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ROHR AT PEAK BREAKFAST, SETS TARGET FOR AFCON 2019
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr says his target for the 2019 African Nations Cup is at least to reach the semi-final of the tournament.
The Franco-German tactician, who has just qualified Nigeria for the Nations Cup with a match left at hand just as he did for the Russia 2018 World Cup was the special guest at a Sports Editors’ Roundtable, tagged ‘Peak Breakfast with Rohr’ held in Lagos on Friday.
Taye Ige; Chief Executive Officer, HS Media Group discusses with Super Eagles Manager; Gernot Rohr at the Peak Breakfast with Rohr Editors’ Roundtable, organized by HS Media Group, owners of the Hotsports brand.
Organised by HS Media Group, owners of the HotSports brand and sponsored by Friesland Campina, makers of Peak Milk, the official Milk of Super Eagles, the event was an interactive session between Sports Editors of selected national dailies, broadcast and online media organisations on current issues in Nigerian football.
(L-R) Tolulope Martins; Brand Manager Peak, Super Eagles Manager; Gernot Rohr and Isaac Okanlawon; Senior Brand Manager Peak at the PEAK Breakfast with Rohr Editors Roundtable, organized by HS Media Group.
While speaking on the programme streamed live from the HS Media’s Studio to a global audience via YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, Rohr avoided making a categorical statement of winning the 2019 AFCON in Cameroon.
The Coach maintained “it is the dream of every team at the competition to win the title, but it will not make much of a sense to make a promise because other teams are also in the tournament to win.”
(L-R) Robert Paltiel; Chief Operating Officer – HS Media Group, Taye Ige; CEO – HS Media Group and Super Eagles Manager; Gernot Rohr at the Peak Breakfast with Rohr Editors Roundtable, organized by HS Media Group
“We have good chances to get to the semi-final at the 2019 AFCON, but we can’t be sure to win, it’s a young team, we should be realistic but once we reach the semi-final then winning the title is no longer far from us,” he continued.
When asked the team he would like to avoid in Cameroon 2019, he said he was happy Zambia did not qualify for the tournament because they are one of the strongest team in the continent. The Franco-German is also praying to avoid Cameroon, the host nation when the draws of the continental tournament holds next year.
Speaking on his team captain, John Mikel Obi who is yet to play for the team after the Russia 2018 World Cup, the Franco-German said: “Mikel told me after the World Cup that he wants to take a break and after then he also had an injury that was why he was not invited to the squad. However, he is still the team’s captain and once he is ready to come back, he will still have a place in the team,” he added.
Gernot Rohr also seized the opportunity of the interactive session to clear the air on his perceived apathy against players of the Nigerian Professional Football League, saying poor organization of the league and lack of adequate training facilities are reasons home based players find it difficult to break into his team.
The well attended session is a regular feature in the series of the media event which has in the last ten years featured national team coaches such as; the late Amodu Shuaibu, who qualified Nigeria for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Samson Siasia and late Stephen Keshi, who won the African Nations Cup in 2013, South Africa.
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Paris to face major disruption ahead of Games opening ceremony, says police chief
Paris will face major disruption ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony along the Seine on July 26, as organisers ramp up security measures to safeguard the event, the city’s police chief said on Thursday.
Organisers hope the opening ceremony, in which 160 boats carrying athletes from around the world will travel a 6 kilometre route along the Seine river towards the Eiffel tower, will deliver a jaw-dropping spectacle. Some 300,000 spectators will watch from the banks of the Seine as a global audience tunes in on TV.
But the ceremony is also a major security headache, taking place against a backdrop of wars in Ukraine and Gaza. French President Emmanuel Macron has already floated the possibility of scrapping the river ceremony and reverting to at least two back-up plans if the security risks become untenable.
Paris residents with a view of the Seine can invite friends to watch the opening of the 2024 Summer Games from their balconies, but should prepare for heavy traffic and limited movement, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said at a press conference.
Adjacent metro stations, most river crossings and all water traffic will be halted in the week before the open-air ceremony, Nunez said, adding that some bridges will remain open “in order not to cut Paris in two halves.”
Everyone who wants to access the immediate surroundings of the Seine in the week before the Games will need to sign up on an online platform, Nunez said. Local residents hoping to access their homes, which are among the most prestigious addresses in France, will need to do the same.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who also spoke at the event said the disruption would impact around 20,000 residents and business owners.
Asked about Macron’s comments earlier this month, Nunez said his teams were still working on the ‘Plan A’ of the river ceremony.
“As of today, we have no reason to be worried,” Nunez said.
-Reuters
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New dawn expected as Nigeria sports ministry partners with Yanga Games
Towards creating a new dawn for Nigerian Sports, the Federal Ministry of Sports has signed a landmark agreement with top lottery company Yanga Games to raise the revenue profile of the Ministry and ensure a new deal for the welfare of athletes.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership between the Ministry and Yanga Games in Lagos on Friday, Chairman/CEO of Yanga Games Derrick David Kentebe said: “we are so super excited by this opportunity to work with the Ministry of Sports Development to change the narrative about Sports in the country.
Continuing, he remarked: “We see opportunity for marketing our athletes and sports generally . We shall avail ourselves the best use of this unique and special partnership. We shall pursue this mandate with vigour, passion and unrivaled commitment to bring benefits to all the critical stakeholders.”
The agreement according to Kentebe will provide support for retired athletes, enhance grassroot sports Development and advance the potentials of special athletes.
He assured that ” Yanga Games has the capacity to raise funds on behalf of the Ministry of Sports for athletes Development, endorsement and sponsorship deals for athletes”.
Minister of Sports Senator John Owan Enoh assured that the Ministry has total and absolute confidence in Yanga Games to deliver on the given mandate.
“Gone are the era when we depended solely on government to fund sports development. We are partnering with Yanga Games to bring maximum benefits to the athletes and all critical stakeholders.
“We shall give institutional encouragement and support to the Management of Yanga Games to succeed in this onerous task of rebuilding our sports sub sector.”
Speaking further, Kentebe said ” We shall raise about 34 Billion in the next four years to assist athletes and improve sports in the country.
“We shall help to develop grassroot sports and sustain youth involvement through raffle draws, fund raiser and other avenues.
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Iheanacho and Ndidi on course for return to Premiership as Leicester will not lose points for rule breaches
Leicester City cannot be deducted any points in the second-tier Championship if they are convicted of any violations of the Premier League’s spending rules, the English Football League (EFL) said on Friday.
Nigeria duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi are Leicester players yearning for the club’s return to the English Premiership.
Leicester, who were relegated from the top flight last season, were referred to an independent commission by the Premier League last month for alleged violations of the league’s spending rules.
The Championship’s governing body EFL wrote to the Premier League saying they would apply any sanction handed down on Leicester while they are still in the second tier, a move Leicester opposed.
However, the EFL said they later changed their position in a letter to the English FA’s League Arbitration Panel (LAP).
“EFL has confirmed to all parties that… it does not have the power under the Regulations as currently drafted,” the EFL said in a statement.
Leicester said they will continue to co-operate with Premier League and the EFL with regards to the charges against them.
“Any charges against the Club should be properly and proportionately determined, in accordance with the applicable rules, by the right bodies, and at the right time,” Leicester said.
The LAP said that the Premier League Disciplinary Commission’s proceedings against Leicester will not be expedited to conclude by May 4 due to any possible points deductions not being applicable this season.
Leicester are top of the standings in the Championship with 88 points from 41 matches as they seek a promotion back to the Premier League.
-Reuters
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