it
doesn’t involve players and it doesn’t involve players in the
possibility of the negotiations to continue,” he added, raising
the prospect of another offer.
Rooney is said to have asked for a transfer in May and he
lasted just a few hours of United’s pre-season tour before
departing with a minor hamstring injury.
This week, reports said he was “angry and confused” at
comments from new boss David Moyes which suggested he
would play second fiddle to Robin van Persie this season.
Mourinho’s Chelsea are rated as the biggest threat to
Manchester United’s title defence as Moyes attempts to follow
Alex Ferguson’s 27-year, 38-trophy reign.
And Chelsea got off to a positive start under Mourinho by
beating the All Stars — who shocked United in Bangkok last
week — 1-0 courtesy of a Romelu Lukaku first-half penalty.
Kevin De Bruyne was a chief threat on his debut, after
returning from a loan spell at Werder Bremen, and he whistled
a thunderous shot past the uprights on 23 minutes.
Lukaku was also posing problems early on and he forced a
sharp save from the goalkeeper after galloping through one-
on-one on the half-hour.
But the first goal of Mourinho’s new era came from the spot
after Brazilian right-back Wallace, Chelsea’s new signing from
Fluminense, went down under a challenge in the box.
And Lukaku made no mistake with his left foot as he drove
the penalty low and to the ‘keeper’s right for his first goal in a
Chelsea shirt, with 35 minutes gone.
The six foot four (1.93 metre) Belgian might have had another
but his first-time shot in the box was again parried away.
Both teams switched nearly their entire teams at half-time
and it was a disjointed second period from the Blues.
“It was a good experience for us, because they were very well
organised tactically, they were very compact… I think my team
were always in control,” Mourinho said.
“It was a good training session,” he added.
Mourinho said veteran midfielder Frank Lampard had been left
out as a precaution after taking a knock to the kidneys.
Chelsea now head to Kuala Lumpur and then Jakarta as they
continue their build-up to the new season.

18 Eagles for Abidjan derby

Only18 players from the 24 presently in camp will make the
trip to Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire for the return leg of the final
round qualifier of the CHAN championship.
Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor, said only 18 players will
be dressed for the encounter and it will be useless taking
more than the required number to Abidjan, as others who have
been in camp with the rest of the squad should have gained
the much needed experience. Twenty players were originally
primed for the trip.
Ivory Coast players AFP PHOTO
The team continued its buildup at the Atro Turf pitch of the
Goal Project in Abuja, with all the 24 players showing
enthusiasm about the possibility of making the final cut for
the Abidjan trip. Keshi has already assured them that there
will be no favouritism in the final selection of players for the
trip as only merit will be the yardstick.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will on Friday morning at the
FIFA Goal Project site take on Abuja FC in a game primed to
test the readiness of the players for the war against the
Ivorain Elephants in Abdjan.
Team Coordinator, Emmanuel Atta, says Coach, Stephen Keshi
has already approved the game and necessary contacts have
been made for the test match, which will be played on Friday
morning. FC Abuja, features in the second tier of the Nigerian
league and have been described as a very solid side by
several coaches.

MAN U FANS, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson

Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish football manager and former player who has managed Manchester United since 1986. Wikipedia

Born: December 31, 1941 (age 71), Govan

Height: 1.80 m

Spouse: Cathy Ferguson (m. 1966)

Children: Darren Ferguson, Jason Ferguson, Mark Ferguson

Siblings: Martin Ferguson

Education: Broomloan Road Primary School, Govan High School

Dortmund, Bayern relations sour as Wembley looms

BERLIN – Relations between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund continued to sour ahead of the Champions League final on May 25 as Saturday’s dress rehearsal in the Bundesliga was marred by a dismissal and a pitch side argument.
Dortmund hosted Bayern at Signal Iduna Park in a 1-1 draw and the German rivals next meet in Wembley’s Champions League final on May 25, but pithy comments and open hostility from both sides means there is little love lost.
Bayern’s right-back Rafinha was sent off after 65 minutes in Dortmund for elbowing Borussia midfielder Jakub ‘Kuba’ Blaszczykowski in the face which sparked an angry exchange between the benches.
Munich’s director of sport Matthias Sammer shouted at Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp to leave Rafinha alone after he remonstrated with the Brazilian who poked Kuba in the face as he walked off the pitch and the pair squared up.
“I wanted to draw a line under the matter – excluding expletives,” said Klopp after him and Sammer were ordered to shake hands by referee Peter Gagelmann.
Sammer later played down the incident, but Klopp admitted tensions are running high: “the game had a fair bit of spice in it, despite apparently having been of little importance”.
The league point confirmed Dortmund finish second in the Bundesliga, while Bayern were confirmed champions last month having built up a massive 20-point lead.
Both sides rested their stars — Dortmund fielded six of the side likely to feature at Wembley, Munich only four — but it was still a tension affair.
“No one came here thinking it would be a friendly,” added Klopp.
“It’s well known we aren’t happy about the way a few things have gone.”
Friction has built up in the last fortnight since news broke Dortmund star midfielder Mario Goetze, 20, has actioned a clause in his contract to join Bayern next season.
A host of pithy comments have been exchanged and president Uli Hoeness has openly admitted Bayern were ‘annoyed’ when Borussia won the league and cup double last year.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told his team to celebrate last week’s Champions League win at Barcelona, because they had “an easy away game” at Dortmund “so let rip. We’re already German champions,”
Previously, Hoeness stirred things up in February after Dortmund’s 1-0 defeat at Munich in the German Cup quarter-final when he said: “The status quo in German football has clearly been restored”.
Unusually, delegations from Bayern and Dortmund did not dine together before Saturday’s game — as is customary in the Bundesliga — and Borussia CEO Han-Joachim Watkze’s comments were barely cordial.
“If Bayern want to talk, we can conduct things on a business level anytime.
“We have said ‘Good Afternoon’, they answered us and that was good enough.
“I have always spoken with a lot of respect and admiration for Bayern. But that has cooled. There are a few irritations now.
“It’s all been undermined since Uli Hoeness called for more solidarity in the Bundesliga two weeks ago, in which he mentioned me, but at that time he must have known about the Goetze transfer.”
Bayern are bidding to become the first Bundesliga side to win the treble of European, league and cup titles.
They face VfB Stuttgart in the German Cup final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on June 1, a week after the Champions League final and Dortmund aim to ruin their treble plans.
“Bayern have produced the best season, probably in the world, but rarely do you get everything,” said Klopp.

Ajax crowned Dutch champions for 32nd time

THE HAGUE – Ajax won their 32nd Dutch league title in style on Sunday overwhelming Willem II Tilburg 5-0 in the penultimate match of the season.
Victory put Ajax onto 73 points four ahead of closest challenger PSV Eindhoven with just one game to play.
For Ajax coach Frank de Boer it was his third successive title to add to the five he won as an Ajax player in the 1990′s.
Ajax lost just two games all season, both of them to Vitesse Arnhem.
“I am extremely proud of this run of titles,” said a visibly emotional de Boer.
“I have emulated two of my illustrious predecessors Rinus Michels and Louis van Gaal. It is a very moving moment for me.
“I think our title was largely merited thanks to our consistency.”
De Boer, capped 112 times, is likely to be rewarded with a new contract that will see him tied to the club till 2017 although he said this week that he would like to coach them for at least 10 years.

FIFA honorary president, Havelange, resigns

ZURICH  (AFP) – Joao Havelange has resigned as honorary FIFA president over claims that he had accepted bribes, world football’s governing body announced on Tuesday.
Havelange stood down after being targeted in the findings of an Ethics Committee set up by FIFA to investigate a scandal involving the now bankrupt Swiss-based marketing agency ISL and World Cup television rights.
The Brazilian’s conduct was described as “morally and ethically reproachable” in the report into the affair headed by the head of the committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert.
Havelange, now 96 and in poor health, is alleged to have taken improper payments during his time serving as FIFA’s seventh president between 1974 and 1998.
His successor, Sepp Blatter, is said to have known about one payment to ISL destined for Havelange of 1.5 million Swiss francs ($1.6 million), with the report concluding that Blatter’s conduct was “clumsy” but not “criminal”.
Blatter welcomed the report’s findings.
“I have taken note of the report from the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, regarding the examination of the ISL case,” Blatter said in a statement.
“I note in particular that, in his conclusions, chairman Eckert states that ‘the ISL case is concluded for the Ethics Committee’ and that ‘no further proceedings related to the ISL matter are warranted against any other football official’.
“I also note with satisfaction that this report confirms that ‘President Blatter’s conduct could not be classified in any way as misconduct with regard to any ethics rules’.
“I have no doubt that FIFA, thanks to the governance reform process that I proposed, now has the mechanisms and means to ensure that such an issue, which has caused untold damage to the reputation of our institution, does not happen again.”

Police shoot football fan during Kano Pillars tie against Heartland

The Week Eight Nigeria Professional Football League game between Kano Pillars and Heartland ended abruptly when  fans of the home team disrupted the match after a fan was allegedly shot inside the Sani Abacha Stadium.

The tie was going on smoothly and was in the 21st minute when the incident happened. Fans trooped into the field and drove away the players and play was suspended.

Heartland players and officials had to run into the dressing room of Kano Pillars for fear of being attacked.

An eye witness told said that they could not really say how the policeman shot the fan because they were concentrating on the game.

"We did not know what actually happened because our eyes were fixed on the game. But immediately the fans noticed that a fan had been shot, they entered the pitch and drove everybody away.

"That was how the match ended," the witness said.

Kano Pillars are presently on top of the league table with 16 points.

unisia U17: Yahaya brace, goals from Iheanacho and Success send Eaglets into final

Nigeria reached the final of the Caf U17 Championship on Wednesday after they defeated Tunisia 4-2 at the Stade de Marakech in Morocco. A brace from Yahaya Musa and a goal each from Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success earned them the opportunity to contest for their third African title at this level. The Junior Carthage Eagles conceded three quick goals within the space of twenty minutes to surprise of their coach Abdellay who had earlier boasted that the Golden Eaglets will be subdued. First, it was Kelechi Iheanacho who proved that the Golden Eaglets meant serious business when he shot his side in to the lead after just two minutes of kickoff via a through ball from Isaac Success. While the Tunisians were trying to stamp their authority in the game towards getting an equalizer, impressive Musa Yahaya struck to double his side lead after receiving a well tailored pass from the midfield. When it seems that the Junior Carthage Eagles were heading for a thorough bashing, Coach Abdellay Ben Sultan had no option than to bring on Ben Salem in the 20minutes for Jbeli who was completely lost in the game. A minute after this, leading top scorer of the competition, Success made it 3-0 Nigeria after a corner kick was floated onto the far post where he controlled the ball before side footing into the net which rendered the Tunisian goalie, Ben Chrifia helpless.Mohammed Firas Larbi made good use of his opportunity to pull one back for his side. Tunisia struck again on 29th minute from a free-kick which was headed in by Haj Hassen who was left unmarked in the Nigerian goal. The second have was more competitive as the Tunisians tried hard to get the much needed equalizer but could not as the Nigerian backline anchored by Omego curtailed the Tunisians attacking forays. However, it was put the game beyond their reach beyond the reach of the Junior Carthage Eagles with a well taken strike in the 58th minutes by Yahaya. He got a diagonal ball on the left flank, dribbled his way into the penalty box before firing past Chrifia from the narrowest of angles and this show of brilliance gave Nigeria a 4-2 lead. Garba Manu’s side will now face the Baby Elephants of Cote d’ivoire in the final on Saturday, an encounter that will be the second meeting of both sides after they had earlier met during the group stages.

African U-17 Championship: Show Tunisia no mercy

When the going gets tough, only the tough gets going, and ex-international, Waidi Akanni, has urged Nigeria’s Under-17 team, the Eaglets, to maintain its winning tactics against Tunisia to book the final ticket in this year’s CAF under-age championship in Morocco.
The former Nigerian player said that the semi-final duel against Tunisia might not be easy, as the North Africans were also equal to the task ahead of them in the ongoing championship. He, however, advised the team’s technical crew to use the Eaglets 0–1 loss to Cote d’Ivoire as a reference point to prepare for today’s epic match. “So far, Eaglets have the opportunity to win the championship, but they need to watch it against Tunisia because they are not in Morocco for fun.
They are also serious about the competition. Tunisia is keenly contesting for the title. They finished in Group A behind the host, Morocco unbeaten. They won two matches, drew one with seven points, while Eaglets, despite the fact that they were a free-scoring side in Group B, lost concentration and gave out a match to Cote d’Ivoire. “So, Eaglets need to brace up and play with fresh tactics.
Tunisia must have watched the tapes of all the Nigeria’s matches to prepare for them in a big way. Coach Manu Garba needs to adopt a new strategy because anything can happen in football. “However, Nigeria remains the tournament’s favourite after the team’s best form in last Saturday’s 7–0 humiliation of Congo at the event,” he added. With 13 goals already in their kitty, Eaglets are ready to go all out to justify the confidence reposed in them by the football-loving Nigerians.
The four teams playing in the semi-finals are Africa’s representatives in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup later in the year. Nigeria is blessed with dare-devil striker, Isaac Success, the player with the highest scoring record, and Kelechi Iheanacho, another young player with a big heart.
Tunisia finished second in Group A after beating Botswana 3–1 in their opening game. They also beat Gabon 4–2 and drew 1–1 with Morocco in their group final. Hosts Morocco will tackle Cote d’Ivoire in the other semi-final match

EPL FIXTURES FOR TOMORROW SUN 7/4/2013

Liverpool-WestHam 13:30  Tottenham-Everton 14:05  Chelsea-Sunderland 15:00  Newcastle United-Fulham 15:00  QPR-Wigan 16:10

SEE WYNING OF THE CENTURY 'IF I HEAR' CARROL CAN STILL BECOME A 'TOP PLAYER', CLAIMS LIVERPOOL MANAGER RODGERS,BENITEZ TO COME TALK YOUR OWN FOR TORRES.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Andy Carroll still has the potential to become a “top player”, even though his future may not lie at Anfield. Carroll joined Liverpool for £35 million in 2011 but struggled to make an impact and has since been loaned out to West Ham, where he has scored five goals in 17 appearances this season. However, Rodgers has insisted that the 24-year-old can still flourish at a team that suits his style of play. "Do I think he can be a top player? Is he a top player? He certainly has that potential,” Rodgers told reporters. "If he gets that opportunity of playing in a team that suits his style, then there's always a chance. "It was very unfortunate for Andy when he joined this club because he had limited experience of the Premier League. "Through no fault of his own he arrived on the back of an incredible price tag for someone so young and inexperienced, and the early stages were difficult for him. "But there's no doubt Andy has great qualities. Look at one of his two goals last week for West Ham from the corner (in a 3-1 win over West Brom). "There are not too many better sights in football when you've the big guy going and heading the ball like that.” Regarding the target man’s future, Rodgers admitted that Liverpool’s stance on him is still unclear and that a decision could only be made at the end of the season. "As to his future, there are other things involved, it's not as simple as him being here. There are other things we need to consider in it all," he added. "As I've said, it's one where we will see it through to the end of the season and we'll take it from there." Carroll is ineligible to play for West Ham against Liverpool in their Premier League encounter on Sunday.

SABELLA'S DAUGTHER SAYS MESSI 'LACKS HEART' FOR COUNTRY

The daughter of Argentina boss Alejandro Sabella has criticised Lionel Messi for a lack of effort while on international duty in contrast with his performances at club level. The 25-year-old has not replicated his record-breaking form for Barcelona when it comes to performing on the international stage. And it has prompted some to question his dedication to Argentina, while others have questioned his effectiveness without the presence of his Liga team-mates. Speaking to Radio Del Plata, Vanessa Sabella claimed Messi lacks "heart" and has urged the star to strike the balance required to scale the heights for country as he does for club. “I will not deny that he is a skilled player who has broken many records," she said. "He is the best player in the world and never plays badly, but he still lacks some heart [for Argentina]."

EPL RESULT FOR SAT 6/4/2013

Reading 0-2 Southampton. Norwich City 2-2 Swansea city. Stoke City 1-3 Aston Villa. Westbrom Abio 1-2 Asernal FC.

Glo set to present Keshi cars

Telecoms firm and official sponsor of the Nigerian national football teams, Globacom is ready to present two automobiles to Stephen Keshi, the coach of the Nigerian senior football team, the Super Eagles.

The exotic cars, which includes the latest models of the Range Rover Sports and Toyota Camry saloon car, are already on display at the Mike Adenuga Towers, Corporate Headquarters of Globacom in Lagos. The cars will be presented to Keshi on Monday.

Chairman of the company, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. had pledged the two vehicles to Keshi when the Eagles won the Africa Nations Cup for the first time in 19 years at the competition in South Africa earlier in February.

Source:punchng.com

I could have scored more against Nigeria says kahata(imagine!!!!)

Kenya striker Francis Kahata, who scored Harambee Star’s opening goal against Nigeria in the World Cup qualifier, revealed to newsmen on Tuesday in Nairobi that he could have scored more goals in the match.

The Thika United player, who got cash rewards and a hero’s welcome back at home, described the free kick as nothing special.

“I am used to scoring such kind of goals from the same angle so when we won a free kick and I was allowed to take it, I was perfectly confident it was going to go in,” The Standard quoted the player as saying.

I do not blame this guy sha, na our boys take crap..........my opinion

Obafemi Martins: The end of the road in a Nigeria shirt?

The Seattle Sounders man returned to the national side against Kenya on Saturday, but an ineffectual performance has cast doubt over his future international participation

As Nnamdi Oduamadi fired home Nigeria’s late, late equaliser against Kenya on Saturday, Super Eagles fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief. A first-ever defeat to the Harambee Stars was avoided, and the Champions of Africa retained top spot in CAF’s World Cup Qualifying Group F - their dreams of a summer in Brazil still well and truly within their grasp.
But as Stephen Keshi’s elect trudged from the turf, the elation of the goal tempered by the disappointing reality of the draw, one figure took a moment or two to scan the surroundings of the U.J. Esuene Stadium.
Obafemi Martins. Who knows how long it will be before he is back in the green of the national side?
While mixed emotions flanked the former Newcastle man on the final whistle, I am convinced that a conflict of sentiment greeted him as he walked out into the stadium on Saturday, making his first appearance for the national side since his run-out in the friendly against Venezuela back in November of last year.
How must the 28-year-old forward have felt as he emerged to take on Kenya? Excluding the young right-back Solomon Kwambe, he lined up alongside 9 heroes of the recent Cup of Nations, yet Vincent Enyeama and John Obi Mikel aside, none of them had given as much to the national side over the years as Obagoal. Martins put in the hours, put in the air miles, to chalk up 39 caps since 2004, but had missed out on the granddaddy of them all-the Cup of Nations triumph.
Years from now, Naija fans will still be able to recall that glorious Afcon side. They will remember Victor Moses and his electric performances, they will remember Sunday Mba and his pertinent contributions, they will remember the goals of Emmanuel Emenike and Ideye Brown-the team sheet will be as Gospel. Martins, in his absence, was forgotten-a missed episode and a lost opportunity for a striker who has endured his fair share of them with the national side.
Despite an encouraging 18 goals for the Super Eagles-averaging approximately a goal every other game-Martins’s international career has stuttered along, never truly realising the potential he demonstrated as a youngster at Inter Milan. Controversy shrouded his earlier years with Naija, following an administrative error and doubts about his genuine age, as well as failure to show for an international friendly back in 2007.
The 2010 World Cup must also be seen as a missed opportunity. Used purely as an impact substitute, Martins failed to bring his considerable talents to bear on the world stage, and watched on in agony as Nigeria crashed out in the first round.
Stephen Keshi’s introduction to the national set-up has brought a new selection policy and a fresh approach to the Super Eagles. Gone are the pampered European stars who failed to deliver for so long, in are the hungry, young domestic-based players-all of whom with ambitions to satisfy and desires to quench.
Clearly, Martins falls primarily into the former category, but Keshi is evidently tempted by his vitality, experience, and impressive goal ratio. But has the striker truly done enough to indicate that he can claim a spot in this new Nigeria?
It seems like his inclusion against Kenya was due, primarily, to the ill-fortune of others. Emmanuel Emenike’s injury ruled him out of contention, while Ike Uche’s bewilderingly disappointing Afcon campaign has clearly cast doubts in Keshi’s mind about his value to the side. I have little hesitation in saying that the pair, particularly Emenike, will be back in the fold before too long, and with others like Sone Aluko, Kalu Uche, and Victor Anichebe making their case, does Keshi really need to persist with Martins?
Not based on Saturday’s evidence.
Against Kenya, Martins was almost anonymous. A scuffed shot, coming within the first minute or two of the game, demonstrated the urgency the striker felt-possibly a result of the immense pressure placed upon his shoulders. He struggled to recover from early wastefulness and was replaced by the plucky Ahmed Musa just after the hour mark.
There is also the enduring question about his move across the pond to join Seattle Sounders in the MLS, and how this may affect his game.
While the American league is more competitive and professional than in the past, it is unlikely that Martins will face the same rigours in the States as he did in La Liga, where his former side, Levante, sit in 11^th place.
Keshi has already demonstrated his willingness to look to America to secure new recruits for his Naija revolution. Bright Dike was, to the surprise of some, enlisted at the tail end of 2012, impressing briefly, particularly against Catalonia, before being dropped ahead of the Cup of Nations. Clearly the Big Boss is keen to utilise the full Diaspora of Nigerian talent, and isn’t discouraged by the supposed inadequacies of football State-side.
Saying that, however, will Martins’s move away from the heartland of Europe into competition perceived as easier push him down Keshi’s hierarchy? Surely it makes him even more the antithesis of the prototype of player the manager is trying to incorporate into the Super Eagles set-up.
Just as David Beckham’s move to LA Galaxy was considered by some as a signal of abdication, so Martins’s move to the U.S. may hasten the end of his international career-could it be the perfect excuse for Keshi to take one further step in his Naija revolution and axe the ex-Newcastle frontman?
Doubtless there will be opportunities ahead for the manager to experiment, and to examine some of the players who populate the fringes of his squad. If Martins continues to find the net on a regular basis-regardless of where he plays-then he will continue to demand the manager’s attention and will likely be given another chance to impress. He will be 29 by the time the World Cup rolls around, and with an international career edging towards the finish line, it may well be his last chance to produce that iconic moment Nigeria has been waiting for

Th Azzurri coach believes that patience has paid off for the former Manchester City man, and revealed his desire to see an Italy-Argentina friendly to celebrate the new Pope

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli is entering the prime of his career, according to Italy boss Cesare Prandelli.

The forward netted three times in two games in the international break, and has scored seven in his six appearances for the Rossoneri since arriving from Manchester City on January's transfer deadline day.

Prandelli believes the mercurial attacker is beginning to realise his undoubted potential after spending too long in the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent seasons.

"When you are dealing with a talent like this, you just need patience," Prandelli told reporters on Wednesday.

"The moment eventually comes when the talent has to take on his share of the responsibility and stand on his own feet. This is the right moment for Balotelli.

"I have to compliment him on his relaxed approach, his belief and his quality."

Prandelli added his hope that a friendly match could be arranged with Argentina, to commemorate the inauguration of Pope Francis I.

"I would love to be able to organise an Italy-Argentina match. Not only would it be a challenge between great teams, but also a tribute to the Pope," the former Fiorentina head coach said.

"It would be wonderful for both teams to meet with the Pope and then go to the stadium in one big team bus, all together.

"I have faced all the big world teams and Lionel Messi’s men are the only ones I am missing so far."

United made to wait for UEFA verdict

UEFA had been expected to deliver its verdict on both matters today but the decisions will now be announced tomorrow at the earliest.
Nani will definitely receive a one-match suspension for the red card he picked up for a high tackle on Alvaro Arbeloa during United's 2-1 defeat in the second leg of the last-16 clash at Old Trafford earlier this month.
UEFA do have the power to increase that ban, although given the dismissal was widely viewed as being exceptionally harsh, it would be a surprise if it was extended.
Ferguson is in hot water after failing to attend the mandatory post-match press conference, an offence that in extreme cases can bring a touchline ban.
The United boss was furious with Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir over the red card, which he felt swung the tie in Real's favour.
Assistant manager Mike Phelan said at the time Ferguson was too "distraught" to face the media.
Ferguson subsequently said it was "hard to keep faith" in the face of such incidents, and that it was the third time during his tenure that United had been knocked out of the Champions League as a direct result of what he felt were poor decisions.
In addition to a touchline suspension, Ferguson could also be fined or warned about his future conduct.