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Category: Sports

  • Football to introduce blue cards for sin-bins trials

    Football to introduce blue cards for sin-bins trials

    As part of the trials for sin-bins, a new blue card is scheduled to be implemented in professional football.

    Although yellow and red cards have been used in football since the 1970 World Cup, there have been rumours recently that a new card may be added to the game.

    The International Football Association Board has approved the introduction of a blue card as part of a trial for sin-bins, according to The Telegraph.

    Under the new protocol, players who commit cynical fouls or show disapproval towards an official will be taken off the pitch for ten minutes.

    Only fouls committed during a potentially strong attack and dissent will be eligible for the new card.

    A player may be shown a red card if they are dealt two blue cards or a combination of yellow and blue cards.

    The new protocol is expected to be unveiled on Friday, according to reports.

    According to a Telegraph report, elite trials may start as early as the summer, but top-tier competitions will not be included in the professional game’s initial testing if the protocols need to be improved.

    “That could involve the FA Cup and Women’s FA Cup, as the Football Association is thinking of offering to test the competitions for the upcoming season.”

    “It is not football anymore,” UEFA President Aleksandr Ceferin stated in an interview with the Telegraph, expressing his opposition to sin-bins. In the UEFA competition, we will not use them.

    “Ifab has four European members. I don’t think they will do something against the interests of football. And, if they do, then we will deal with it later.”

    Ceferin added: “I would leave football as it is.

    “I think we don’t need a change of rules. We don’t need to be remembered as important persons that changed football. We don’t need to change football. We are passing through.”

  • I want to win AFCON and the World Cup for Ghana – Kurt Okraku

    I want to win AFCON and the World Cup for Ghana – Kurt Okraku

    The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kurt Okraku, has revealed that his administration wants to bring home trophies for the nation.

    He expressed his hope that Ghana will be able to win both the World Cup and the African Cup of Nations before he steps down from office.

    Speaking to the media earlier yesterday in Kumasi, Mr. Okraku discussed the Black Stars’ dismal showing in the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition.

    The senior national team, which had hoped to win their fifth continental championship, was eliminated in the group stage again after placing third with two points.

    Mr. Okraku declared that, in spite of the criticism, he is determined to see to it that the Black Stars, under his direction as the GFA president, win the Mundial and the AFCON.
    “I want to win the AFCON I want to win the World Cup I want to win every competition Ghana finds itself,” he said.

    “This is the collective belief and mindset of my fellow Executive Council members.

    “My goal is to establish the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence as a world-class institution and to position it extremely well,” he continued.

    Under Mr. Okraku’s leadership, the Black Stars have finished the last two AFCON tournaments in the group stage after losing all two of their games in Cameroon and Ivory Coast.

  • Chelsea, Newcastle United pay tribute to ex-Ghana star Christian Atsu (Photos+Videos)

    Chelsea, Newcastle United pay tribute to ex-Ghana star Christian Atsu (Photos+Videos)

    It has been a year since the terrible demise of Ghanaian football player Christian Atsu, who perished in the terrible earthquake that struck Turkey on February 6, 2023.

    Atsu was one of the thousands of people killed in the devastating earthquake, a tragedy that left many shocked and heartbroken.

    After Atsu was first reported missing, a comprehensive search was conducted. Regretfully, his corpse was eventually found under a heap of rubble.

    Following his passing, many football stars paid their respects, causing the football community to descend into mourning.

    His outstanding play on the pitch, which included significant goals for both his club and his country, earned him a reputation.

    However, it was off the playing field where his generosity and kind heart demonstrated his exceptional character.

    Atsu improved the community by leveraging his social status to his advantage through charitable endeavours.

    The teams that honoured him and paid tribute on social media were Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Ghana Black Stars.

    Together with honouring Atsu’s life and achievements, they included images of him playing.

    Atsu’s legacy serves as a constant reminder to all of us to treat people with kindness, compassion, and dedication.

  • I didn’t authorize the closure of the Accra Sports Stadium – Sports Minister

    I didn’t authorize the closure of the Accra Sports Stadium – Sports Minister

    The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has disclaimed any responsibility for the National Sports Authority’s choice to lease the Accra Sports Stadium for musical performances.

    He said that he had not given the NSA permission to use the location for concerts in December of last year instead of football games.

    The Minister denied having any influence over the decision while testifying before the Public Accounts Committee on Monday, February 5.

    “Our sporting facilities are primarily for us to use for talent development and competitions, both national and international,” he stated.

    “No, I did not [give my approval for the sports stadium’s December closure]. I did call Peter Twumasi to inquire, and I am aware that the stadium was closed. I was really worried about the pitch.

    “My main concern is how much we are getting from these social events that we are giving these facilities to, even though the NSA is the authority having the powers to manage all the sporting facilities for us and to ensure they are in good shape once we have a major tournament coming up—the Africa Games—and the Premiership is still going on.”

    He claims that he requested that the stadium’s use for such events be discontinued in a conversation with Peter Twumasi.

    “I have discussed this with the Director General, and I think that going forward, this should not be done because, in the end, whatever you get from these social events might not be enough to sustain the pitch,” he continued.

    While the Ghana Premier League was still in play, the National Sports Authority closed the stadium for social events during the celebrations.

    Ghanaians took offence when Hearts of Oak, Accra Lions, and Great Olympics requested to relocate their home games from the stadium because it was unavailable.

  • Samuel Eto’o resigns as Cameroon FA prez, but Executive Committee rejects offer

    Samuel Eto’o resigns as Cameroon FA prez, but Executive Committee rejects offer

    Executive Committee Samuel Eto’o’s request to resign as the association’s president has been denied by the Cameroonian Football Association’s membership.

    Following Cameroon’s elimination from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Eto’o submitted his resignation letter. In the round of 16, Nigeria defeated the Indomitable Lions.

    In December 2021, the former Cameroon international assumed the role of Fecafoot president.

    However, his reign has not been smooth sailing, with some controversial moments over the last two and a half years.

    Eto’o resigned after a disastrous AFCON competition, in which Rigobert Song’s team narrowly avoided elimination from the group stages following an exciting victory over Gambia, only to lose 2-0 to Nigeria in the final 16.

    Throughout the tournament, the former striker was clearly present. Eto’o even broke down in tears when Cameroon made it to the knockout stages, but his stress level escalated after they were eliminated.

    Fecafoot, however, stated in a statement released on Monday that Eto’o’s resignation had been turned down.

    On Monday, February 5, at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel, the Cameroon Football Federation’s Executive Committee convened, according to the statement.

    “The primary objective of the agenda was to assess the senior men’s national team’s performance in the Ivory Coast during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations”

    “At the beginning of the meeting, the President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Mr Eto’o Fils Samuel, tendered his resignation to the members of the federal executive organ, inviting them to do likewise in good faith.

    “At the end of discussions and subsequent deliberations, the members of the Executive Committee decided to maintain their current mandates and thus unanimously rejected the President’s resignation.

    “Thereby renewing their confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football at all levels as envisaged in his plan adopted by the elective General Assembly of December 11, 2021.”

    Cameroon was unable to advance past the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and was eliminated in the round of 16 of the AFCON 2023 while under Eto’o’s leadership.

  • German coach Jurgen Kohler applies for vacant Black Stars job

    German coach Jurgen Kohler applies for vacant Black Stars job

    Jurgen Kohler, a German coach, has applied to be considered for the coaching position of Black Stars.

    Jurgen Kohler, a German coach, applies for a position with the Black Stars.
    The 1990 FIFA World Cup winner reportedly applied for the position following discussions with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), according to Joy Sports.

    The GFA-established committee of five people is rumoured to have contacted Kohler in an attempt to find Ghana’s next head coach.

    The 58-year-old is rumoured to have applied after speaking with GFA vice president Mark Addo about the position.

    After their terrible AFCON 2023 campaign, Chris Hughton was fired, leaving the Black Stars without a coach at the moment.

    According to a GFA statement, the next Ghanaian coach needs to fulfil a number of requirements, such as having a winning track record and a philosophy of football that is in line with Ghanaian football culture.

    Jurgen Kohler, a German coach, applies for a position with the Black Stars.
    Along with having over 15 years of coaching experience, the highest football licence in the world, and a history of team rebuilding, organisation, and developing young talent are also requirements.

    Although Kohler has been coaching since the early 2000s, the majority of his managerial experience has been at the lower levels.

    In 2019, he took on the role of interim manager for German third-division team Viktoria Koln.

  • Barcelona loses to Villarreal in an eight-goal thriller

    Barcelona loses to Villarreal in an eight-goal thriller

    Barça overcame a two-goal deficit to take the lead, but late goals from the visitors ended the comeback

    After conceding two goals deep into stoppage time, Villarreal defeated Barcelona in an eight-goal thriller that dropped Xavi’s team to 10 points below the top of La Liga.

    After trailing 2-0 until the hour mark, the hosts battled back with three goals in 11 minutes to take the lead.

    However, in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Alexander Sorloth gave the visitors a one-goal advantage after Villarreal had equalised with six minutes left.

    After 102 minutes, Jose Luis Morales added a fifth goal to complete the victory.

    After the loss, Barcelona, the reigning champions, are now in third place in the La Liga standings, eight points behind second-place Girona and ten points behind leaders Real Madrid.

    It comes after Athletic Bilbao defeated them 4-2 on Wednesday to send them out of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

    Barcelona has now lost three of their last five games; their other loss during that run came in the Spanish Super Cup, where they were defeated 4-1 by Real Madrid.

    Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, and an own goal by Eric Bailly helped Barcelona pull off a stunning comeback following goals from Gerard Moreno in the first half and Ilias Akhomach in the 54th minute.

    However, after Villarreal’s equaliser in the 84th minute through Goncarlo Guedes, the hosts were exposed in their quest for a late winner and were ultimately punished by late goals from Sorloth and Luis Morales.

    Real Madrid defeated Las Palmas 2-1 on Saturday, coming back from behind to reclaim the lead. Girona will take on struggling Celta Vigo on Sunday (13:00 GMT).

    Source: BBC

  • Be a leader who is concerned about his people, Saddick Adams to Akufo Addo

    Be a leader who is concerned about his people, Saddick Adams to Akufo Addo

    Saddick Adams, a celebrated sports journalist, is also referred to as Obama has requested that Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo give sports in the nation top priority and implement workable plans to boost athletics.

    The well-known sports journalist claims that, with proper management, sports represent one of the main tourist opportunities for the country to increase its revenue.

    Saddick Adams challenged Nana Addo to be a good leader who is concerned about Ghana’s development in a statement posted on his X account.

    “Act with dignity as a leader who is concerned about the nation’s reputation. He wrote, “One of the main tourist destinations is football.”

    Additionally, he urged the president to direct the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, to publicly apologise to the Ghanaian people for their appalling performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.

    “Assign your minister of sports to direct the GFA to apologise to the fans and the entire country for the embarrassment,” he continued.

    The 2018 Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) sports journalist of the year commented on the five-member committee that the GFA formed to find a new coach for the Black Stars, the Ghanaian national team, saying that the committee should be dissolved because it is pointless.

    He said Nana Addo ought to “be a leader! Do not reward ineptitude and promote mediocrity. The Ghanaian standard has never been that. The two most terrible AFCON campaigns in our history have followed under your rule. DISMISS that fraudulent committee before they have a chance to embark on their pointless journey.

    “With all due respect, disband the committee responsible for finding a new coach for the Black Stars.” Our taxes will be used to pay thousands of dollars to the next coach. According to Saddick Adams.

    Dear @NAkufoAddo

    With all due respect, dissolve the committee that is to search for a new Black Stars coach.

    The next coach will be paid thousands of dollars with our taxes.

    Respectfully ACT as a leader who cares about the image of the country.

    Football is one of the biggest tourism avenues. Instruct your minister of sports to instruct the GFA to issue an apology to the entire nation and fans for the embarrassment.

    Hold on with the search and get a caretaker manager for the team.

    Demand an emergency technical and management report and budget of the AFCON and get neutral experts to properly investigate and appreciate the ills of the campaign.

    Be a leader! Do not encourage mediocrity and be rewarding incompetence. That has never been the Ghanaian standard.

    Your reign has characterized two successive most disastrous AFCON campaigns in our entire history.

    DISSOLVE that sham of a committee before they even start the walk to no where.

  • Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp to depart at the end of the season

    Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp to depart at the end of the season

    Following Liverpool’s 3-0 Premier League loss to Brighton, Jurgen Klopp expressed regret to the departing Liverpool supporters at the Amex Stadium.

    He has communicated this decision to the club’s owners. The 56-year-old had only signed a contract extension that would last until 2026 early in 2022.

    In a club-released YouTube video on Friday, Klopp said, “I can understand that it is a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it.”

    “I adore this team, the staff, the city, our supporters, and everything about this club.” I adore everything. But the fact that I am still going with this choice demonstrates to you my conviction that it is the right one for me to make,” Klopp said.

    “I am, if I may put it this way, becoming increasingly lethargic. Naturally, I have no issues at all right now. I have known for a while that I will eventually need to make an announcement, but for now, everything is fine. “I am aware that I am not capable of performing the job repeatedly,” Klopp says in the video, outlining his reasons for leaving.

    The news has shocked Liverpool supporters greatly. After taking over the team in 2015, Klopp helped the then-crisis-ridden team return to its previous level of play and, through his achievements and demeanour, won over many Merseysiders.

    Among his many accomplishments with Liverpool are the FA Cup (21/22), the English Championship (2019/2020), and the Champions League (2018/2019).

    In addition to Klopp, Vitor Matos, the elite development coach, and assistant coaches Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz will also be leaving Liverpool at the end of the current campaign. It appears Lijnders hopes to become a coach in the near future.

  • Thomas Partey and his partner welcome a baby girl [Photos]

    Thomas Partey and his partner welcome a baby girl [Photos]

    Ghanaian midfielder, Thomas Partey is a father, welcomes a beautiful baby girl 

    The Arsenal midfield player, Thomas Party and his girlfriend Janine Mackson welcomed a baby girl into their family.

    Janine shared a picture of her growing baby bump to announce her pregnancy earlier in September 2023.

    She revealed the baby’s birth on her Instagram page on Tuesday, January 23, posting a photo of the infant in a cot with her and Partey’s hands extended to it.

    She wrote, “The biggest blessing,” as the photo’s caption. The news was reposted by Partey on his Instagram story.

    Additionally, Janine posted a photo of herself cuddling her child. She expressed her gratitude for the love and support she had received thus far after the announcement in another post.