YOBO'S RETURN WILL BOOST PREMIER LEAGUE -AJANI

Return of former super Eagles Captain Joseph Yobo to the Nigeria professional Football league (NPFL) will not only boost the league but also encourage a lot of players.

3SC's striker Ajani Ibrahim who made the submission in a chat with Sportinglife Wednesday, said the move is coming at a time when the local league is searching for ways to rank among the best in the continent.
 He however reasoned that the former Everton and Fernabahce ace will not necessarily be playing for money but passion for the game
"I believe it is a good development. His return to the league will definitely encourage a lot of players both current league players and those hoping to play in the league.  It will also raise the profile of the league so it is good although I don't think he will be playing for the money but for the passion," he said
Kano Pillars,Ifeanyi Ubah and Wikki Tourist are locked in battle to sign the former Norwich City ace who was recently honored with a testimonial match to official draw the cotton on his international football. This will not be the firs time a former national team star will be joining the local league after soccer exploits abroad.  It will be recalled that late Rashidi Yekini returned to Gateway after his career abroad making 26 appearances and scoring seven goals  for the Abeokuta based side currently competing in the National League following relegation from the premier league.
Shooting Stars  still basking in the euphoria of their lone goal defeat of MFM  away   in the last game will host Ifeanyi Ubah on Sunday.

NIGERIA BORN RUGBY STAR ITOJE CAN''T WAIT FOR DINNER WITH OKOCHA

If there is one thing that will tickle the fancy of 21 year old Nigerian born Rugby player Maro Itoje, it would be to have dinner date with former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha.

Maro Itoje who is a rising star of English rugby was born in Camden to Nigerian parents. The Saracens lock is a Grand Slam winner, European champion and has been outstanding on England’s tour of Australia.

The Land Rover Discovery of the Year revealed this desire during a chat with the Dailymail of London.

The former England junior international who initially started his sporting career with football before branching into Rugby added that aside from Okocha who he  is yet to meet in person other persons he would have loved to dine with include US President Barrack Obama and unfortunately boxing great Muhammad Ali who passed on recently at the age of 74.

"My dream dinner-party guests would be Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali and Jay-Jay Okocha. I haven’t seen Okocha in the flesh but I’ve watched all of his YouTube videos," he revealed 

itoje is unbeaten in his 25 starts for Saracens and England this season, with 12 Premiership starts.

KANU PREDICTS GREAT FUTURE FOR AKPOM

Arsenal forward Chuba Akpom will rank among the best players in the world in the near future. 
Former super Eagles captain Kanu Nwankwo who made the prediction, maintained that the former England junior international has all it takes not only to rank among the best but indeed leave an indelible mark on the sand of history.  Apparently impressed by the impact of the 22 year old so far, kanu, who left an impressive record while at the Emirates, revealed he had a recent tete-a-tete with Akpom where he offered some useful advice even as he declared his readiness to continue to offer him the needed moral support in his quest to make the best of his chosen career.
"Happy to see my younger brother and talk and advice and support him in all his doing. He will be the best watch" he said
Akpom who showed class  while playing for junior England teams Under 16 to U20, is eligible to play for Nigeria, and will have to make his choice in the future.The Glass House and soccer fans in the country are hoping that the on loan Gunners star to Hull City will ultimately choose to play for the Super Eagles when he eventually makes a decision on whether to play for England or Nigeria   Kanu spent five seasons with Arsenal making 119 appearances for the Gunners and scoring 30 goals in the bargain. .

RIO OLYMPICS: NO RUSSIAN CHALLENGE FOR TEAM NIGERIA

Nigeria's athletics team to the Rio Olympics in Brazil will surely have other teams to battle with in their quest for medals, but certainly not Russia.

This follows the extension of ban on Russia's track and field team by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) over doping offences

IAAF met Friday and voted unanimously to maintain the ban on Russia in international competition that it initially set in motion last November. The athletics body insisted that Russia did not meet the criteria for readmission that were established at the time of the ban.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will however decide Tuesday whether any individual athletes who don’t have a history of drug violations will be excluded from the ban.

In a swift reaction, Russian President Vladimir Putin said clean athletes should not be punished because others have been caught doping.

"There cannot be collective responsibility for all athletes or athletes of one federation if someone has been caught doping,” he said.

Blessing Okagbare is leading a battery of Nigerian athletes to the African Athletics Championship billed for Durban South Africa from June 22dnd to 26th as part of the preparation for the forth coming Olympics

Meanwhile Russia's two-time Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva has said that IAAF's decision to place a ban on Russian athletes over alleged violation of anti-doping rules is “discrimination on national grounds." The sportswoman vowed to appeal to a human rights court.

The Council of the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) suspension "is a violation of human rights," Isinbayeva told TASS news agency on Friday. "I will not keep silent, I will take measures. I will go to the court of human rights. I will prove IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that they've made a wrong decision."

DA SILVA CAUTIONS PLAYERS OVER MONETARY PURSUIT

Former Davis Cup player Destiny Da-Silva has decried decreasing passion for professional tennis among younger ones in the country. He observed that younger players now prefer to play club members for money instead of seeking ways to improve their local and international rankings.

""We are talking about falling standard as a result of dearth of tournaments lack of sponsorship and all that but even the younger players are not helping matters. They are more concerned about playing with club members who just want to keep fit for money. You don't get improved local and international ranking that way and that is what you need to progress.  It is improved performance and ranking that can qualify you for international tournament, invitation to national team and other opportunities and relegating that in preference for money is to plan for bleak future,” he said

The former player who is now involved mostly in helping to tinker the younger ones into shape, expressed hope that tennis in the country will regain its relevance.  He however canvassed for better synergy between the ministries of education and sports to better enhance the catch them young program

“AND THE STANDBY GENERATOR BOWS OUT”

Seriously speaking, pretense is one word that should be treated like a virus and kept at alms length. Unfortunately our society is one in which pretending is a skill which everyone is eager to showcase.   We carry our pretenses to our private outfits, to our homes, churches, mosques and even public offices which we hold in trust on behalf of the people. This ugly modus operandi unfortunately is not considered a sin (even though it is) but rather celebrated as if it is normal.

When a man dies we equally pretend to be the best of his friends.  That is when you see massive out pouring of accolades in the form of tribute.  Ironically only very few may have appreciated the fellow while he was living. The needful that ought to have improved his life positively, is ignored but at death the tears flow in torrents, what an irony of life!

The death few days ago of Coaches Stephen Keshi and Shuaibu Amodu is to say the least double tragedy. While arrangement is still being made to give Keshi a befitting burial, Amodu who has already been laid to rest can best be described as one time “Standby Generator” for the NFF.  On two occasions he qualified the Nation for the world cup but was not allowed to take the team to the competition proper. He was called in at both times to savage a difficult situation. His exit and return to the job reminds you of the pendulum, yet in all of this he remained ready to answer the comeback calls whenever he was approached. For such a man you would expect that at least he should be appreciated by ensuring that he gets his due without hassles. It may not be proper to continue to apportion blames as to why he was owed by both the NFF and the Edo State government what is important right now is to encourage relevant authorities to settle the debts even though it is coming too late for comfort. Let us henceforth as a people learn to appreciate people when they have done well especially while they are still alive.  A labourer deserves his wages and owing a worker even if it in vogue is not a virtue. A pat on the back for a job well done while the worker is still alive, is better than an epistle he can neither see, read nor feel.

HE CAME HE SAW AND CONQUERED ! RIP BIG BOSS

SOK: STEPHEN OKECHUKWU KESHI DIES AT 54

It came like a rude shock not only to sports lovers and stakeholders but even to non sport lovers alike.  Listening to radio programs and televisions alike this morning everyone was ready to first pay tribute to keshi before delving into any other matter. Even programs devoted to other matters had to be interrupted briefly to talk about the painful development

The former Super Eagles coach and captain was like a golden fish that cannot be hidden.  As a player he was ever ready to fight not only for his right but also for the right of others. As a coach he believed in his ability and was neither ready to be tossed about no pushed to a corner. He was a mixer and an achiever.  Granted that coaching is all about hiring and firing he left a mark wherever he went. He qualified Togo for their first world cup Germany 2006.

He worked as manager of the Mali national football team, after being appointed in April 2008 on a two-year deal but had to go after the team booked early exit in the group stages of Africa Cup of Nations.

At the home front he made a mark winning the Nations cup for Nigeria both as a player and as a coach one of the few to have achieved the feat. At the home front here was a husband and father he knew his responsibilities loved his wife and family and stood by them through thick and thin. Death is a necessary end which will come when it will come and when the bell rings for whoever, he has no choice but to respond and the Big Boss has done that RIP coach. There is no doubt that you came, you saw and you conquered