NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - Stephen Keshi close to new deal

The 52-year-old led Nigeria to their third African title in 2013 and the last 16 at the World Cup in Brazil but his deal was allowed to expire.

4 Aug 2014
COACHES - IVORY COAST - Herve Renard appointed Ivory Coast boss

Frenchman Herve Renard has been appointed coach of Ivory Coast. The 45-year-old had two spells as Zambia coach and led them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012.

3 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - Nigeria - Striker Imoh Ezekiel joins Qatari side Al-Arabi SC

"Being with Standard has filled me with good memories and I cannot thank the club enough," Ezekiel said in an emotional video message to Standard TV.

3 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIER - 2ND ROUND- 2ND LEG - RESULTS SO FAR

Saturday
Malawi vs Benin 1:0 (Agg: 1:1)
Rwanda vs Congo 2:0 (Agg 2:2)
Guinea-Bissau vs Botswana 1:1 (Agg: 1:3)

2 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIER - 2ND ROUND- 2ND LEG - PREVIEW

Saturday:
• Malawi vs Benin -:- (0:1)
• Rwanda vs Congo -:- (0:2)
• Guinea-Bissau vs Botswana -:- (0:2)
• Mauritania vs Uganda -:- (0:2)
Sunday:
• Mozambique vs Tanzania -:- (2:2)
• Kenya vs Lesotho -:- (0:1)

1 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - TOGO - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW - Emmanuel Adebayor

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 30, refused call-ups for World Cup qualifiers last year following a spat with then coach Didier Six after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

1 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - ALGERIA - GOALKEEPER Rais Mbolhi joins Philadelphia Union

The French-born 28-year-old impressed during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where Algeria reached the last 16.

The African side were beaten 2:1 by Germany after extra-time but Mbolhi was named man of the match following a series of fine saves.

31 Jul 2014
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - YAYA TOURE - MAN CITY MIDFIELDER - MY FUTURE IS AT ETIHAD

Toure, who signed a new four-year deal last season, also wants to see more signings in the coming weeks to help establish City as a "massive" club.

30 Jul 2014
TRANSFER - Guinea - Crewe Alexandra - Mathias Pogba exit will raise transfer funds

The Guinea international, who missed the first five months of last season with a knee injury as Crewe finished four points outside the relegation zone in League One, found the net 21 times in 63 appearances for the Alex.

30 Jul 2014
TRANSFER - GHANA - International Player Jordan Ayew signs for Lorient

He made a switch last winter by spending six months on loan at Sochaux, where his five goals in 17 matches could not prevent the club from relegation from the top flight.

29 Jul 2014

FIFA - PORTUGAL - candidate Luis Figo wants World Cup with 48 teams

Luís Figo World Cup 2014

 

Luis Figo would consider a bigger World Cup if he is elected to replace Sepp Blater as Fifa president.

Releasing his manifesto at Wembley Stadium, the legendary Portugal midfielder said he would look at increasing the number of teams from 32 to 40 or even 48.

Figo, 42, is one of three candidates challenging Blatter in the election on 29 May.

He also proposed sin-bins and reverting to the old offside rule interpretation.

Dutch federation president Michael van Praag and Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al Hussein are also in the running to become head of football's world governing body.

Former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan winger Figo, who played at two World Cups, said on Thursday that the current format could be increased to 40 teams or Fifa could stage two 24-team competitions simultaneously on two continents, followed by a knockout phase in one nation.

He said: "Both these options are feasible with an extra three to four days of tournament play.

If this expansion were to take place I believe that additional teams should come from non-European nations.

"We not only make sure that we include more countries from across the world, but also enable Fifa to raise significant increased revenues that can be used to invest in the growth of the game globally."

Figo, the 2001 Fifa world player of the year, also proposes:

•    Spreading half of Fifa's $2.5bn revenue over four years to associations to fund grassroots football.    

•    Redistributing $1bn of Fifa's $1.5bn cash reserves to the 209 national federations. 

•    Increased use of technology in the game, using sin-bins for unsporting behaviour.    

•    Reverting back to the previous interpretation of the offside rule, "where a player is judged offside whether directly involved in the play or not".


Blatter, 78, has been Fifa boss since 1998 and said in June 2014 that he intended to run for a fifth term.

He was criticised for Fifa's handling of Michael Garcia's report into alleged corruption during the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

 

 

21 Feb 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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