Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Taliban Deploys Troops To Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Amid Deadly Strikes. Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have surged to a boiling point, with fears mounting of an escalation into an all-out war following the Taliban’s deployment of troops to the border in response to deadly strikes and escalating hostilities. The Afghan Taliban have claimed responsibility for devastating artillery attacks targeting Pakistani military positions along the contentious Durand Line, significantly intensifying an already volatile situation. According to Taliban officials, several Pakistani checkpoints were obliterated, and battalions of fighters have been mobilised in anticipation of any retaliatory actions from Islamabad. These strikes…

Mourinho Reflects On Career Regret: The Missed Opportunity At Real Madrid. In an introspective moment with Corriere dello Sport, José Mourinho, the Portuguese football maestro, revealed one of the most poignant regrets of his illustrious managerial career – his decision to leave Real Madrid. Mourinho, who is currently at the helm of Fenerbahçe, admitted that turning down an offer from Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez was a decision that still haunts him. “Saying no to Florentino Perez remains one of the big regrets,” Mourinho shared, reflecting on a pivotal moment in his career. During his tenure at Real Madrid…

LeBron James Makes NBA History In Lakers’ Loss To Cavaliers. Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James etched his name further into basketball lore by becoming the first player in NBA history to compete both as a teenager and beyond the age of 40, although his team fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers. James, who initially burst onto the NBA scene as an 18-year-old in 2003, celebrated his 40th birthday on 30 December, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career. In the game at the Crypto.com Arena in LA, James contributed 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 122-110 defeat.…

Liverpool have rebuffed an approach from Real Madrid to sign their star right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold in January, amidst a flurry of transfer activity across the Premier League. The 26-year-old England international, who is out of contract in the summer, remains a key figure for Liverpool, with the club showing no interest in letting him go mid-season despite the allure of the Spanish giants. This news comes as a relief to Liverpool fans, who have seen Alexander-Arnold grow from a local academy prospect to one of the world’s leading defenders (Athletic – subscription required). Elsewhere in the transfer market, Juventus…

Wayne Rooney Departs Plymouth Argyle by Mutual Consent. In a surprising turn of events, Plymouth Argyle Football Club has announced that Wayne Rooney has left his position as head coach with immediate effect. The decision comes after a challenging stint at Home Park, where Rooney managed to secure only one victory in his last 14 games in charge. Rooney, who was appointed in May 2024, aimed to revitalize the team’s performance in the Championship. However, the former England captain and Manchester United legend was unable to steer the Pilgrims away from the bottom of the league table. This departure marks…

Gareth Southgate Awarded Knighthood In New Year Honours. Former England manager Gareth Southgate has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list, recognising his outstanding contribution to English football. Southgate, 54, stepped down as England manager in July after leading the team to the final of Euro 2024, where they were narrowly defeated by Spain. During his eight-year tenure, Southgate also guided England to the 2018 World Cup semi-final, restoring pride and passion in the national team. The knighthood makes Southgate the fourth England manager to receive the honour, following in the footsteps of Sir Walter…

NPFL DECLARES MID-SEASON BREAK, SETS RESUMPTION DATE FOR JANUARY 25. The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has announced a three-week mid-season break, following the conclusion of the first round of matches. The break, which will commence immediately, will provide teams with an opportunity to recharge and regroup ahead of the second round of matches. The NPFL has also opened a transfer market, which will run from January 6 to February 5, 2025, allowing clubs to bolster their squads for the remainder of the season. The league is scheduled to resume on January 25, 2025, with Remo Stars currently…

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau Promises Exciting New Year For Nigerian Football. As the year 2024 comes to a close, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is looking forward to an exciting year ahead, with President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau assuring Nigerians that the National Teams will bring joy and glory to the nation in 2025. Gusau reflected on the outgoing year, highlighting the Super Eagles’ impressive performance against Ghana’s Black Galaxies, which secured their spot in the 8th African Nations Championship. He emphasized that the NFF’s focus is on adequately preparing all National Teams to compete for honors at major tournaments,…

Nigeria National League Set To Resume On 4 January 2025. The Nigeria National League (NNL) has announced that the 2024/2025 season will resume on Saturday, 4 January 2025, following a brief break for the yuletide holidays. The league, which kicked off on 30 November 2024 in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, had completed three weeks of action before the break. At the top of the tables, Abia Comets of Umuahia lead Conference A with 7 points, while debutants Kun-Khalifat Football Club of Owerri have made a strong start in Conference B, winning all three of their matches. In Conference C,…

Delap Inspires Ipswich To First Home Win As Chelsea’s Title Hopes Fade. Ipswich Town secured their first home win of the season, defeating Chelsea 2-0 at Portman Road, thanks in large part to Liam Delap’s exceptional performance. The 21-year-old striker, formerly of Manchester City, scored a 12th-minute penalty and then provided the assist for Omari Hutchinson’s second-half goal. Delap’s penalty was awarded after a VAR review deemed that Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen had made sufficient contact with the Ipswich player. Chelsea dominated possession but struggled to capitalise on their chances, with the VAR intervening again to rule out a…

Barcelona’s Appeal To Register Dani Olmo Rejected Again Over Financial Constraints. Barcelona have suffered a significant setback after a second court rejected their appeal to register Spain forward Dani Olmo for the remainder of the season. The 26-year-old, who was signed from RB Leipzig for a reported £51m in August, was initially registered only for the first half of the season due to La Liga’s wage cap restrictions. With the registration deadline looming, Barcelona’s failure to overturn the decision may prevent Olmo from playing for the club from 1 January. According to La Liga, the court rejected Olmo’s precautionary…

Newcastle Stun Manchester United At Old Trafford, As Relegation Talks Begin For Red Devils. Newcastle United secured a stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, condemning their hosts to a third consecutive home defeat for the first time in 45 years. Eddie Howe’s side took an early lead through goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton, and their dominance never wavered. The win marked Newcastle’s fourth consecutive Premier League victory, propelling them to fifth place in the table. Isak, in particular, was impressive, taking his tally to 12 goals for the season and scoring for the sixth…