stars in Europe - Uche not angry at Nigeria World Cup snub

The Villarreal striker was not picked by Keshi, despite scoring 12 goals in the Spanish top flight this season. Uche has not played for his country since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. The 30-year-old insists, however, that he holds no grudges against Keshi. "Of course as a professional footballer you'd love to represent your country, but I have never had bad words towards the national coach," Uche is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most reliable strikers at international level and is one of his nation's all-time top scorers, with 18 goals in 45 appearances, behind Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami and Yakubu Aiyegbeni. 

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AFRICA CUP 2023 - FIFA - postponement agreed

Africa Cup 2015 World Cup 2014

 

A Fifa taskforce has recommended the World Cup is played in November and December to avoid Qatar's hot summer.

"The African confederation has automatically and nicely agreed it will not organise the Nations Cup in January 2023," Valcke said.

"It will have to postpone the Africa Cup of Nations to June."

The 2022 World Cup is set to finish in late December and the African Cup had been scheduled to start in mid-January 2023.

Valcke said the aim of postponing the continental event was "to avoid there being a release (from their clubs) of African players for the World Cup and again two weeks after for the Africa Cup of Nations.''

While Confederation of African Football spokesman Junior Binyam said the governing body is "100% behind the the proposals of the task force and will adjust its calendar accordingly", he added he was not yet aware of Fifa's decision to move the Nations Cup.

Protecting the World Cup from severe weather in Qatar may hamper the 2023 African Cup, however. 

The monsoonal rainy season in the West African nation of tournament hosts Guinea normally starts in June.

"We are all making a number of concessions to make sure that this World Cup can be played, for the players, for the fans, for the media, for whoever is attending the World Cup in the best conditions,'' Valcke added. 

"`It is not perfect, we know that."

 

26 Feb 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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