Sports

27, November 2019

Webo lands coaching job at Turkish Super Lig club Istanbul Basaksehir ⁰

The 37-year-old has returned to his former club in Turkey, where he will take up his first coaching job

Istanbul Basaksehir have confirmed the appointment of Cameroon legend Pierre Webo as one of their assistant coaches.

On Tuesday, the Istanbul outfit announced the return of Webo to the club, alongside Ekrem Dag, as assistants to manager Okan Buruk.

The former Cameroon forward played for the Owls from 2011 to 2013, and boasts of vast experience in Turkey having previously turned out for Fenerbahce, Osmanlispor, and Gaziantep FK before he hung up his boots earlier this year.

During his seven-year stint in Turkey, Webo won the Turkish Super Lig title, Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup at Fenerbahce.

The 37-year-old will be hoping to help Istanbul Basaksehir, who are placed third in the Super Lig standings, to end their wait for a top-flight crown after finishing as runners-up last campaign.

Source: Goal.com

26, November 2019

Indomitable Lions: Ex-midfielder Modeste M’Bami turns down team manager role ⁰

Former Cameroon midfielder Modeste M’bami has turned down an offer to become his country’s new team manager.

The 37-year-old retired in 2016 and Cameroon’s football federation (Fecafoot) wanted him to succeed Salomon Olembe, who worked under former head coach Clarence Seedorf at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

But the former Paris St-Germain and Marseille midfielder said his appointment to work alongside new head coach Tony Coneicao was made by Fecafoot without prior consultation.

“I decline the offer of my appointment to the position of Team Manager of the national men’s team A ‘of Cameroon,” M’bami said in a statement.

“I remain convinced that the appointment to such an important position should meet certain prerequisites; discussion with the person concerned, specifically about the project, the working conditions and collaboration that would be presented in the agreement, ‘the contract’.”

Capped 38 times by his country, the 2000 Olympic Games football gold medallist also cited the poor treatment of former players in same role also contributed to his decision.

“Given the fact that some former footballers before me have been appointed and have always suffered humiliation in the exercise of their duties, which has always led to their dismissal without means,” he added.

“In view of all the above, I can easily draw the conclusion that the change of personnel in different positions is not the real solution to the scourge that undermines our football in general and our national teams in particular.”

Born in the capital city of Yaoundé, M’bami played professionally in France, Spain, China, Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

A former youth international, he represented the Indomitable Lions at the 2003 Fifa Confederations Cup and two Nations Cup tournaments in 2004 and 2008.

Source: BBC

22, November 2019

Real Madrid wants to sign Andre Onana ⁰

Goalkeeper André Onana of Ajax and Cameroon national team may continue his professional football career at Real Madrid.

According to Tuttomercato, Real view 23-year-old Onana as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois in the future.

In the current season, Onana has made 22 appearances for Ajax and conceded 18 goals.

André Onana is a student of the FC Barcelona Football Academy, and the Cameroon goalkeeper played within the Barça system in 2010-2015.

Source: Sports.news.am

22, November 2019

Africa Cup of Nations: Cameroon 2021 dates ‘to be decided’ ⁰

The dates for Cameroon 2021, the next Africa Cup of Nations, are yet to be decided, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) says.

The announcement raises the possibility of the tournament returning to its previous schedule of January/February.

Egypt 2019 was the first Nations Cup to be held in June/July.

Caf say the Cameroon move is due to weather conditions in the country but a move would also avoid a clash with the newly relaunched Club World Cup.

Cameroon are also the hosts, in 2020, of the African Nations Championship, for locally-based players, and that will take place in April.

But an April Nations Cup would clash with the end of the European club season, so is unlikely be an option.

CAF says it will make a decision on the dates “jointly” with the host country.

The news was one of a number of decisions made at CAF’s Executive Committee meeting in Cairo on Thursday.

The governing body confirmed its decision to cancel its long-term media rights contract with French company Lagardere, which CAF says is legally required.

Lagardere has previously said it would challenge the decision or demand “a significant amount of cash”.

Caf also called for bids to host the 2020 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, which is still without a host after Congo Brazzaville pulled out.

And they announced the return of an award for players based on the continent.

There hasn’t been one since 2017, but the Executive Committee announced a new trophy for the best player featuring in the continent’s inter-club competitions – the African Champions League and Confederation Cup.

Source: BBC

22, November 2019

Ronaldo ready to make amends as injury-hit Juve take on Atalanta in Serie A ⁰

Cristiano Ronaldo conceded he is not ‘100 percent’ despite his goal spree for Portugal but always ready to play as injury-hit Juventus head to Atalanta on Saturday looking to extend their unbeaten run this season to stay top of Serie A.

Juventus visit fifth-placed Atalanta before hosting Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next week.

Maurizio Sarri’s side are just one point ahead of Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan after 12 matches, with Lazio and Cagliari eight points adrift of the leaders in joint third.

Atalanta have gone three league games without a win and will be eager to get back into the Champions League berths, as they sit two points off fourth place, before next week’s trip to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Atalanta’s fortunes have slipped following the thigh injury suffered to Colombian star Duvan Zapata, who scored six goals in six Serie A matches before being sidelined for their last five league games.

As Atalanta sweat on Zapata’s return, Juventus will be without full-back Alex Sandro, who picked up a thigh problem playing for Brazil, with Blaise Matuidi recovering from a rib injury.

Ronaldo had said he was not be at his best physical form, with Sarri saying the Portuguese star has a “little knee problem”.

But the 34-year-old wants to make amends after storming off when he was substituted in Juventus’s last game against AC Milan.

“In the last three weeks, I have played at a slightly reduced capacity,” Ronaldo conceded after his goal spree for Portugal.

“I don’t like to be replaced, no one does,” added Ronaldo. “I tried to help Juve even when injured.”

Full-back Danilo, who scored his first goal for Brazil during the international break, warned: “The games after the international break are never easy, let alone against Atalanta, a team who are doing well.

“We can’t make mistakes or underestimate them.”

Inter will be looking to make it a perfect seven league games on the road this season as they travel to Torino, before their European trip to Slavia Prague.

Conte’s side face a tough task against the Andrea Belotti-powered Torino, who ended their six-match winless run against Brescia last time out, and are in 11th position.

Serie A runners-up Napoli are in crisis, having slipped to seventh, and desperately need a result at 14th-placed AC Milan, who are themselves floundering.

Cagliari and Lazio will look to continue their strong form at lowly Lecce and Sassuolo respectively.

Roma have a chance to move into the Champions League places as the look to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Parma at home against tailenders Brescia.

One to watch:

Carlo Ancelotti’s Serie A runners-up last season head for AC Milan amid reports he has two games left to save his job.

Napoli have gone four games without a win in Serie A to sit seventh.

The southerners have 19 points — 13 behind leaders Juventus — their worst tally after 12 games since the 2011-2012 season when they finished fifth.

After being held 1-1 by Salzburg in the Champions League, they travel to Liverpool next week in a key game for the former Chelsea, AC Milan and Real Madrid boss.

Key stats:

100 – Torino captain Andrea Belotti’s Serie A goals

29 – Juventus’s unbeaten run against Atalanta — 23W, 6D

13 – Points between Juventus and last season’s runners-up Napoli

6 – Inter have won six in six on the road so far this league season.

5 – Years since AC Milan last beat Napoli

Fixtures

Saturday (all times GMT)

Atalanta v Juventus (1400GMT), AC Milan v Napoli (1700), Torino v Inter Milan (1945)

Sunday

Bologna v Parma (1130GMT), Verona v Fioretina, AS Roma v Brescia, Sassuolo v Lazio (1400), Sampdoria v Udinese (1700), Lecce v Cagliari (1945)

Monday

SPAL v Genoa (1945)

Source: AFP

21, November 2019

Celtic star confirms he rejected offer to play for the Indomitable Lions ⁰

Celtic star Olivier Ntcham’s saga with his national teams has been well documented, now he says he rejected Cameroon’s offer.

Olivier Ntcham has the opportunity to play for two national squads: France and Cameroon. Until now, the midfielder has exclusively played for the French national team. Just a few days ago, The Celtic Bhoys pointed out that Olivier Ntcham was mysteriously left off of either country’s U-21 squads.

The reason for the snub has now been revealed. As Celts Are Here has pointed out, a player with multiple nationalities has the opportunity to switch allegiances until they have reached a senior team with one country in particular.

This is the case for Olivier Ntcham, as he has played for France his entire career, but now Cameroon looks like the option Olivier Ntcham would like to pursue, except that he didn’t this time around.

Speaking to the Celtic View, a Celtic magazine publication, and transcribed by Celts Are Here, this is what the Lazio hero had to say about the national team status:

“The Cameroon manager approached me last year about it we talked and I told him my targets.

“We spoke again recently when I was preparing for the Europa League games but I told him international football was not my priority right now because I had to make sure I got back in the Celtic team first.

“Once I do that, then I can think about football. My parents are both from Cameroon but I’ve never been there myself. I think my parents would be happier if I played with France.”

You love to hear that from a blooming star, the fact that he wants to put his own club ahead of his personal international pursuits is huge. Also something of interesting note, is that it sounds like he still wants to play for France, and so does his parents.

While that would be a huge blow for the Cameroonian squad, the level of development he could get with the French squad would go a long way in his pursuit of club goals. A great example of this is current teammate Odsonne Edouard who is excelling with the French U-21 squad.

Source: The Celticbhoys

18, November 2019

Benzema hits back at French football boss: ‘I alone will call end to international career’ ⁰

France’s ostracized striker Karim Benzema has fired back at the head of the French Football Federation, who declared this week that the Real Madrid star’s international career was over.

Though a fixture of Real Madrid’s squad for the past 10 years, Benzema has been excluded from the French national team since 2015 over his alleged involvement in an attempt to blackmail a former teammate.

Earlier this week, his coach at Real Madrid, French football legend Zinedine Zidane, called for Benzema’s four-year exile to be ended, describing him as France’s “best” striker.

But Zidane’s plea was promptly dismissed by Noël Le Graët, the head of the French Football Federation, who told French radio that Benzema’s days with Les Bleus were over.

On Saturday, the player hit back at Le Graët, writing on his Twitter account: “Noël I thought you didn’t interfere with the decisions of the France coach.

“Please understand that I and I alone will call an end to my international career.”

The 31-year-old striker, who is of Algerian origin, added that Le Graët should let him play for another country if he thinks he is done with France.

Benzema was placed under formal investigation in 2015 for his alleged part in the attempt to blackmail teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The case is still pending.

France’s coach Didier Deschamps has maintained that Benzema’s omission is in the best interests of the French squad, who won last year’s World Cup without him.

The striker has scored 9 goals in 11 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid already this season.

“He has always wanted to play for France,” Zidane said this week of his player.

“He is the best and I think he should definitely have a place in the national team,” Zidane added. “Football-wise, there is no debate.”

Source: France 24

16, November 2019

IOC Chief in Nigeria and Cameroon-Inaugurates new ANOCA Headquarters ⁰

President Bach’s African tour continued with visits to Nigeria and Cameroon. It follows meeting in Cape Verde and Senegal earlier in the week.

The visit to Nigeria began in Abuja with a welcome dinner hosted by the Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osibanjo, who was representing the Nigerian President, who, for personal reasons, could not be present. Joined by Nigerian Olympians, President Bach was accompanied by the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Mustapha Berraf, and African IOC Members.

IOC/GREG MARTIN

The following day, President Bach and his delegation attended the inauguration of the new ANOCA headquarters. He was joined by ANOCA President Berraf as well as presidents and representatives of many of the 54 African National Olympic Committees (NOCs). President Bach told them: “a new home is always a chance to look to the future. Bringing all African NOCs together under one roof is a chance to take African sport to new heights.”

Earlier, the President visited Aduive school, which puts the Olympic values at the heart of its curriculum. After meeting the pupils and seeing sports demonstrations, the President unveiled Olympic rings at the school playing fields.

IOC/GREG MARTIN

Later, he had a Q&A session with Nigerian athletes, including Olympians and those hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The President answered a range of questions, from athlete numbers at the Olympic Games to the future of esports and egames. The athletes also thanked him for the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 and the progress being made by the IOC in gender equality.

In Cameroon, President Bach was welcomed by the new IOC Member in the country, Odette Assembe Engoulou, and by the NOC President, Hamad Kalkaba. Honorary IOC Member Issa Hayatou was also present.

The visit began with a dinner given by the Prime Minister of Cameroon, Joseph Ngute. The next day, President Bach was welcomed at the headquarters of the Cameroon NOC by hundreds of school children and many Cameroonian Olympians. He praised the role played by the NOC in bringing the country together, and wished the athletes luck for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

IOC/GREG MARTIN

Later, President Bach met with the Prime Minister of Cameroon, and they discussed the excellent relations between the government and the NOC, and the government’s respect for the autonomy of sport.

The President was also able to drop in on the Cameroon International Badminton competition – an event that counts towards Olympic qualification – which was being held in the capital Yaoundé, where he spent time talking with athletes.

Before attending a farewell lunch hosted by the Cameroon Minister of Sport, President Bach was able to visit the African Centre for Olympic Studies to meet staff and see the work being done at the centre.

Source: Olympic.org

14, November 2019

Ex-Arsenal star Henry to coach Montreal Impact ⁰

Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry was Thursday appointed coach at MLS franchise Montreal Impact on a two-year contract as he gets a new chance of management after a disastrous spell at Monaco.

“Welcome to Montreal @ThierryHenry!” the Major League Soccer (MLS) club tweeted.

Henry, whose baptism by fire as a manager ended in his firing by French club Monaco in January, will coach Impact for a minimum of two seasons.

“Henry signed a two-year deal, with an option for 2022,” the club said on its website.

Henry, 42, who helped France win the World Cup in 1998, is familiar with the MLS, having played from 2010 to 2014 with the New York Red Bulls.

He scored 51 goals and had 42 assists in 122 games with the club.

“It’s an honour to coach the Montreal Impact and return to MLS,” said Henry. “It’s a league I know well, in which I had some very nice moments.

“I’ve always kept an eye on the club and now I’m here.”

Henry becomes the seventh coach of the Montreal Impact in just eight years, succeeding Colombian Wilmer Cabrera, who was acting coach for two months after the dismissal in August of French coach Remi Garde after 10 months in charge.

Henry made his name as a world-class player at Arsenal where he scored 228 goals in 377 appearances, making him the English club’s record goalscorer.

After winning the World Cup on home soil in 1998, he played in three further World Cups in 2002, 2006 and 2010.

He is also France’s all-time leading scorer with 51 goals in 123 games, in front of Michel Platini.

– Undimmed desire to coach –

His much-heralded return to Monaco ended in the sack as the team plummeted to second-from-bottom in the league.

So he must still prove himself as a coach and show he is capable of standing up to the team’s owner Joey Saputo, who is reputed to meddle in the affairs of his managers — including stopping by the team’s locker room to share post-game criticisms.

Henry could have contented himself as a highly-paid TV pundit in Britain, but his desire to coach remained strong.

He previously also turned down offers to be an assistant coach, setting his eyes on the top job after already having been number two to Roberto Martinez when Belgium reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

“Call me crazy if you want, but I love football and I believe I can be a successful coach,” Henry told the Daily Telegraph in August.

Despite the Monaco setback, he said: “I came out of it fully reassured that’s what I want to do, zero doubt about it.

“I saw some of my ex-coaches after I left and they said ‘Now you can say you are a coach because you’ve been sacked.'”

Henry’s hiring by the Impact is expected to help revitalize the Montreal club, which has struggled over the years to score big, missing the playoffs in 2019 after finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference.

The team has long been overshadowed by its stronger Canadian rival, Toronto FC, which lost 3-1 to the Seattle Sounders in the 2019 MLS Cup on Sunday.

In Montreal, Henry reunites with his former France teammate Bacary Sagna and former Barcelona teammate Bojan Krkic, as well as French defender Rod Fanni.

“Henry will bring a new energy to our club,” Impact president Kevin Gilmore said in a statement.

Source: AFP

10, November 2019

Premier League: Man Utd enter race for £50m Andre Onana ⁰

Manchester United are shock contenders to sign Ajax’s £50million-rated keeper Andre Onana – just two months after handing David De Gea a new £350,000-a-week contract.

Ajax have slapped a huge asking price on the Cameroon international after United joined Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain in asking to be kept informed of any plans to sell the 23-year-old.

Spurs have lost skipper Hugo Lloris for the season with a dislocated elbow.

But United made De Gea one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League in September after spending the last 12 months desperately trying to convince the Spaniard to sign a new four-year deal.

**Andre Onana is also being monitored by Tottenham and PSG** (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Onana has become one of Ajax’s most prized assets after helping the Amsterdam giants win a Dutch league and cup double last season.

The Cameroon international also helped Erik ten Hag’s side to the semi-finals of the Champions League, beating the likes of the Real Madrid and Juventus before their exit to Spurs.

He joined Barcelona at the age of 13 after impressing at Samuel Eto’s soccer school.

He moved to Holland in the summer of 2015 but has recently spoken of his ambition to play in England.

**Manchester United recently handed David de Gea a new contract** (Image: PA)

United’s interest has shocked officials at Ajax, where former United keeper Edwin van der Sar is chief executive.

Onana is under contract at the Amsterdam Arena until June 2022 after extending his current deal with the Eredivisie club at the end of March.

However, despite his claims he is happy at the Dutch giants, the 23-year-old recently admitted he would be interested in a move to the Premier League.

Source: The Mirror