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Peseiro returns amid dead rubber against Sao Tome & Principe

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The Super Eagles have already confirmed their spot at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The three-time African champions go into the match top of Group A with 12 points.

Nigeria have two more points than Guinea-Bissau in second place and welcome Sierra Leone in their last fixture.

The game at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is also expected to be something of a walkover, as Jose Peseiro’s men thrashed the True Patriots 10-0 in the reverse fixture.

Peseiro himself only got confirmation this week that he will continue in the role.

The 63-year-old signed a new contract on reduced terms and the deal will expire at the end of the AFCON.

Telema Davies, Strategy Consultant and Coordinating Secretary, Sport Nigeria LTD/GTE, has mixed reactions to his reappointment.

“A significant metric to justify the reappointment of Jose Peseiro is the term of reference (details of his contract) for which he was appointed initially, and which informed his reapportionment,” Davies tells DAILY POST.

“We must at every point, refer to his ToR to provide the premise to offer feedback on his performance as coach of the most recognised national team brand of Nigeria, the Super Eagles.

“Prior to his reappointment, Peseiro had overseen seven games in which he only won two matches (approximately 28% win) which at first glance is a poor turnover rate.

“What then informs his reappointment? It’s difficult to rationalise the basis but he’s got the job and we’ll keep an eye on how far he goes with the senior men’s national team with qualification for the AFCON being the immediate priority.

“Result is the name of the game; Peseiro needs good results to win the interest and support of Nigerians and not just the NFF, his direct employers.”

So essentially, Peseiro can count this Sao Tome fixture as one of his preparatory games for the AFCON.

There will be only one more international break before the tournament.

What can we expect?

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve been struggling with teams that we should be decisive in producing convincing wins,” Davies said.

“The Super Eagles must deliver the win ahead of the AFCON in Cotê d’Ivoire.

“Peseiro has to be bullish in demanding nothing less than a convincing win from the Super Eagles and should make it clear, through his decisions and actions, that there will be no room for complacency,” he added.

It is not surprising that Peseiro has invited all the in-form Nigerian strikers plying their trade in Europe.

Victor Osimhen (Napoli), Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen), Gift Orban (Gent) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest) have reported in camp.

Between them, they have plundered 12 goals already this season.

Peseiro might want to use the game to take a proper look at Boniface and Orban, as he is very familiar with Osimhen and Awoniyi.

“We’re truly fortunate to have the kind of talents we can boast of in recent times, whether established and emerging.

“I’m particularly thrilled about Taiwo Awoniyi’s continued rise on the global stage and the dynamics of what he brings to the team.

“Our frontline presents an exciting prospect of what the future holds, but I think focus will be on the wealth, skill, depth, and creativity of our midfield.

“You can’t have an absolute and scary striking department and not have the kind of midfield that ensures the right play between defence and the attack.

“We have to get the balance, the shape, the press and supply right to come out on top,” Davies added

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Ramsdale’s Time At Arsenal Coming To An End —Premier League Legend

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Premier League legendary American goalkeeper Brad Friedel has said he is certain that Aaron Ramsdale’s time at Arsenal is coming to an end.

Ramsdale has been overlooked for selection in past two games, with summer signing David Raya getting the nod.

The Spanish goalkeeper joined Arsenal from Brentford on a £3million loan deal with a purchase option of £27m.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has insisted to the media that he will pick his goalkeeper based on tactical reasons.

But the fact that Raya has started in both the Premier League and now Champions League has many questioning his statements.

One of those is Friedel, who has the third-most appearances of any goalkeeper in Premier League history.

When asked if it’s over for Ramsdale if Raya starts this weekend’s north London derby against Tottenham, the American replied on talkSPORT: “Absolutely.”

“I thought from the second they signed him they signed him to be the new no.1, I don’t think you pay that much money for someone with one year left on their contract, I know he signed an extra contract and went on loan, but that was for other reasons.

“I think they really liked Raya so when he became available they pushed for him.”

“It’s very harsh on Ramsdale but it’s the coach’s decision,” the former Liverpool and Tottenham keeper said.

“I’m assuming Ramsdale at the end of this season will end up having to do what Matt Turner did at the end of the previous season and find another place to play.

“I know it’s early and people will say you have to see what he does, but I think Raya was brought in as the no.1, you thought maybe they could be swapping if they’d played Ramsdale in the Champions League, but that didn’t happen.

“I think we’ll see Raya in goal and he’ll be the incumbent no.1 this season.”

Ramsdale joined Arsenal in the summer of 2021, leaving Sheffield United in a £30m deal.

Last season the 25-year-old almost helped the Gunners to a first league title in almost two decades, which Friedel thinks will see him join another top club where he can play every match

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Nigerian United fans blame Ten Hag, Glazers for horrible run

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The once mighty Manchester United find themselves 13th in the league ahead of tomorrow’s fixture against Burnley and have lost four of their opening six games of a season in all competitions for the first time since 1986/87 which was the same season that Sir Alex Ferguson was called in to take charge of the club which should send a worrying message to Erik Ten Hag.

Wednesday night’s 4-3 heartbreak at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League etched a grim record in history – the first time they’ve conceded three or more goals in three consecutive games since the bleak days of 1978. It’s no disgrace to fall to the might of Bayern Munich, the fact that this came on the heels of 3-1 losses to Brighton and Arsenal in the Premier League reveals an issue at United

In total, the record 20-time league champions have conceded a staggering 14 goals in all competitions, and the heat on Ten Hag is rising like the temperature in the Sahara.

United goalkeeper Andre Onana and the defence have come under fire for the chaotic way they conceded two goals in the first half against Bayern. Onana admitted that his performance against Bayern was responsible for the defeat. “In the beginning we start really good. After my mistake we lose the control of the game,” he admitted.

“It’s a difficult situation for us, for me, especially because I’m the one who let the team down. But the team was very good, I think it was because of me that we didn’t win this game.”

Speaking on TNT Sports, former Man United star Scholes claimed his former side were guilty of collapsing in adversity.

Scholes conceded United had done well to score three times against the German champions on their home turf but believes Bayern could have inflicted even more damage on Ten Hag’s under-pressure team.

“There is a weakness to them,’ Scholes said. “There is a soft underbelly and they do seem to collapse a bit when things are going wrong.

“They scored three goals and that is good, but I felt Bayern could then turn it on and score another. I thought there was a big distance between the teams, in that second half especially.

“First half I thought they did well but still conceded two goals through a lack of concentration. There is experience in the team but I don’t think it is being used. Concentration in Europe is so important, once you concede one goal, it can turn into two and three.”

Some United fans have expressed their displeasure over the poor start of their team to the season with some blaming Ten Hag while majority blamed the ownership under the Glazers.

United fan and journalist, Adekunle Salami believes that the club have not recruited well enough saying, “It is a tough time because the transfer was not well handled, Ten Hag was looking for a striker, we were expecting Osimhen or Harry Kane. Eventually, they said there was no money and they went for Rasmus (Hojlund), someone untested in England, he is just promising, and with such a striker, your chances of fighting for the title are limited.

“It is a slow start, I mean last season, we started equally slow and somehow came up to still finish as third but that is now where Man United should be. We are supposed to be winning titles, not only in England but in Europe so I think this coach is still tinkering with the team which should not be at this time.”

Salami told PUNCH Sports Extra that he believes the Glazers only care about money and not the fans.

“If they sell the club, there will be fresh breath in that team, there will be something new because they (Glazers) are focused on the business end but the fans are not happy, they must have that bragging right, but the Glazers win or lose just want to make their money but fans want to boast of titles and cannot, and that is not good enough,” he said.

Nigerian filmmaker and lawyer, Ayo Shonaiya has criticised Ten Hag’s decision to continue starting Onana in goal.

“I hope I’m not being too alarmist, but I’m beginning to think Andre Onana is not a natural goalkeeper. He’s a midfielder who can play in goal if the keeper gets a red card after all subs are used. Erik Ten Hag, please take note. Don’t let this become another Maguire situation.

“De Gea had a rough start at United then became one of our greatest keepers, but this Onana ball playing keeper I don’t know. How can you collect 14 goals in five games as a United keeper? Sir Alex would drop him for the Burnley game if he was still manager, but I’m sure Ten Hag would still keep his Ajax ‘son’ in goal on Saturday. I really wish he comes good because I kinda like the guy, but if he keeps conceding goals like he has been doing, Onana out,” Shonaiya wrote.

Another United fan, Nurudeen Obalola blamed Ten Hag’s stubborn decisions alongside the inuries they have suffered this season saying, “It is not much of a surprise because we are dealing with injuries, but that is not an excuse, they should be doing better, but the injuries have been a big part.

“As for the coach, he makes some bad selection decisions, and he has been a bit stubborn by sticking to decisions that are not working.”

Tope Fasuyi, a Nigerian in diaspora who used to work as a security personnel at Anfield and witnessed Man United get beaten 7-0 back in March said, “I am tired of supporting Man United because of the Glazers, they don’t seem to care about the protests from fans, the club is big enough and always makes them money so they aren’t chasing results like other owners.

“Then Ten Hag is too stubborn as a manager and rigid. It is almost like he doesn’t adapt to the games as they are going on. Anyone with eyes can see that Eriksen can’t play against a pacy team anymore and his obsession with players trained in Holland has not yielded results on the pitch. If I was Ten Hag I’d resign after this because he even seems to have lost the trust of the dressing room.”

A fan who asked to remain anonymous fan says United have been woeful and queries the passion of the owners.

“For me, it is a horrible start, we can make excuses for the coach and say injuries, a couple of off-field issues, but that said, there hasn’t been one match this season that United have looked like deserving winners.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have owners who care about the club or who are even concerned about the fans, they are just happy to make their dividends each year since the club still makes a lot of money,” she said.

United will look to bounce back against Burnley on Saturday, but the pressure is already on and they need to get three points to lift the doom and gloom surrounding Old Trafford

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Joao Felix took serious pay cut to make Barcelona transfer possible

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Joao Felix has revealed that he took a serious pay cut in order to join Barcelona from Atletico Madrid and is open to completing a permanent transfer.

The Portugal international forward made his way to Camp Nou on an initial season-long loan agreement towards the end of the summer window.

He never shied away from the fact that Barca were his “dream” club – much to the annoyance of some of those in the Spanish capital.

Felix, who spent time on loan at Chelsea last season, has told Mundo Deportivo of making personal sacrifices in order to link up with the reigning La Liga champions

“It’s true I gave up a significant part of my salary, but I needed a change. I needed to come to a place where I can play my style of football and I have always said I think this is the ideal place. Things are going well – I didn’t expect to start so well – and it was an effort I needed to make to be able to find joy playing football again.”

Felix has registered three goals and an assist through three appearances for Barca in La Liga and Champions League competition and would welcome the opportunity to stay on in Catalunya if Atletico play ball in future negotiations.

He added: “Well, for me it depends on how the season ends. Afterwards, Barcelona is the one who has to negotiate with Atleti and that depends after Atleti, if they want to make things easier or not. But those are business things, values, which I don’t get involved in. I do my job on the field, I try to do my best so that they want to sign me in the end and that thing about values, whether I go or not go or for how much, doesn’t interest me.”

There is no purchase option within Felix’s deal at Barcelona, meaning that the 23-year-old – who joined Atletico for €126 million (£109m/$134m) back in 2019 – is going to have to play his way into contention for another big-money move

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