stars in Europe - Everton may seek to extend Lacina Traore's stay

Everton are open to extending Lacina Traore's loan spell despite the Ivorian's injury-ravaged time at the club since he joined from Monaco.

26 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - COACHES - Uganda coach Sredojevic targets 2015 Nations Cup finals

Sredojevic is scheduled to name his squad on 30 April and would not be drawn on who he may include. 

25 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - MOROCCO - COACH - Herve Renard plays down links to position

Sochaux coach Herve Renard has distanced himself from reports he could become the next coach of Morocco.

24 Apr 2014
stars in Europe - Nathan Sinkala keen to stay on at Sochaux

Zambia midfielder Nathan Sinkala hopes to stay at Sochaux beyond the end of his loan from TP Mazembe.

23 Apr 2014
stars in Europe - Ghana midfielder Jordan Ayew is focussed on Sochaux

Jordan Ayew is the son of Ghana great Abedi Pele and has so far won 11 caps and scored two goals for the Black Stars. Ayew has scored three goals for Sochaux since he joined from Marseille on loan in January and knows playing well for his club can only help his chances of getting into the Black Stars' squad for Brazil. 

22 Apr 2014
2015 Africa Cup qualifiers - Mauritania go through to next round

Mauritania coach Patrice Neveu said the tactics he put in place paid off. "We came to get the qualification and we knew we should not defend"

21 Apr 2014
2015 Africa Cup qualifiers - Mauritius sure of beating Mauritania

The islanders' coach Akbar Patel has three new faces in his squad for the match after they missed last week's first leg loss in Nouakchott.

20 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - ETHIOPIA - COACH - deal agreed with Portuguese Barreto

The former Ghana coach will be unveiled on Tuesday according to EFF president Juinedi Basha.

19 Apr 2014
stars in Europe - Nabil Bentaleb tipped to star for Algeria

Tottenham youngster Nabil Bentaleb has the ability to become one of the stars of the Algeria team, says fellow international Adlene Guedioura.

18 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - SOUTH AFRICA - COACH - Gordon Igesund cleared of wrongdoing after FA inquiry

The 57-year-old, who has been in charge of South Africa since 2012, had always strongly denied the claims. He is now free to see out his contract, which is due to end in June

17 Apr 2014

STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - Yaya Toure pays tribute to Steve Gohouri

Steve Gohouri

 

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has led tributes to compatriot and former Ivory Coast defender Steve Gohouri who died at the age of 34.

The ex-Wigan player went missing on 12 December after a Christmas party with his German club TSV Steinbach.

German police confirmed his body had been found in the River Rhine in the western city of Krefeld on Thursday.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Steve Gohouri. 

Very sad news he is no longer with us," Toure said. 

Police added that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Another current Ivory Coast international, Hertha Berlin's Salomon Kalou, has paid tribute  on social media. "Rest in peace my brother," he wrote.

Gohouri, a member of the Ivory Coast 2008 African Cup of Nations and 2010 World Cup squads, moved from his native country to France at the age of five, where he was raised in the suburbs of Paris.

Former Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba, who played alongside the defender for the Elephants, described him as a 'soldier'. 

"So sad about this news, lost one of my soldiers, Cote d'Ivoire lost one of his most loyal sons. My thoughts goes to the family. R.I.P. Bro (sic)," Drogba wrote.

Gohouri began his football career in France but played for clubs in Israel, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Greece and Germany.

He played for German side Borussia Mönchengladbach between 2007 and 2009, helping the club gain promotion to the Bundesliga in 2008.

Gohouri moved from Germany to then-Premier League side Wigan, where he made 42 appearances for the club between 2010 and 2012.

 

His former club Borussia Monchengladbach tweeted:  "Borussia are mourning the loss of Steve Gohouri. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family."

"This is terrible news," Mönchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl said. 

"I got to know Steve as a person full of the joys of life and that's how I'll remember him. Our thoughts and sympathies are now with his family."

The club's Guinean international winger Ibrahima Traore wrote:  "RIP my brother Steve gohouri. No Word for such a drama."

Gohouri joined Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2012 and also had a spell at Skoda Xanthi in the Greek top flight before looking to finish his playing career in the fourth-tier of Germany. 

He joined TSV Steinbach from Erfurt in 2015.

 

 

4 Jan 2016
(BBC Sport by Oluwashina Okeleji)

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