Europe

4, February 2019

Serie A: Nicolas Nkoulou sees first red card in Torino’s stalemate ⁰

The Cameroon international was given the marching order for the fourth time in his career at Stadio Paolo Mazza

Nicolas Nkoulou was shown his first Serie A red card in Torino’s 0-0 stalemate with SPAL on Sunday.

On the back of a three-game winless run, the Bull bounced back to winning ways against Inter Milan last week but their effort to commence to a run was frustrated by Leonardo Semplici’s side.

Nkoulou’s sending off with 25 minutes to play did not help their cause either.

Goal.com

1, February 2019

Premier League: Fulham beat three rivals to sign Cameroon defender ⁰

Slavia Prague defender Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui is set for a Deadline Day move to the Premier League, we can reveal.

Ngadeu-Ngadjui is ready to fly into the UK to finalise a move, with Fulham having won the race for his signature.

Cardiff, Crystal Palace and Derby County also asked about the Cameroon international – who was recently named captain of his country by coach Clarence Seedorf.

The 28-year-old is a domineering centre-half, and Slavia are loathed to lose him but the lure of the Premier League has proven too much and are ready to cash in for the right price.

Fulham hope to secure his signature before the window shuts at 11pm on Thursday night.

Source: Teamtalk

17, January 2019

UK: Bisong Foundation stages charity football match between Cameroon’s 1990 World Cup stars and Cambridgeshire Police FC ⁰

Former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and a UK Selection took on the Cambridgeshire Police Football Team in an enthralling game of football organised by the Bisong Foundation at the Cambridge Stadium in Trumpington. The police team actually looked forward to the game and were expecting a tough one as they had to play against some of the Cameroon team who played in 1990 World Cup quarter-finals against England.

Under the theme of integration in diversity and a shared sense of belonging, Bisong Foundation chose to leverage the powerful influence of elite footballers to mobilise the community and promote personal, social and community development.

Bisong Foundation believes that football as the world’s most popular sport, can help break down barriers created by ignorance or prejudice and bring together people from different backgrounds to create, expand and strengthen social ties and network, play, watch and enjoy the game.

Bisong Foundation feels that the benefit of effective community engagement with the police can increase public perceptions of safety, a tendency towards a reduction in disorder and anti-social behaviour as well as an increase in confidence and trust between the police and the local community.

Using football to facilitate interaction between the police and community members in a non-enforcement context helps to reduce bias on the part of community members and police officers. It also helps both groups to break down personal barriers and overcome stereotypes.

Our ultimate goal is to build a united society where everyone is valued irrespective of ethnicity, religion, sexuality, disability or any other perceived differences. We believe that if we continue to work together for equality, we can change attitudes, and build a society where everyone feels they belong.

PC Josh – Player / Coach of Police FC adorning Young People with medals

When former FECAFOOT and FA referee, Samuel Taku gave the kick off, the game went into high pitch quite rapidly with the police team pressing on the ex-Lions back line, creating some scoring chances. One shot by the Police side bounced off the post in the early stages of the first half. However, one-time great Songo’o Jacques maintained calmness to his defensive line as the team flew through the centre of the midfield controlled by African legend Cyrille Makanaky towards the opposing goal with their pacey forwards led by Joseph Desire Job, ex-Middlesbrough FC goal getter.

The first goal went to the police team through the left from a cross that deceived the entire ex-Lion’s defence including ever present Songo’o Jacques. The ex-Lions team started to find their rhythm and were quickly levelled through Desire Job.

At the start of the second half, the police team went straight at the ex-Lions as they aimed to demonstrate their physical fitness and strength. The ex-Lions came twice from behind to draw level. The game ended 3-3 after regular play time. In the penalty shootout, all-time great Cyrille Makanaky scored the decisive penalty as the ex-Lions beat the police team 5-3.

The Runners Up trophy was handed to the police team by Mrs Karyne Tazi, Managing Director of the Women’s Resource Centre in Wolverhampton and the Winners’ trophy was presented to Cyrille Makanaky captain of Former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Legends of African Football by Mrs Annette Nti, President of the Women’s Association of Hainaut, Belgium. Medals were equally awarded to children and young people by the police team.

Mrs Nti awarding the Winner’s Trophy

Mrs Melanie Ngangen, Secretary of Charity Ensemble Manchester was head of delegate of children and young people who attended the event. She has been working with children to educate them about the heritage of Cameroon and was delighted to meet and interview legends of Cameroon and African football.

Cyrille Makanaky posing with the Young Generation

Mrs Tazi awarding the Runners – Up trophy to the captain of the Police FC

The police team raised £130 to support the work of Bisong Foundation.

*The author is Co-Founder of Bisong Foundation and also its Marketing Coordinator and Community Officer

6, January 2019

Bayern Munich hand Ribery ‘heavy fine’ for angry Tweetstorm ⁰

Bayern Munich on Sunday said it will impose “a heavy fine” on Franck Ribery over an obscenity-laced outburst on social media, after the French striker became embroiled in controversy for eating a gold-coated steak.

The punishment comes after Ribery lashed out at critics in a string of angry posts on Twitter and Instagram on Saturday. It is the latest scandal to engulf the 35-year-old, who is deeply unpopular in his native France but revered by German fans.

“I had a long talk with Franck and I let him know that we would impose a heavy fine on him and he accepted it,” the club’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic told journalists in Qatar, where the club is on a training camp.

“He used words that we, FC Bayern, cannot accept and that Franck does not have the right to use, as a role-model and player of FC Bayern,” added Salihamidzic.

On Thursday, Ribery posted a video on social media showing him in a Dubai steak house owned by celebrity Turkish restauranteur Salt Bae and rubbing his hands before tucking into a huge chop coated in gold.

That ostentatious luxury, and the reported cost of the meal, drew ferocious criticism before Ribery — who earns an estimated eight million euros a year with the German champions — hit back.

“Let’s start with the envious, the angry, surely born because of a broken condom,” read the first of the posts on Ribery’s Twitter account. “F*ck your mothers, your grandmothers and your whole family tree,” he wrote, having taken care to sanitise the French word “n*quez”.

Salihamidzic made clear that Ribery did not pay the bill himself because he had been invited to the restaurant.

“Franck has been slandered and insulted,” said Salihamidzic. “And not only Franck, but his pregnant wife, his child and his mother, who is currently in hospital for an operation. Franck wanted to defend himself and defend his family. He has the right to do that. I support him in that, but unfortunately he totally lost control.”

German media and social media users had called on the reigning Bundesliga champions to punish the striker, who is out of contract at the end of the season after 11 years at the club. “Bosses must suspend Ribery,” urged Germany’s bestselling Bild newspaper.

The news portal T-Online went even further, slamming Bayern for not taking firmer action. “Ribery should not play for Bayern anymore,” it said in an editorial. “With this fine, the club falls short of drastic repercussions and that is a fatal signal.”

– Hated at home, loved abroad –

Ribery’s outburst comes less than two months after the forward insulted and attacked French TV pundit Patrick Guillou who had criticised his performance following Bayern’s 3-2 loss against Dortmund.

Bayern later made Ribery post a video apology on the club web site. Despite being known as one of France’s best players, Ribery is little loved at home, partly because of his perceived key role in the French team’s infamous training ground strike during their disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa.

Ribery’s reputation was also damaged by allegations that he had had sex with an underage prostitute although charges in the case were dropped for lack of evidence in 2014.

Ribery announced his retirement from France duty after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which he missed due to a back injury.

But run-ins with the media and perceived displays of arrogance have kept Ribery in the headlines, and he has repeatedly been mocked on the French satirical puppet show “Les Guignols” as a dim-witted, out of touch figure.

It’s a different story in Germany, where Ribery is known as “King Franck” to grateful Bayern supporters. Since joining the Bavarian giants in 2007, Ribery has helped the team win the Champions League in 2013 as well as eightBundesliga titles and five German Cups.

Although he now sees less time on the pitch than in his younger days, Ribery finished 2018 in style scoring four goals in the final three matches of the year. But Bayern bosses have indicated the current season is very likely to be Ribery’s last.

AFP

18, December 2018

UEFA Champions League draw: Liverpool vs Bayern, Man United vs PSG ⁰

Football fans all over the world are relishing the mouth watering ties served up for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, including a match between last season’s finalists Liverpool and German champions Bayern Munich.

The round of 16 draw, held on Monday paired defending champions Real Madrid, who are chasing a fourth successive title, and Dutch side Ajax. Juventus, who have the services of Portuguese talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, will take on Spain’s Atletico Madrid. Ronaldo won four titles with Real Madrid.

Struggling Manchester United have been handed a seemingly herculean task of stopping Neymar and Mbappe’s Paris Saint Germain.

The other round of 16 fixtures includes Tottenham vs Borussia Dortmund, Lyon vs Barcelona and AS Roma vs FC Porto. The first legs will be played on February 12-13 and February 19-20, while the return legs will be played on March 5-6 and March 12-13. Fans are now sharing their predictions and thoughts on several social media polls.

Source: Africa News

16, October 2018

France’s all-time top scorer Thierry Henry is Monaco’s new manager ⁰

France’s all-time leading scorer and Arsenal great Thierry Henry landed his first managerial job on Saturday after Monaco hired him as a replacement for Leonardo Jardim, who was dismissed last week. The 41-year-old Henry started his professional career at the Riviera club and played in the French league with Monaco from 1994 to 1999.

He has signed on as Monaco’s coach for three seasons to June 2021 and starts on Monday. “I thank AS Monaco for giving me the opportunity to coach the team of this club, which is so special to me,” Henry said in a statement on the club website. “I am very happy to come back to AS Monaco and extremely determined to meet the challenges ahead. I cannot wait to meet the players to start working together.”

‘Thierry’s ready’

Henry has no experience as a manager but has been working as an assistant to Belgium coach Roberto Martinez since 2016 and helped lead the team to third place at the World Cup in Russia.

Henry becomes the latest member of the French squad that won the 1998 World Cup to embrace a coaching career, following Laurent Blanc, Didier Deschamps, Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane, among others.

“Thierry’s ready,” France manager Deschamps told French TV news network TF1. “He has everything” to be a good coach.

“He’s throwing himself into an exciting, exhilarating project where he’ll have to take responsibility. It’ll be up to him to take the reins,” Deschamps added.

“Thierry is ready to be head coach in a club,” Martinez told L’Equipe sports paper in an interview. “He likes what he does, and enjoying it is an essential part of this job.”

Henry turned down an offer from Bordeaux this summer and was in the running at Aston Villa.

At Monaco, which is winless in its past 10 games in all competitions, Henry’s first task will be to get the team back in contention in the league. A traditional powerhouse in French football, Monaco secured top-three finishes over the past five seasons and won the 2017 league – under Jardim – but is currently in 18th place in the standings and in last place in its Champions League group.

“Thierry is both aware of the task ahead and eager to start his new job,” Monaco vice president and CEO Vadim Vasilyev said in a statement. “He can count on our trust and all our support to bring a new dynamic to the team and carry out the mission.”

“His knowledge of football, his passion for the game, his high standards and his commitment to our colours make his nomination a reality.”

Arsenal great

Henry’s first-class career was launched in 1994 by Monaco coach Arsene Wenger, who five years later brought him to Arsenal.

Wenger promoted Henry to Monaco’s first team after the fast and technically gifted forward scored more than 30 goals with the under-17s in one year. Aged 17, Henry played his first French league game in August 1994. He ended up playing 141 matches in all competitions with Monaco, winning the 1997 league.

At Arsenal, he joined the pantheon of modern greats. He scored at least 20 league goals in six consecutive seasons and became Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer. He won seven trophies with the Gunners, among them two Premier Leagues including the unbeaten 2003-2004 side.

Henry ended his 20-year playing career four years ago after claiming multiple trophies, including the Champions League and the World Cup. After he retired, he worked as a TV analyst and quit his role as a UK Sky Sports pundit in July to focus on his ambition to become a manager.

Henry holds the French record of 51 goals in 123 internationals. He won the 2000 European Championship but finished on a low: In 2009 came the infamous handball in the decisive goal against Ireland in a World Cup playoff. At the World Cup in South Africa, France didn’t win a game and caused a scandal by refusing to train before their final match.

Coach Raymond Domenech arguably played his part in the debacle by dropping the hugely influential Henry from the starting lineup and souring a fragile atmosphere within the squad. It was a sad and humiliating end to Henry’s international career when he made his final appearance as a second-half substitute, with his shell-shocked side trailing South Africa 2-0 and headed for the exit.

(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)

19, September 2018

Liverpool start Champions League with brilliant 3-2 victory over PSG ⁰

English Premier League Club Liverpool have started the new season of UEFA Champions League with a brilliant 3-2 victory against French Giants PSG at Anfield.

Paris Saint-Germain’s French goalkeeper Alphonse Areola (C) saves a shot from a corner during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on September 18, 2018. (AFP)

Liverpool’s English striker Daniel Sturridge celebrates with teammates after scoring the team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on September 18, 2018. (AFP)

The 2017 Champions League Runners-up took the lead when Daniel Sturridge scored with a thumping header in the 30th minute.

6 minutes later, James Milner doubled the lead for the Merseyside Reds from the spot. PSG managed to pull a goal back before half-time through Belgian Defender Thomas Meunier, who netted with a smart finish from inside the box.

Paris Saint-Germain’s French striker Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on September 18, 2018. (AFP)

The French Player scored the equalizer for the visitors with 8 minutes reaming from inside the area. But, Roberto Firmino of Brazil came off the bench and scored the winner for Liverpool, moments before the final whistle.

Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp gestures during the UEFA Champions League group C football match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on September 18, 2018. (AFP)

3, September 2018

Cameroon defender Oyongo ‘delighted’ with first goal in French football ⁰

Cameroon international defender Ambroise Oyongo said he was delighted to score his first goal for French club Montpellier since joining from Major League Soccer (MLS) side Montreal Impact in January.

The 27-year-old’s crisp half-volley in the 77th minute earned La Paillade a hard-fought 1-0 away victory over Reims on Saturday night.

“I feel happy to get my first goal – it was difficult for me to come back from a lengthy injury,” he told BBC Sport.

“I’ve only played two games before this game, but I’m delighted to give my team all three points against a tough team.”

Oyongo, who moved to France after he ruptured a tendon, was making only his sixth appearance for the Ligue 1 club.

“I have been pushing myself in pre-season to get to the best level I can be. Everyone has helped me settle in. I just need to keep it going both at club and national team level.”

As he shifts his attention to international football with Cameroon, Oyongo has urged the fans to back new manager Clarence Seedorf and his assistants as they face Comoros in a 2019 Nation Cup qualifier next weekend.

“The fans want success and I think they will just be happy to see the team winning again,” added Oyongo

“Seedorf and Kluivert are legends, it is good for Cameroon to have this calibre of coaches and they need all the support.

“It’s not about the names, all the players must respect the coach because he is the boss.

“If we all work together I believe the country will do very well under this new set up.”

Oyongo began his career at Coton Sport in his native Cameroon, where he won three league titles between 2010 and 2014.

He had a brief spell with MLS club New York Red Bulls in 2014, before switching to Montreal Impact in January 2015.

Oyongo scored three goals and provided six assists in 72 games for the MLS Eastern Conference outfit.

Capped 29 times by Cameroon scoring twice, Oyongo played all six games as the Indomitable Lions won their fifth African Cup of Nations title in Gabon last year.

Source: BBC

31, August 2018

Champions League: PSG drawn against Liverpool and Napoli ⁰

Paris Saint-Germain will face Napoli, Red Star Belgrade and last season’s runners-up Liverpool after landing in one of the Champions League’s toughest groups.

Thursday’s group draw handed fellow French club Monaco an equally difficult task, with Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge standing in their way.

Lyon, the third French club, will face Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk and Hoffenheim.

Title holders Real Madrid, who have won the competition for the past three years, are in Group G with Roma, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen.

Real’s former star player Cristiano Ronaldo, who first tasted Champions League glory with Machester United, will return to Old Trafford with his new club Juventus.

In what is arguably the least glamorous group, former European champions Porto will take on Lokomotiv Moscow, Schalke 04 and Galatasaray.

Group E also has three former European champions — Bayern Munich, Benfica and Ajax Amsterdam — alongside AEK Athens.

And for their return to the competition after a six-year absence, Inter Milan have been pitted against Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and PSV Eindhoven.

The draw in full:

Group A: Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Club Brugge.

Group B: Barcelona, Tottenham, PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan.

Group C: PSG, Napoli, Liverpool, Red Star Belgrade.

Group D: Lokomotiv Moscow, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray.

Group E: Bayern Munich, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens.

Group F: Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon, Hoffenheim.

Group G: Real Madrid, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Viktoria Plzen.

Group H: Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys

23, July 2018

Matip admits he has to fight for Liverpool place under Klopp ⁰

The Cameroon defender missed the end of last season through injury but could be set to start the season alongside Virgil van Dijk

Joel Matip is ready to fight for his Liverpool place this season – and believes the Reds are assembling a squad capable of challenging for major honours.

The Cameroon international has returned to action this summer having missed the final weeks of the last campaign with a thigh injury.

In that time, Matip had to watch as Liverpool reached the Champions League final without him, and saw Dejan Lovren and Virgil van Dijk establish themselves as the Reds’ first-choice centre-back pairing.

Source: Goal.com