Stephen Keshi And His Men To Hit South Africa 7th January !

 Ifeanyi Edeh has confirmed, Super Eagles will leave the country for South Africa the venue of the 2014 African Nations Championship(CHAN) on Tuesday.

2-1 victory over the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia at the Abuja National Stadium, ensured The Eagles rounded off their preparation for the CHAN tournament on Saturday on a good note.

The Enyimba of Aba striker said that the players and officials of the Eagles are billed to land in South Africa on Tuesday ahead of the competition meant for domestic league players which starts Saturday 11th January.

Nigerian, Mali, South Africa and Mozambique are in Group A and they will face Mali first in what is Tagged, "Clash of The Heavy Waights'

The Eagles are making their debut in South Africa after their inability to qualify for the first two CHAN held in 2009 and 2011.

The competition starts on January 11th and ends on February 1st.

Mikel Praised by Mourinho

Mikel was given the captain’s armband by Ghanaian Michael Essien instead of Ashley Cole and he went on to make great impact afterwards scoring his fourth ever Chelsea goal on the day he made his 300thappearance for the club.

“I never recognise his ability to score goals,” Mourinho told the club's website.

“I recognise his ability to play as an anchorman, to play that position in a very comfortable way, with no mistakes. He reads the game well, plays in an intelligent and safe way, but I never recognise his goal scoring appetite.

“There was a smile on my face [when he scored]. For some reason Essien gave him the armband, normally it should go to Ashley Cole, so maybe it made him believe he was a goal scorer!

“It was important for us, we were dominating and dominating, creating and creating but the goal was not arriving. It was like the winning goal.'

Mikel is in the running for the 2013 Caf African Player of the Year award that will be announced on Thursday January 9 at a gala to be held in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial Hub. He is contesting against Ivoirians Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba.

He has seen support for him rise in recent days with Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi stating: “It will boost the team and Mikel and all Nigerians because it has been a long time since we last won the award and I know we deserve to win this year.” 

Top Ten Best Teenagers In the Premier League

10) Souleymane Coulibaly (Tottenham Hotspur)

The Ivorian front man arrived at White Hart Lane in July 2011 on the back of winning the Golden Boot at that year’s Fifa U17 World Cup and although the 19-year-old has still make his first-team debut for the north Londoners in the intervening three-year period, the striker is still held in high regard by the club. 

9) Daniel Potts (West Ham United)

The England U20 international has already played in five top-flight matches for the Hammers this season, with the east London club understood to consider the 19-year-old a bright prospect for the future at Upton Park. 

8) Nathan Ake (Chelsea)

The 18-year-old midfielder has been with the west London club for the past two years now, and already the Netherlands U21 international has got tongues wagging at Stamford Bridge, with the young Dutchman having played in six matches in total in all competitions in the previous campaign, three of which came in the Premier League.

7) Nick Powell (Manchester United)

Silky-smooth England U21 international who has been with the Premier League champions now since signing from Crewe Alexandra in July 2012 for a fee of £6m, with the 19-year-old having been loaned out to Championship side Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan at the beginning of this campaign, where the midfielder has impressed greatly with eight goals in his 25 appearances to date for the Latics.

6) Nathan Redmond (Norwich City)

What an impact the 19-year-old winger has already made in just his brief time with the Canaries, who the England U21 international joined from Championship outfit Birmingham City only last summer, with the skilful wide man having already got off the mark in the Premier League for his new team. 

5) James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

The Saints’ England Under-21 international is currently enjoying yet another excellent campaign at St Mary’s for the high-flying south-coast club, so much so that the 19-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a whole host of big-name clubs of late after featuring in a total of 23 matches in all competitions for Southampton, 20 of which have come in the Premier League.

4) Serge Gnabry (Arsenal)

The exciting 18-year-0ld midfielder has been with the Gunners now for the past two years, and already the Germany Under-19 international is understood to be knocking on the door of the senior national team ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Brazil after featuring in eight matches in total for the north London club this season, during which time the wide man netted his first-ever goal for the team. 

3) Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

Now 19 years of age, the England international appears to finally be back to the sort of eye-catching form which he displayed at the start of the previous campaign, with the Reds flyer having so far managed to hit the back of the net on three occasions already in just his 14 top-flight outings for the Merseysiders this season.

2) Luke Shaw (Southampton)

Attacking left back who has been scouted by the likes of both Manchester United and Chelsea since first breaking into the Saints’ starting lineup as a 16-year-old and now the England U21 international, aged 18, is valued at a whopping £25m by the south-coast club after establishing himself already as one of the most impressive and technically accomplished players in his position currently operating in the Premier League. 

1) Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United)

What a breakthrough season the 18-year-old is currently enjoying for the Premier League champions, with new Red Devils head coach David Moyes having handed the Belgium-born wide man an unexpected debut at Old Trafford, although the tricky playmaker has responded to that daunting challenge by netting three goals already in just his 13 Premier League outings in the north west.

Arsenal Prepare Move for In-Form Championship Star

Emirates Stadium side look to lure talented custodian into making move to North London.

Arsenal are readying a move for Reading keeper Alex McCarthy according to the Daily Mirror.

The 24 year old Royals custodian is seen by Arsene Wenger as a better back-up option to Wojciech Szczesny than Lukasz Fabianski, with Italian Emilio Viviano as yet to make his Gunners bow.

McCarthy impressed many with his heroic efforts to keep Reading in the top tier last term and could be set for an immediate return to the top flight with Fabianski apparently keen on a move to Schalke.

The former England Under 21 keeper may well be tempted by a move to the Emirates Stadium though such a switch would clearly result in less playing time though the Reading man may feel confident he can oust Szczesny for the starting spot.

Wenger is clearly no averse to shopping in the English lower leagues having previously seen the acquisitions of Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Carl Jenkinson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pay off handsomely.

Man United Ready to Sack Manager David Moyes

Man United Ready to Sack Manager David Moyes With Interim Boss Lined Up to Take Charge Until the Summer

Old Trafford side ready to ‘bite the bullet’ and axe their very own dead man walking.

Manchester United are preparing the ground for a possible sacking of manager David Moyes as the Old Trafford club continue to struggle to maintain consistency in their push for silverware in the Scot’s first season in charge.

Moyes had appeared to be turning something of a corner with a run of six wins across all competitions, albeit against inferior opposition, but a limp defeat at home to Tottenham was followed by a late FA Cup defeat to Swansea City, again at Old Trafford, has left the club seriously considering a mid-season managerial change.

The club’s board are looking to stand by their decision to bring in Moyes, which was predicated chiefly following the backing given to such a move by former manager Ferguson, but are also mindful that failure to secure a top four finish could be a serious blow not only to the club’s finances but also deal them a significant blow to the club’s standing among Europe’s ‘Elite’.

Indeed the securing of Champions League qualification for 2014/15 is now the very least Man United are looking to garner from the current campaign and are all to aware that failing to meet this goal would also make it far harder to lure top talents to the club next summer.

Man United’s board do not want to be seen as making a knee-jerk reaction to recent results but may well feel that they are left with no choice other than to axe Moyes and are drawing up a list of potential interim manager’s who could steer the ship until the summer.

Sir Alex Ferguson is one potential candidate for the job though Man United could opt instead to allow coaches Phil Neville and Ryan Giggs to take charge until a suitable long term replacement can be found.

Man United currently sit in seventh place in the Premier League, some 11 points off top of the table Arsenal and five behind fourth placed Liverpool and though perhaps the gap to a Champions League spot is not out of sight there is little evidence that the club is making up ground on their rivals.

Man United’s home form has become a real concern and is perhaps seen as a side of just how unstable the club’s footing is at present. Incredibly David Moyes has seen his side have lost four of their last six matches at Old Trafford and the character, or lack thereof, shown by the players in these defeats is perhaps even more worrying than the results themselves.

David Moyes has recently stated that he had no immediate plans to bring in January acquisitions and this has led some to surmise that Man United are reticent to offer the manager a massive transfer fund boost this month in view of the possibility that he may be axed and that the additions he wants to bring in may not be to the liking of any potential successor.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure was clearly always going to send shock-waves through the Premier League club and his exit very much signaled an end to an era and the club’s squad is also seemingly heading towards a similar path.

Paul Scholes retired, for a second time, last summer and Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra are both likely to call time on their Man United career’s at the end of the season. Ryan Giggs may follow suit whilst injury ravaged centre-back Nemanja Vidic could also feel the time is right for a new challenge.

Wayne Rooney will apparently only discuss the possibility of extending his contract after the 2014 World Cup finals, by which time the 28 year old striker will have just one year left on his deal, which will make him vulnerable to a Man United exit, that will become all the more likely if the club have not secured a top four finish.

If this is to be another end to an era for Man United it’s looking increasingly unlikely that David Moyes will continue to take charge to lead the club into a new dawn.

Mourinho Speaks on Remires

Ramires became the second Chelsea player in as many games to be cautioned for simulation when he was handed a yellow card by referee Andre Marriner during a 2-0 win over Derby County in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

Fellow Brazilian Oscar received the same punishment from Martin Atkinson against Southampton in the Premier League on New Year's Day, and while Mourinho backs calls to stop diving in the English game he believes there could be repercussions in European competition.

"I maintain it [Chelsea players do not dive], they [the incidents involving Ramires and Oscar] are isolated episodes," Mourinho said after Chelsea's win at Pride Park.

"This time I didn't watch on TV but Marriner was so close, so if he made that decision it is because he is right.

"The last time [on] Oscar just was completely correct; this time I didn't speak yet with Ramires but if the referee was there then perfect.

"The reason [the two players were booked] was the referees were very good. In other clubs there are divers and they are not booked; we had two of the best referees in the country and in Europe.

"I don't know [if others encourage diving] - we do the opposite, but I am worried about the European competitions.

"I know English teams will be punished in European competitions because we are all fighting against it, but in the Champions League and Europa League we will get referees from other countries, players without the education that we are trying to do, and in the Champions League and Europa League something against English teams will happen for sure.

"The referees are attacking it [diving]; the managers supporting the referees; we are doing well; let's see if the others do the same as us."

Mikel"s Fourth Chelsea Goal !

Nigeria Super Eagles Golden Boy, and midfielder John Obi Mikel scored on his 300th appearance for Chelsea as they defeated Derby County 2-0 at the Pride Park Stadium in a third round English FA Cup game.

After an unimpressive first half display, the Nigerian headed home from six yards off Willian's whipped free-kick to break the deadlock in the 66th minutes, just few minutes after taken over the captains hand band from fellow African, Michael Essien,

with only his fourth Blues goal.

Mikel got the starter’s shirt despite Jose Mourinho’s changes to the squad that won Southampton 3-0 on New Year Day.

 Even though it was another more prolific African Samuel Eto’o who was expected to deliver the goals for the Blues, Chelsea’s curtain raiser came off the boots of the unlikely Mikel.

Oscar then doubled Chelsea's lead four minutes later with a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area that Derby goalkeeper Lee Grant was unable to keep out. 

Mikel had earlier broken his 261-game goal drought in the English Premier League in Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham at Stamford Bridge on September 21, 2013. 

Chelsea will now face Stoke City in the fourth round of the oldest knock-out competition in English football history.