TalkAfrique Sports, Author at TalkAfrique

November 11, 2010January 6, 2011

South Africa Siphiwe Tshabalala Robbed at Gunpoint

Ed Aarons

Bafana Bafana midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala has become the latest high profile

player to fall victim of South Africa’s notoriously high crime-rates.

The 26-year-old escaped unhurt as armed robbers stormed into his house and made off with cell-phones and wallets.

Tshabalala, who scored the opening goal of the 2010 World Cup, was held at gun point as the raid took place.

But it could have been a lot worse for the Kaizer Chiefs star, who told his club’s website that the intruders had recognised him.

“My manager had sent someone to my house to collect my portraits,” Tshabalala said.

“As the gentleman was coming through the door, a heavily armed man came in pointing guns at us. I was with my two cousins and my friend when this happened.

“When they realised that it was my house, they left after only taking phones and wallets,” he added.

Tshabalala has been out of action since last month after he picked up a hip injury against Sierra Leone in a qualifier for the 2012 African Nations Cup.

He was linked with moves to Europe after his World Cup exploits but stayed with Chiefs after signing a new deal.

The left-winger is not the first high-profile Bafana star to be hit by crime – Orlando Pirates international Benson Mhlongo was kidnapped by carjackers back in August and was also recently arrested for carrying an unlicensed firearm.

Meanwhile it has also emerged that the house of Ghanaian players Andre and Jordan Ayew was robbed while they where away for Marseille’s Champions League match in Slovakia.

An investigation has been launched in Marseille after their villa was broken into.

Police said the criminals stole hi-fi equipment, jewelry and expensive watches and also damaged household electrical goods.

The Ayew brothers where in Zilina during the robbery, which occurred Wednesday night with Marseille beating the Slovakian team 7-0.

Ed Aarons
BBC Sport, Johannesburg

November 11, 2010January 6, 2011

Ghana FA Rejects Government Request on Abedi Pele

Nyarko Benso

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has rejected a request by government to

present Abedi Pele as a candidate for a Caf executive committee position.

The GFA has reported the latest development to football’s world governing body, Fifa and Caf.

The GFA chose its president Kwesi Nyantakyi three months ago to contest next year’s elections.

Nyantakyi filed his nomination papers and has been confirmed by Caf to contest the post.

But in a dramatic twist of events, the Ministry of Sports wrote to ask the GFA to name the ex-Ghana captain for the position.

But a stern reply from the GFA, signed by all the 22 members of its executive committee, told Sports Minister Akua Sena Dansua that her directive will not be carried out.

“The executive committee of the Ghana Football Association finds this latest twist as unfortunate and clearly confusing,” the statement signed by the general secretary of the Ghana FA Kofi Nsiah read.

“We write to inform you that the Executive Commitee of this FA is unable to act or take any further action on your request.”

Making its case on the independence of football associations from governmental interference, the GFA quoted Article 18 of the Caf statutes to buttress its point.

“The decision of the GFA is in pursuant of Caf statutes that state that names of candidates for membership of Caf and Fifa executive committees shall be submitted by the relevant national associations,” the statement added.

Under Fifa rules, national football associations must not be subject to government control.

Similar actions by the governments in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Kenya have resulted in bans from international football.

Ghana’s last executive committee member was the late Sam Okyere but it has been more than two decades since.

Abedi Pele lost in his bid to get on the committee in 2004 when he lost to the Nigerian Amos Adamu.

The latest directive is likely to increase growing tensions between the Youth and Sports Ministry and the GFA over what executives of the football association feel is undue interference from government in the way they run their affairs.

Thursday, 11 November 2010

BBC Sports

November 9, 2010January 8, 2011

Drogba Catches Malaria

Chelsea’s Didier Drogba has been treated for malaria and will be fit to face Fulham in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

The Ivory Coast forward complained of a fever on the eve of Sunday’s match against Liverpool and only came on as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 loss.

“Obviously he lost power and training – he lost his condition,” Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said Tuesday. “He’s had treatment and now he’s OK. He’ll come back immediately in the best condition.

“He suffered, obviously, because he wasn’t 100 percent but now, after treatment, he’ll be better. He had malaria. He had the tests in the last day, and they showed this kind of virus. Now he’s good.”

Ancelotti does not know where Drogba contracted malaria.

“I gave him a few days off and he went on holiday for a few days, and then he has malaria,” Ancelotti said. “But it’s over now.”

Chelsea leads the league, two points ahead of second-place Manchester United.

(The Washington Post)

November 9, 2010January 24, 2011

Thank you, Sir

Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has thanked manager Steve Bruce for handing him the opportunity to impress in the 2-0 win against Stoke City on Saturday.

Gyan’s two-goal haul earned a vital three points for the Black Cats, following the 5-1 derby defeat by Newcastle United the previous weekend.

“I waited patiently, and he gave me my chance, and I feel I proved myself,” Gyan told BBC Newcastle.

“We came back from a big defeat and we’ve put smiles on everybody’s face.”

Gyan’s contribution was made all the more important given the absence of the club’s top scorer, Darren Bent, with a hamstring injury.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has started with Bent and Gyan in a front two just once since the latter joined the club from French club Rennes in August, in a 2-1 Carling Cup defeat by West Ham United.

With Bent now ruled out for three weeks, Gyan is set for an extended run in the side.

However, the Ghanaian is disappointed he will not be able to forge a partnership with the England international.

“I was a bit disappointed, Darren has done so well for the club, and I was given a chance to play with him, but he had a few problems [with the hamstring injury],” Gyan continued

The Ghana international has made nine appearances since arriving on Wearside, scoring four goals.

(BBC Sports)

November 2, 2010January 6, 2011

Ghana Hit by World Cup bonus row

By Michael Oti Adjei
BBC Sport, Accra

Ghana’s achievement in reaching the World Cup quarter-finals has been soured by a row over bonuses.

None of the players has received the $63,000 promised to each member of the Black Stars because of a procedural dispute with the Bank of Ghana.

The Black Stars danced their way to the quarter-finals in South Africa

The central bank is insisting on paying the players by depositing money in their individual accounts.

But the players are up in arms because they want to be paid directly in cash as has happened in the past.

“The Bank states it serves customers in accordance with the Bank’s operational guidelines and that it is against prudent operational practice to make payments to individuals in excess of $10,000 (ten thousand dollars) in over-the-counter transactions,” the Bank of Ghana said in a statement.

The statement went on: “Accordingly, the Bank has informed the Ministry of Youth and Sports that the Bank would pay the foreign exchange amounts in question either to the bank accounts of the Black Stars players, or by cheques drawn on the Bank’s external account.

“This is in line with international best practice and with various security considerations.

“The Bank has therefore requested the Ministry to furnish it with a list of the names of the players and the respective amounts to each player to enable it to make the payments.

“The Bank is still expecting a response from the Ministry.”

The central bank was forced to issue the statement after accusations last week that it was responsible for the delay in the payment of the players bonuses.

The bonus row overshadowed Ghana’s last African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan.

A deadline of 15 October set by deputy Sports Minister Nii Nortey Duah passed without a single penny being paid out to anyone.

October 31, 2010January 8, 2011

In Memorial, This is not South Laughrica

Remember Paul the Octopus? Well, the aquatic creature that became an instant celebrity during the 2010 World Cup by predicting outcome of eight matches, including the final between Spain and Netherlands, has died at an aquarium in Germany. If you’re a soccer fanatic, this should be devastating news Paul was about I year 11 months. Generally an octopus does not live beyond two years so his death was not unexpected but of course a big blow to all soccer enthusiasts. As we celebrate the death of a legend, we are at least consoled by the fact that he lived a fulfilled life and made an impact. A memorial is to be erected at the aquarium in his memory Paul the octopus picks Spain over Netherlands [youtube]Ya85knuDzp8[/youtube]

October 27, 2010January 8, 2011

And the winner is……..

Asamoah gyan drogba — Ghana's hitman Asamoah Gyan (left) and Ivory Coast's striker Didier Drogba (right)

FIFA has released nominees for 2010 world player award. Chelsea’s and Ivory Coast’s no-nonsense striker Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s most decorated African player of all time, Samuel Eto’o and Ghana’s hitman Asamoah Gyan of Sunderland are among the nominees. Surprisingly, there are no English nominees, neither is Luis Suarez of Uraguay

World Player of the Year nominees: Xabi Alonso (Spain), Daniel Alves (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Julio Cesar (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Carles Puyol (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

World coach of the year nominees: Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Vicente del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (FC Barcelona), Joachim Loew (Germany), Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay), Louis Van Gaal (Bayern Munich), Bert van Marwijk (Holland) and Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).

The winners will be revealed in Zurich on 10 January.

October 20, 2010January 14, 2011

Deal or No Deal?

The Zimbabwe Football Association investigation has concluded that national team players had their elbows greased by an Asian betting syndicate in December 2009 to lose matches

The matches were played last year where Zimbabwe lost 3-0 to Thailand and 6-0 to Syria.

According to the report, money was sent from the betting syndicate to the ZIFA chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya.

A witness in the cases says “We were scored in the 44th minute but not by design”

“We were handsomely paid $1,000 [about £600] for losing. The money was paid at the airport as we were about to go home.”

The Zimbabwe nation football team is almost made up of locally-based players, unlike countries like Ghana and Nigeria who can boast of big cash players like Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and Asamoah Gyan. So may be it no big deal. Is it?