Four Eagles four falcons make CAF best players list

*Rohr, Dennerby make coaches list

Despite what has been dubbed in some quarters as not too impressive form of the Nation's senior teams Super Eagles and Super Falcons, no fewer than eight Nigeria male and female players have been nominated in the CAF's 55-man parade of best players in the continent.

The soccer ruling body in Africa Friday dished out a list of 34 male players, 15 female players and six male youth players who will battle for recognition at the awards Gala billed for January 8 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.

Although the list will ultimately be gradually cut down to the last 10 all the way to the last three, being named among the best on the continent is no doubt an achievement on its own.

Leading the pack of Super Eagles players in the list is the master of speed on pitch Ahmed Musa who has been tipped in some quarters to make it all the way considering his impact at the last World cup in Russia as well as other outings afterwards.  

Others are China based Odion Ighalo, Alex Iwobi and Wilifred Ndidi who was named in the youth player of the year category.

In the ladies department expectedly former Arsenal ace Asissat Oshoalla led the pack with Desire Oparanozie, Francisca Odegar and Onome Ebi also in contention. The girls who have garnered some points for picking a ticket to the world cup in France will further add some icing on the cake on Saturday if they brush aside Bayana Bayana to clinch the African women Nations cup in Ghana.

It was not however all about players as Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr also got a nomination in the coaches’ 10-man parade that also has Aliou Cisse who led the Teranga Lions to the last world cup in Russia. 

Thomas Dennerby who is hoping to win his first trophy with Super Falcons on Saturday, made the 5-man list of Women's coach of the year. 

While the Super Eagles failed to make it into the national male team of the year, Super Falcons will battle it out against Cameroon, Mali Ghana and South Africa.

World Cup Ticket: South Africans close shops for Bayana Bayana

Despite failing in their bid to hand African Champions back to back defeat at the just ended African Women Championship in Ghana, Bayana Bayana of South Africa got a breath-taking reception on Sunday. 

The coach Desiree Ellis tutored side touched down at the Oliver Tambo International Airport to behold their countrymen and women completely takeover the gallery and every available space to chanting various welcome songs. 

Although their compatriots had high hopes when they departed for the Championship in Ghana after well-coordinated preparations the hopes hit the roof tops when they defeated Nigeria in the opening match a feat which was interpreted as a warning shot that they have come to Ghana for one purpose, to lift the trophy. 

But a rematch in the semifinals in the battle of Accra saw the masters of the game, Super Falcons rise above the pressures to return the trophy the 9th time they will be clinching the trophy.

A number of the fans who had trooped out to welcome the Rainbow city girls home said they gave the championship their all adding that picking one of the tickets to the world cup in France remains the ultimate.

Although some sports analysts believe the Falcons performed below their capacity on a good day, the team nonetheless held their nerves to carry the day after 120 minutes of play eventually sealed with a penalty shootout.

The analysts and fans are however unanimous that the team must be beefed up and tinkered into proper shape with quality friendly matches ahead of the world cup in France.

Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon will fly Africa’s flag at the championship, and will know their world cup opponents on Saturday when the draw will be made in Paris.

Dennerby yet to get N72million accumulated Salary

Super Falcons coach Thomas Dennerby may have been captured on camera smiling away and exchanging banters following the team's qualification for the World cup in France, but that is not to say that he is a very happy man.

 The Swede Sportinglife.ng gathered is still full of grudges as a result of his 8 months unpaid salaries amounting to $200,000 (about N72million). The coach is on a monthly salary of $25,000.

Dernneby who will be winning his first trophy with the Super Falcons should he succeed in flying past South Africa at the AWCON final on Saturday, has forced  divided opinions among Nigerians and Super Falcons fans alike.

While some believe that the former Sweden national women Coach has made some input into the team others say he has been more like an observer or better put a scout just watching proceedings from a quiet corner.

Some others not satisfied with the team's performance despite their qualification for the world cup, however blamed the unimpressive performance on age, insisting that some of girls have lost the agility for which they were known.  

The moribund women league in the country was further blamed as it should have been a source of identifying younger players that can easily replace aging ones.

While the chicken and egg argument continues, close pals of the coach reveal he is losing patience over his unpaid entitlements, hoping that his salaries can be paid on one hand, and that quality friendly matches can be arranged for the team ahead of the World cup billed for France in June. 

Falcons take on Bayana Bayana in the finals of Ghana 2018, the second time both teams will be meeting in this this edition.  

The South Africans had defeated the Falcons by a lone goal in the group stage and will be hoping to re-enact that feat in the final while the Falcons will be hoping to prove that the first defeat was a slight slip.

Mo Salah joins anti animal export campaign in Egypt

If you think Liverpool goal machine Mo Salah is only concerned about scoring goals for the Reds and thinking about winning laurels, you are wrong.

 On the contrary, the former Roma and Chelsea ace is equally paying blow by blow attention to things happening at home, Egypt. 

Following recent report that the Egyptian government is planning to round up stray cats and dogs for export, Salah has joined in the campaign against the move, insisting that such a policy will not be allowed to take place in the land of the Pharaohs.

Salah Tuesday took to the social media to pose for a picture with his two pet cats in order to protest the proposed move against cat and dogs.  

Those campaigning against the move expressed fears that if the animals are exported they might be shipped to places where they will be butchered and eaten.

The Liverpool star posted a snap on Twitter with his two pet Siamese cats, along with the caption: 'Cats and dogs will not be exported anywhere. That's not going to happen.'

According to news agency Al-Araby, the Egyptian government has authorised the rounding-up and export of 4,100 stray cats and dogs to other countries, leading to concern they could be sent to places where they would be eaten as food.

A spokesman for the Egyptian Agriculture Ministry has however been quoted denying these claims as 'baseless'.

However that has not stopped Salah, Egypt's best-known footballer, from confirming his status as an animal lover and supporting his feline friends.

Salah in the post was seen relaxed with his pets ahead of Liverpool's return to Champions League action Wednesday against Paris Saint-Germain.

A win would all but confirm their place in the last 16 but defeat would leave them staring at early elimination.

Amokachi identifies with future stars in Badarawa

Former international Daniel Amokachi tickled the fancy of students and future stars at a local school in the Badarawa District of Kaduna state Tuesday. 

In what could pass for 'going back to the roots' outing, the former Everton star revealed how delighted he was to see smiles on the faces of the students after he handed them Educational Backpack. 

The Bull as he is fondly called took to his twitter handle to upload a video of the said visit sealing the post with #KeepingItReal, #1girl1pen.

"Visited A School Inn Badarawa District Kaduna State Were I Was Born & Handed Out Educational Backpack,Very Nice To See Smiles On Our Leaders Of Tomorrow... #1girl1pen #Eduplus #TheBlackBull #KeepingItReal"

The effort of the former Super Eagles Assistant coach did not go unnoticed as former Arsenal great Nwankwo Kanu was among the first set of viewers to like the initiative. 

The Bull's effort is coming just few days after Super Eagles Captain

John Obi Mikel launched his catch them young foundation aimed at discovering young players to be nurtured into world beaters in future.

Amokachi,was discovered while playing for Ranchers Bees by Nigerian national team coach Clemens Westerhof ahead of the 1990 African Nations Cup. 

He subsequently headed for Club Brugge in Belgium. He competed in the Champions League and became the first player to score in the competition, after his goal secured a 1–0 win in the opening match in the group stage against CSKA Moscow.

Amokachi made over 44 appearances for the national team with 13 goals to his credit. His famous dance at the 1994 World cup in USA has remains nostalgic among his fans.

Carl Ikeme's illness my biggest regret- Gernot Rohr

If there is one thing that Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr regrets while taking stock of his Super Eagles job so far, it is sickness that knocked former number one goalie Carl Ikeme off the national team.

Speaking on Monday Night football the German Tactician who has already pocketed a ticket to the 2019 Nations Cup in Cameroon with a match against Seychelles to spare, described the experience and quite painful and heart breaking.

"If there is one thing I would say gave me the greatest headache, it was the sickness of Carl Ikeme, it was very disappointing" he confessed.

The former Niger and Burkina Faso coach apparently reflecting on all that has transpired both off and on the pitch, since his arrival to the country, joined the football house and other stakeholders to learn to the principle of working hand in hand as that is the best way of achieving set goals. 

He warned against allowing politics over shadow efforts aimed at taking the nation's football to the greater heights.

It will be recalled that former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme contributed in no small measure to Nigeria's qualification for the last World Cup in Russia, putting up impressive performance in the qualifiers leading to the world cup.

 Unfortunately the 32 year old was diagnosed with acute leukaemia just before the start of the World cup, forcing out of both national and club assignments. Wolverhampton new goalkeeper Rui Patrício left the number 1 jersey vacant in Ikeme's honour, choosing the 11 instead.

Super Falcons to know world cup opponents December 8

Can anything stop the Super Falcons from picking a ticket for the 8th FIFA Women World Cup in France? I don't think so, thus it would be safe to say that Nigeria will know her World cup opponents in France on December 8.

A release from World soccer ruling body FIFA indicates that the draw for the 8th Women world cup which will hold between June 7 and July 7 in France will hold on December 8 with France world cup winning coach and former France international Didier Deschamps as Draw Assistant.

Four countries Nigeria, South Africa, Mali and Cameroon are chasing the three tickets available to represent the continent

After showing hosts Ghana, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea and Zambia the exit door following completion of the group stage of the African Women Nations Cup, Nigeria will Tuesday face Cameroon in the semifinals while South Africa will confront Mali.

The finalists and third place winner will qualify for the battle of Paris. 

The falcons have been part of every edition of the tournament since inception in 1991.

The team's best outing was at the 1999 edition in USA where the girls made it all the way to the Quarterfinals before kissing the exit door following a 4-3 defeat by Brazil after Extra time.

 Interestingly only Nigeria and Ghana represented the continent at that edition with the Black Queens crashing out in the group stage losing two matches and drawing one.