Toyin Ibitoye's Blog

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

MANNERLESS CHILDREN!

Juventus have been hit with a €5,000 fine after schoolchildren attending the 1-0 victory over Udinese insulted goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic.

Juventus made the decision to allow approximately 12,000 children to occupy seats at either end of their stadium, after the club's ultras had been banned for the fixture.
The match would have been played behind closed doors following discriminatory chants towards Napoli supporters during a 3-0 victory on November 10, but Juventus' initiative prevented that scenario.

However, the move backfired with Brkic targeted, and Juve have subsequently been punished by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

"MOURINHO IS A FUNNY GUY!" - Omeruo

When Kenneth Omeruo returned to Chelsea training after Nigeria qualified for the World Cup on November 16, David Luiz walked over to the youngster, shook his hand and said: “Well done, welcome to Brazil.’’ This week’s group-stage draw will further focus the minds of those heading to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Luiz’s compatriots, Oscar, Ramires and Willian, also congratulated the 20-year-old centre-half. So did the other players. Omeruo has yet to make his debut for Chelsea but is popular amongst the players and is highly regarded enough by Jose Mourinho to have a shirt, No 59, and a place in training.

Omeruo is being talked of as one of the potential young stars of the tournament. He has had a remarkable year, winning his first cap in January against Cape Verde, winning the Africa Cup of Nations, playing in the Confederations Cup in Brazil and guaranteeing a return with that qualifying success in a rainy Calabar and his 15th cap.

"I’ve been dreaming of playing in the World Cup," said Omeruo. "Playing in the Confederations Cup gave us the desire that we had to be in the World Cup. I’m really looking forward to the draw. If we get England, we will have to prepare our minds right.

"At Chelsea, we are really focused on the club but sometimes Jose makes fun. In a training session last week, I made a wrong pass. ‘If you do that in the World Cup, Nigeria is out!’ Jose said. We were laughing."

He hasn't yet broken into the Chelsea first-team, but the former Standard Liege stand-out has revealed that Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho rates him highly. "The way he talks about me and says 'Kenneth, my friend,' gave me the impression that he actually likes me," Omeruo said.
"After the Nations Cup when he came in, Mikel told me that Jose asked after me. So I was happy that he recognises me.
"In Nigeria everyone says 'he is the Special One! The Special One' coming close you would know why he's special.
"The players respect him. He knows how to handle players, how he talks to us. The training is the best. It was difficult before, but I'm used to it now"

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"I DON'T WANT 'EXTRA TYRES' IN MY TEAM!" - Keshi

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has said his side will call up players who can not add value to his team ahead of the FIFA World Cup next year.

Lately the names of captain, Joseph Yobo, Ikechukwu Uche, Taiye Taiwo, Osaze Odemwingie, among several others have been mentioned as possible comeback to the Super Eagles.

Keshi said it amounts to wishful thinking for anybody to believe he will bring back a player that is not better than the ones in his fold at the moment.
"It will be senseless to invite any new player who has nothing new or value higher to add to what I've at present in camp.

"Of course, I won't indulge in such fruitless exercise no matter the trappings.
"I've indicated that new players will be brought in to strengthen the side but it will be players who are far better than the ones that toiled for the ticket.
"The World Cup is not a platform to try players but a showpiece for tested and experienced players.
"We'll accommodate the best that will deliver the goods at the World Cup," said the former national team captain.

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FIFA RELEASES WORLD CUP SEEDING

Fifa on Tuesday announced the following pots to be used for Friday's draw for next year's World Cup finals when the 32 teams will be placed into eight first-round groups of four.

Pot 1 consists of the eight top seeds, one of each to be drawn in Groups A-H. The remaining pots are based on geographical criteria.
Hosts Brazil will be allocated position A1 in the draw and will play the opening match in Sao Paulo on June 12.

Pot 1 (top eight seeds): Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay

Pot 2: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chile, Ecuador

Pot 3: Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras

Pot 4: Bosnia, Croatia, England, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, France

Note: A pre-draw will be held to move one of the nine European teams into Pot 2. That European team will then be drawn against one of the four seeded South American teams to preserve the geographical balance of the draw.

The four South American seeds: Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Argentina will form a temporary Pot X. The three teams not drawn against the European team in Pot 2 will return to the main draw.

"WE WANT WATER BREAKS!" - Prandelli

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is to lobby Fifa to implement time-outs during World Cup matches in Brazil next year, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said on Tuesday. FIGC is to make the proposal on Thursday in Costa do Sauipe ahead of Friday's World Cup draw in the same Brazilian town.

"I want to ask them to make two time-outs during the matches so the players can rehydrate," said Prandelli at a press conference in Rome.
"The are two big problems in Brazil, the same ones we encountered during the Confederations Cup in June: the heat and the humidity which, in certain towns, are worrying.
"If you want to offer a show to the world then you have to allow the players to be in a condition to offer up such a spectacle."

Prandelli wants an official two-minute time-out to be called at the mid-point of each half to give players the chance to take fluids on board, otherwise he says they will be taking every opportunity at throw-ins and corners to rehydrate, which would upset the flow of games.

Prandelli believes the proposition will find favour with "all those (teams) who were at the Confederations Cup" and who have already experienced the potentially difficult conditions in the country.

The former Roma and Fiorentina coach said that during that competition "eight out of 11" players asked him to come off.
"That's a lot," added Prandelli.

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EAGLES GET CODE OF CONDUCT

Nigeria football officials are set to implement a code of conduct which they hope will prevent future rows with the national team over bonus payments.The move is designed to ensure there is no repeat of the dispute that almost caused the country to miss out on this year's Fifa Confederations Cup.

Players threatened to strike over a 50% cut in their bonus for June's 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Namibia. Sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi has forwarded a code of conduct, drafted by a committee at his ministry, for immediate implementation by the country's football federation.
"That's the right step to take [approach the football body] so that the Nigeria Football Federation can ratify and implement this before the World Cup," Julius Ogunro, special assistant to the sports minister, told BBC Sport.

"It [the code of conduct] was kept away to allow the team focus solely on securing a World Cup ticket.

"Now is the right time to get it done and the NFF as a parastatal of the sports ministry are well aware of its importance.
"We need to prevent a bonus row like the one which fuelled anger and almost embarrassed the country before the last Confederations Cup in Brazil."

Back in June, Nigeria's players had initially refused to to go to the Confederations Cup following their 1-1 draw in Namibia in a World Cup qualifier as they were unhappy with the bonus payments offered by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The sports ministry intervened and made extra money available, eventually allowing the squad to travel to Brazil - two days late and only about 36 hours before Nigeria's opening game against Tahiti.
The five-part document spells out the obligations of the NFF, coaches and players called up to the national team. Non-compliance could lead to fines, suspensions or even expulsions.

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BEHOLD! THE YOUNGEST PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER EVER!

A 20-month-old toddler has become the youngest professional footballer in the world after being signed up by FC Racing Boxberg.

The Belgian club announced they had agreed a deal for Genk-born Bryce Brites this week, in what is a historic signing.

The child can’t even utter the word ‘football’ or ‘goal’ yet, but he has been awarded a place in Boxberg’s under-5s squad after penning a long-term contract. The club’s coach commented on the bizarre deal after it was completed, saying it was the obvious choice due to Bryce’s talent.
‘The way Bryce kicks the ball: you do not see that very often,’ he explained. ‘His ball control is incredible for somebody of his age.’

Belgium has become a hotbed of talent in recent years, with stars such as Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku and Thomas Vermaelen all emerging in recent years.

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