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South African Pienaar Joins Tottenham, Not Chelsea

South Africna MidFielder, Steven Pienaar

Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar has agreed to join Tottenham after the two clubs agreed a fee of about £2.5m.

The South Africa international, 28, who was nearing the end of his contract at Goodison Park has signed a four-year-deal with the north London club.

“To end speculation, I am going to Spurs,” confirmed Pienaar on his Twitter account earlier on Tuesday.

Chelsea also had a bid accepted for Pienaar by Everton, but failed to convince the player to join them.

“I’ve had brilliant years at Everton. It will always be special place in my heart.”

Spurs now hope the midfielder is granted a work permit in time for him to make his debut at Newcastle on Saturday.

They had seen an initial bid of £2m turned down before settling on a compromise figure of £2.5m with the Toffees after Chelsea had had a £3m bid accepted.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, speaking after his team’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Saturday, said: “I think he is a good player. He can play left or right or down the middle. I like him.

“I would not want to be putting the chairman under any pressure to buy him, but at £2m or £3m, he’s certainly not dear is he?”

Pienaar joined Everton from Borussia Dortmund in 2007, initially on a season-long loan, and went on to make 132 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 12 goals.

He initially made his name in Europe at Ajax after joining them from their club partners Ajax Cape Town in January 2001, helping them to the Dutch title in 2002 and 2004 before joining Bundesliga outfit Dortmund in 2006.

Everton boss David Moyes had said in August that only a “sack-load of cash” would persuade him to sell a playmaker voted the club’s player of the season last term.

But Pienaar, who has scored one goal so far this season, has failed to replicate that form during this campaign and Moyes has decided to cash in as his contract winds down.

BBC Sports
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African U20 Draw Complete

The next generation of Ghana players want to emulate their 2009 double winning colleagues.
The next generation of Ghana players want to emulate their 2009 double winning colleagues.

Defending champions Ghana have been paired with Nigeria, Cameroon and Gambia in the draw for the upcoming African U20 championship in March.

Hosts Libya are in the other group, along with Mali, Egypt and Lesotho.

The tournament takes place from 18 March to 1 April and the four semi-finalists will qualify for the U20 World Cup later in 2011.

Ghana are also defending World champions and the Black Satellites are determined to hold on to both crowns.

“It’s very important for us,” coach Orlando Wellington told the BBC before the draw was made.

“It’s a big challenge for me and the players – we have to work very hard to go to the World Cup. It’s not easy but financially and physically we are prepared.”

Wellington insisted that his crop of youngsters have even more potential than their double-winning predecessors.

“When you talk about technique this team is far ahead of the past champions,” he told the BBC’s African sports programme Fast Track.

“These people are tactically and technically [more] sound than the other team. The others play more aggressively but this team can play very good football.”

The four teams in each group will meet in a round robin format, with group winners and runners-up progressing to the semi-finals – and a place at the World Cup in Colombia in July.

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Asamoah makes life even more difficult for Obaa Yaa

Asamoah Gyan responds to her would be mistress
Asamoah Gyan responds to his would be mistress

 

On November 30, we reported of a young Ghanaian woman who vowed that unless Black Stars arrow head, Asamoah Gyan marries her, suicide would be the only option.

The lady, Obaa Yaa, has said that she is so crazy in love with the Sunderland ‘hitman’ that no will not be an option.
Obaa Yaa said she’s awestruck by Asamoah’s haircut, skin tone and the excellent skill he exhibits not only on the football field but also on the music scene.

Nobody expected any response from the no nonsense Ghanaian striker. Well, Gyan appeared on a popular TV program, the DENTAA Show, where after a couple of minutes of dance and chat with the hostess, he finally responded to Obaa Yaa.

Obviously, neither the dance, not the response is going to make life any better for Obaa.
Watch
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A woman vows to commit suicide unless Asamoah Gyan marries her

A young Ghanaian woman says Black Stars arrow head, Asamoah Gyan must requite her love for him with a march to the altar this December or she will commit suicide.

The lady, Obaa Yaa, has said that she is so madly in love with the Sunderland striker to the point that suicide is the only option if Asamoah spurns her love proposal.

The Madina-based woman was on Deloris Frimpong Manson’s entertainment programme, Delay on TV Africa over the weekend professing her ‘deep’ love for Asamoah, who would be profoundly surprised his new fame is also grabbing for him new friends. Obaa Yaa revealed that she is helplessly in love with the football star (and now music star) and she wants him to marry her by December 24 or “I will kill myself,” she said.

She is mesmerized by Asamoah’s haircut, skin tone and the excellent skill he exhibits not only on the football field but also on the music scene.

According to Obaa Yaa, she has been having sleepless nights and to prove her love to the footballer, she has even learnt the star’s after-goal dance moves as well as his jig in the video of Castro’s latest hit song African Gils in which Asamoah features.

Dark-skinned, bushy-haired and fat Obaa Yaa was insistent on “I love you so much” and “I will kill myself”, and was all dancing to “African Girls” on the show.

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Latest poll results

Who is your favorite for the African Football Player of the year?
Asamoah Gyan 58%
Didier Drogba 14%
Andre Ayew 11%
Samuel Eto’o 8%
Yaya Toure 3%
None of the above 6%

 

A. Djan has been dropped while M. Essien has been included in the FIFA World IX 2010. Does Essien deserve a place in the World IX?
Yes 25%
No

75%
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Gyan axed, Essien included

Gyan axed, Essien included

Nyarko Benso

The worldwide players’ union – FIFPro and FIFA have shockingly excluded Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan for the World XI 2010 but included his compatriot Michael Essien in the 55-man shortlist.

FIFPro and FIFA unveiled the list yesterday, with the winner to be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich on 10 January 2011. This comes even though Gyan was one of the most consistent and impressive performers for both club and country for this year.

Essien, who failed to play active part of the entire year because of injury, missing the African Cup of Nations and World Cup was named in the list.

The 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players’ unions across the world that form FIFPro, received voting forms in a secret ballot to nominate their peers for inclusion in their World XI – choosing the best four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and goalkeeper of 2010.

World champions, Spain, lead the way with the most players in the shortlist with ten, followed by nine from Brazil, eight from Argentina, six from England, four from Germany, three each from the Netherlands and Italy, two from Portugal and one each from Uruguay, Wales, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

Spain’s Primera Division attracted the most nominees with 18, followed by England’s Premier League with 17 and Italy’s Serie A with 15. Four nominees came from Germany’s Bundesliga and one from France’s Ligue 1. The final FIFA/FIFPro World XI will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala in the Zurich Kongresshaus on 10 January 2011.

During this televised gala, the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the best player of 2010 and the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2010 award will also be revealed. Meanwhile, the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football award and the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award will be presented for the first time, while the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year will be announced for the second year running. The FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented during the gala.

The 55-player shortlist in full: Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus FC), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid C.F.), Petr Cech (Czech Republic, Chelsea FC), Julio Cesar (Brazil, F.C. Internazionale), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands, Manchester United FC)

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Brazil, FC Barcelona), Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur), Michel Bastos (Brazil, Olympique Lyonnais), Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea FC), Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United FC), Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United FC), Philipp Lahm (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen), Lucio (Brazil, F.C. Internazionale), Maicon (Brazil, F.C. Internazionale), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid C.F.), Alessandro Nesta (Italy, AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid C.F.), Gerard Pique (Spain, FC Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain, FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid C.F.), Walter Samuel (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale), John Terry (England, Chelsea FC), Thiago Silva (Brazil, AC Milan), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United FC), Javier Zanetti (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale)

Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale), Michael Essien (Ghana, Chelsea FC), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Arsenal FC), Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool FC), Andres Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona), Ricardo Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid C.F.), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea FC), Javier Mascherano (Argentina, FC Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen), Mesut Ozil (Germany, Real Madrid C.F.), Andrea Pirlo (Italy, AC Milan), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands, F.C. Internazionale), Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid C.F.), Xavi (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria, Manchester United FC), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea FC), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon, F.C. Internazionale), Diego Forlán (Uruguay, Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina, Real Madrid C.F.), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan), Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona), Diego Milito (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale), Arjen Robben (Netherlands, FC Bayern München), Ronaldinho (Brazil, AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid C.F.), Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United FC), Carlos Tevez (Argentina, Manchester City FC), Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool FC), David Villa (Spain, FC Barcelona). Ghanasoccernet

Kofi Owusu Aduonum (The Ghanaian Chronicle)

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Is the West the Best?

If you follow African football, you would that West Africa has dominated the sports for a number of centuries.

The BBC Piers Edwards asked important question last week: Why has West Africa dominated African soccer for decades?

This is what he wrote in his introduction:

“The BBC shortlist for the 2010 African Footballer of the Year has underlined West Africa’s dominance of such awards – because around three-quarters of winners of both the BBC and Confederation of African Football (CAF) accolades hail from the region.

Great names stand out: Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria), Abedi Pele and Michael Essien (Ghana), Ivorian Didier Drogba, and Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) to name but a few.

Liberia’s George Weah, meanwhile, is the only African to be crowned FIFA World Player of the Year.

Weah also won the BBC award in 1995 and this year, another West African will join him – with Drogba and Eto’o joined on the shortlist by Yaya Toure, Asamoah Gyan and Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew.

And it’s not just a matter of a few talented individuals – look at the results and you will also see that West Africa’s footballing pre-eminence is unquestionable:

Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana are Africa’s only ever World Cup quarter-finalists; Nigeria and Cameroon are the continent’s sole winners of Olympic gold, while Nigeria and Ghana share six FIFA world titles at U17 and U20 level”

I would like us to debate question here on TalkAfrique. Please use the space below to provide why you think West Africa has such dominance in African soccer.

 

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