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Mane, Salah renew rivalry with top African award up for grabs

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File photo of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah

Another chapter in the personal rivalry between former Liverpool teammates Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah will play out in Rabat on Thursday when the annual African award winners are announced.

Mane was a key figure in the Senegal team that defeated Salah-captained Egypt in the 2021/2022 Africa Cup of Nations final and in a 2022 World Cup play-off.

Both the African title decider in Cameroon and the Qatar eliminator in Senegal were won by the Teranga Lions after penalty shootouts.

Mane scored in each shootout while the final was decided before Salah could take his kick, and he blazed wide in the play-off.

The Senegalese successes have made Mane favourite to win a second straight Player of the Year award after 2019 — the following two editions were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Should Mane win in the Moroccan capital, he will become the first Bayern Munich star to be voted the top African footballer.

The closest a player from the German giants has come to winning was in 1999 and 2001 when Ghanaian Samuel Kuffour finished second.

Mane moved to Bayern last month on a three-year deal after joining Liverpool in 2016 from Southampton and Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp calls him “a complete forward”.

“My only criticism of Sadio is that maybe at times he is the only one not to realise just how good he is.”

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson hailed the predatory instincts of the 30-year-old: “Whenever he is in front of the goal you do not think he will miss.”

Salah lifted the award in 2017 and 2018 and the victory of Mane the following year raised to four the number of winners from Liverpool with another Senegalese, El Hadji Diouf, topping the 2002 vote.

– South Africans dominate women hopefuls –
The Egyptian had an outstanding 2021-2022 season for the Reds, sharing the Golden Boot award with South Korean Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur.

Salah was voted Premier League Player of the Season by both the Professional Footballers’ Association and the Football Writers’ Association.

Algeria captain and Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez is the other former winner among the 10 nominees having come first in 2016 after helping rank outsiders Leicester City become Premier League champions.

Mahrez and Algeria have struggled lately, however, with the defending champions making a humiliating first round exit from the Cup of Nations, then losing a World Cup play-off against Cameroon.

The 10 candidates for the Club Player of the Year include Brazilian Tiago Azulao, whose chart-topping seven goals in the CAF Champions League took Angolan outfit Petro Luanda to a surprise semi-finals spot.

South Africans dominate the Women’s Player of the Year nominees with 2018 winner Thembi Kgatlana, Andile Dlamini, Refiloe Jane and Bambanani Mbane among 10 hopefuls.

Ghana, notable absentees from the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after losing a first round qualifier against Nigeria, have two representatives, Evelyn Badu and Doris Boaduwaa.

Nigeria, the powerhouse of women’s football in Africa for decades, have one candidate, highly decorated Asisat Oshoala, who plays for 2022 European Champions League runners-up Barcelona.

Ruled out of the Cup of Nations in Morocco by injury, Oshoala has been voted African Player of the Year four times, most recently in 2019.

Choosing the best women’s national team will be delayed until after the Cup of Nations final between Morocco and South Africa in Rabat on Saturday.

African football legends, CAF technical committee members, coaches and captains of national teams and of some clubs and selected media pick the winners.

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Rashford Doesn’t See Football The ‘Way I See It’, Says Amorim

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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football “the way I see it” before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old Rashford fell dramatically out of favour with the Portuguese boss and spent seven weeks on the sidelines until he was loaned to Premier League rivals Aston Villa during the transfer window.

“I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said on Thursday.

“And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.

“I just wish the best to Rashford and to (Aston Villa coach) Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.”

Amorim, whose team face Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said his focus now is on turning around a wretched season.

 

“Guys, in the summer… like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer,” he said.

 

“So, I am just focused on these games. Thankfully about Marcus he is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players at the moment.”

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Rashford: Nigerian Lawmaker, Oseni Slams Alleged ‘Conspiracy’ Against Man Utd Star

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A Nigerian federal lawmaker, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has publicly criticised what he describes as a “deliberate conspiracy” against Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, calling for the club to treat the player with respect.

Oseni, a passionate football fan and supporter of Nigerian club Shooting Stars FC, Ibadan, and Manchester United, voiced his concerns through an official statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan.

The lawmaker, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in Oyo State and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), accused United of undermining Rashford’s career. He suggested the club is intentionally frustrating the England international, who has been a key figure for the Red Devils since breaking into the first team in 2016.

 

A Deliberate Attempt to Tarnish Rashford’s Legacy

 

Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Everton(Image: Getty Images)

Oseni believes Manchester United’s handling of Rashford’s situation is unfair, arguing that the player is being pushed out for reasons beyond footballing performance.

“The posture of Manchester United towards Rashford is a deliberate attempt to rubbish the glory this young man has built over the years,” Oseni stated.

“If he has made any mistakes—whether due to youthful exuberance, personal struggles, or any other reason—it should be understood as part of life’s journey. Everyone experiences highs and lows, but instead of supporting him, they have chosen to humiliate him.”

Rashford, now 27, has been frozen out of the squad since mid-December, despite being the club’s 13th all-time highest goal scorer. Reports suggest new manager Rúben Amorim has questioned Rashford’s commitment and has deliberately excluded him, a move Oseni sees as unjust and damaging to the forward’s career.

The controversy escalated last Sunday when Amorim allegedly told his coaching staff that he would rather field United’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, than recall Rashford to the squad.

Oseni condemned the remark, calling it an unnecessary public humiliation of a player who has given his best years to the club.

Internal Politics and Envy Behind Rashford’s Exclusion

“It is evident that Rashford is being pushed out of the club, not because of poor performance, but due to envy and internal politics,” Oseni remarked.

“If they no longer want him, they should handle it professionally and help him secure a move to another club that will celebrate him, rather than destroying the young talent.”

Rúben Amorim

The lawmaker highlighted Rashford’s recent performances, noting that despite limited game time under Amorim, he still managed to score four goals in just three appearances before being frozen out. He argued that Rashford’s exclusion is based on personal differences rather than footballing merit.

“Rashford once said he was ready for a new challenge out of frustration. Anyone in his shoes would feel the same after facing such humiliation. Instead of supporting him, they are making things worse. But I strongly believe that all these provocations will eventually lead to his elevation,” Oseni added.

United Must Show Rashford Respect

The Nigerian politician urged Manchester United’s management to reconsider their approach, stressing that Rashford deserves respect for his years of dedication to the club.

“Even if he made an error by expressing a desire to leave, the situation should have been handled privately rather than publicly humiliating him,” Oseni said.

“The coach’s statement that he would rather play a 63-year-old goalkeeper than Rashford is not only disrespectful but also unnecessary provocation. Despite this, Rashford has shown remarkable patience, considering all he has contributed to the team during his prime.”

He concluded by urging the club to allow Rashford to move on professionally if they no longer see him as part of their plans.

“No matter the challenges he faces, they will ultimately lead to his elevation, and those attempting to bring him down will only contribute to his success in the long run.”

 

 

 

 

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NANS Protests Appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as Super Eagles Coach

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Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) staged a protest on Thursday at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta, opposing the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the substantive coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

Led by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, the Clerk of the Senate of NANS, the students condemned the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), describing the appointment as a disappointment to Nigerians and football enthusiasts. They called for its immediate reversal, threatening to embark on a nationwide protest to press home their demands.

Addressing the gathering, Odunayo criticized the NFF’s decision, arguing it undermined the pool of coaching talent within Nigeria. He stressed that the Super Eagles deserve a tactically sound coach capable of harnessing the nation’s abundant football talent.

“We are gathered here today to address an issue that has not only baffled us but has also drawn widespread disapproval from Nigerian students and sports enthusiasts alike,” Odunayo stated.

“On behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students, I, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, Clerk of the Senate of NANS National Headquarters, wish to categorically express our displeasure over the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

“This appointment, as announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is not only unacceptable but also a slap in the face of our nation’s abundant pool of local coaching talent. Consequently, NANS, as the voice of the Nigerian students, is compelled to organize a national protest to demand a reversal of this decision.”

The NFF had confirmed the appointment of Éric Sékou Chelle as the head coach of the Super Eagles on Tuesday. Chelle, who has previously managed clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran, was also head coach of Mali’s Aiglons until his dismissal in June 2024.

The NFF tasked Chelle with guiding the Super Eagles to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. With crucial qualification matches slated for March, his appointment is already generating controversy across the football-loving nation.

As the protests intensify, the NFF is yet to respond to the demands of NANS, leaving the future of the Super Eagles’ coaching leadership in uncertainty.

 

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