Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick, in an interview shortly before the Super Eagles’ 2021 AFCON qualifier against Benin disclosed that head coach Gernot Rohr’s contract renewal depends on his plans for the Nigeria-based players. His words “Now the NFF would start discussing with Rohr on the renewal of his contract by January.. if he…
The 2019/2020 season began with many players harboring hopes of cementing or stealing a place in Euro 2020. As football is expected to serve its fair share of twists and turns, and up until the League’s suspension due to the Coronavirus outbreak, injuries to Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, alongside Raheem Sterling’s struggles this season…
It was a truly bizarre period, one for FIFA World Cup folklore for the coming years. Meanwhile, Julen Lopetegui is finally rebuilding his standing as one of Spain’s finest coaches at third-placed Sevilla. Having managed Spain’s youth teams and Porto. Lopetegui enjoyed a two-year spell as the Spanish national team boss, where he won 14…
With the suspension of major leagues across Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving football junkies like myself with the need to depend on movies for daily entertainment. We cast our minds back on the suspended 2019/2020 season as Football Castle presents our Premier League games of the season so far. Southampton 0-9 Leicester. 25…
Gian Piero Gasperini and his Atalanta side have set tongues wagging with the Italian tactician’s unorthodox style producing goals aplenty this season. There are no surprises that Atalanta have been one of Europe’s most-entertaining sides in 2019/2020. With 87 goals in all competitions this season, scoring has been the least of Gasperini’s sides worries. La…
A tale of contrasting goalkeepers sealed a dramatic 3-2 second-leg win for Atlético Madrid against Liverpool, in the Champions League Round of 16. It is the last line of defence, and these days the starting point of the attack. The goalkeeper more often than not has the spotlight when things go bad, whilst also taking…
Manchester City were in a miserable place in early February. The defeat to Spurs, which threatened to bring Liverpool’s title coronation earlier, was memorably confirmed by Steven Bergwijn’s debut goal. Pep Guardiola had honest talks with his players thereafter, then their winter break was extended by a postponed home fixture with West Ham due to…
Real Madrid returned to the summit of La Liga with the 2-0 win in El Clásico that takes them one point ahead of fierce rivals, Barcelona. A pulsating end-to-end game between players who left everything on the pitch. It was undoubtedly the best Clásico since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2018, fittingly on the…
It was bound to happen at some point. Liverpool’s Unbeaten Premier League run ended with a 3-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Watford. As goals from Ismaïla Sarr and Troy Deeney ensured Jürgen Klopp’s men fell five games short of Arsenal’s 2004 ‘invincibles’ record of 49 Premier League games undefeated. A whole 422 days after their last…
It is well-known the huge abyss in football development in Africa between grassroots/amateur level and making it as a professional. The defunct system of football development at schools before subsequent scouting and proper coaching makes it an uphill battle to get a chance to become a Pro. The conveyor belt of talented players across Africa continues…
