INSPRIRATIONAL FRIDAY

A MUST READ! EMERGENCY NUMBERS: Emergency numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is necessary. All lines are open to heaven 24 hours a day. When you are in danger, call Psalm 46. When God seems far away, call Psalm 139. For peace and rest, call Matthew 11:25-30. For keeping things in perspective, call Psalm 91. When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90. For Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30. When you leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121. When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67. If discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126. When someone fails you, call Psalm 27. When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1. How to get along with others, call Romans 12. If you are depressed, call Psalm 27. If people seem unkind, call John 15. For assurance of salvation, call Romans 10:13. When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11. When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23. When you feel condemned, call John 3:16 - 17. When you grow bitter and critical, call Corinthians 13. For the secret to happiness, call Colossians 3:12-17. Who has a friend with whom to share, Has double cheer and one- half care. For a Best Friend, call Psalm 9. When in sorrow, call John 14. When you have sinned, call Psalm 51. When you worry, call Matthew 6:10-34. If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37. This are the phone numbers to call God. Brethren, Please I beg of you, pass this message round. Copy and paste it, share it, call, email and text it.. Have done my part, it's now your turn to spread the Gospel. God is waiting for your call. Let this Gospel reach million people by pressing "LIKE" and writing,"AMEN"

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH DAY ONE PREDICTIONS

REAL MADRID V MANCITY: The most-awaited clash of the Champions League group stage happens to be on Matchday One as mighty Real Madrid welcome Manchester City to the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. The clash between the Spanish and English Champions is the biggest draw in the ‘group of death’, which also comprises Borussia Dortmund and Ajax. The battle at the Bernabeu is filled with countless subplots as the fixture sees the established power collide with the new pretender, Jose Mourinho facing his predecessor at Inter Milan, Roberto Mancini and not to forget the stellar list of players on show. Madrid have made a stuttering start in the La Liga, winning just one of their four fixtures so far. Man City’s defence of the title hasn’t gone to plan either as they have drawn two of their four games. The big game on Tuesday could just be the trigger both teams have been waiting for, although City will be wary of Madrid’s imperious home record which saw them win all six of their home games in the Champions League last season, scoring 24 goals in the process. Probable Line-Ups: RealMadrid(4-2-3-1): Casillas(GK), Arbeloa, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Alonso, Khedira, Ozil, Ronaldo, DiMaria, Higuain ManCity(4-2-3-1): Hart(GK), Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Y.Toure, Garcia, Nasri, Silva, Milner, Tevez. PREDICTION: RealMadrid 2-1 ManCity MONTPELLIER V ARSENAL: The Uefa Champions League anthem will blare out in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Stade La Mosson on tuesday night as newcomers Montpellier welcome the mighty Arsenal in the matchday one clash in Grp B. The french champions will be turning out in europe's elite competition for the first time in their history, in stark contrast to arsenal who are making their 15th consecutive appearance in the competition. The defending french champions have failed to liveup to their recent reputation as they have claimed judt 4points from their first five games this season. Meanwhile, the Gunners have garnered considerable respect for their new found defensive discipline. Despite a slow start with two goaless draws, Arsenal's new look forward line has begun to work its magic, scoring eight times in their last two premier league outings. This appears to be a lopsided fixture and Arsenal are widely expected to negotiate past their french opponents with considerable ease. However, in the world of football, anything can happen in 90minutes. Probable Line-Ups Montpellier(4-2-3-1): Geoffrey Jourden, Yanga-Mbiwa, Hilton, Henry Bedino, Congre, Stambouli, Utaka, Belhanda, Cabella, Ait Fana, Herrera Arsenal(4-3-3): Szczesny(GK), Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs,Diaby,Arteta,Cazorla,Oxlade-Chamberlain,Gervinho, Podolski PREDICTION: Montpellier 1-3 Arsenal BORUSSIA DORTMUND V AJAX AMSTERDAM PREDICTION: Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Ajax Amsterdam MALAGA V ZENIT ST PETERSBURG PREDICTION: Malaga 1-1 Zenit St Petersburg AC MILAN V ANDERLECHT PREDICTION: Ac Milan 2-0 Anderlecht OLYMPIACOS V SCHALKE04 PREDICTION: Olympiacos 1-1 Schalke PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN V DYNAMO KIEV PREDICTION: PSG 2-1 Dynamo Kiev DINAMO ZAGREB V FC PORTO PREDICTION: Dinamo Zagreb 1-3 Fc Porto. What do you guys think?... Watch out for Match Day Two Predictions on tuesday.

PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP

MAN-UTD VS WIGAN: ManU ran out 4-0 winners with Paul Scholes scoring on his 700th appearance.Javi Hernadez saw his weak effort well saved from the spot by Al-Habsi.With Robin VerPersie on the bench, manU searched for the first goal with Danny Welbeck and Nani shooting wide from close range in the first half. Six mins into the second half, Scholes broke the deadlock. Hernadez doubled the home side lead on 63mins with Butner getting the third 3mins later.Nick Powell came off the bench to netthe fourth for the red devils. QPR VS CHELSEA: All eyes were on the events before the kickoff at loftus road with anton Ferdinand eventually decided not to shake hands with John Terry and Ashley Cole and when the action started neither side could get a goal with Eden Hazard guilty of two clear chances. The R's eventually ended the European champions 100% record in the premier league this season. ARSENAL VS SOUTHAMPTON: Arsenal continued their start to the campaign with an impressive 6-1 victory over southampton with Gervinho netting twice and Podolski scoring a wonderful freekick with Theo Walcott aldo putting his name on the scorers sheet with the other two goals being an owngoal. Southampton got a consolation when Szczeny failing to collect Jason Puncheon and Danny Simpson was around to blast it in. STOKE CITY VS MANCITY: Mancity were held to a 1-1 draw by Stoke city at the Brittania for a fourth sucessive season in this fixture. Stoke city went ahead in the 15mins mark through a controversial Peter Crouch goal. The visitors drew level when Carlos Tevez freekick was met by new signing Jarvi Garcia to bundle home. SUNDERLAND VS LIVERPOOL: 1-1 (Scorers: Fletcher, Suarez) FULHAM VS WESTBROM: 2-0 (Scorers: Berbatov<2>) READING VS TOTTENHAM: 1-3 (Defoe<2> Bale) ASTON VILLA VS SWANSEA: (Lowton, Benteke) NORWICH VS WESTHAM: 0-0 EVERTON VS NEWCASTLE: Not yet played.Will come up on monday 17th September

AGBANI DAREGO

In 2001, she shocked the world, beating over 70 gorgeous girls to emerge as Miss World. Young, beautiful and natural, Agbani Darego is a young woman full of promise. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, she is the sixth of eight children. At the age of two, she moved to Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and says her childhood was loving and memorable, although it was tainted by the death of her mother, who passed away due to breast cancer when Agbani was eleven. She attended Bereton Montessory Nursery & primary school, Federal Government Girls College (F.G.G.C) Abuloma, where she was awarded ‘Most distinguished Alumni’ in 2010, and the University of Port Harcourt, where she studied Computer Science for a year before her foray into the pageant world. In 2001, she achieved great success when she won Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN). During her reign as MBGN, she represented Nigeria in the 2001 Miss Universe competition, held in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. She placed among the top 10 semi-finalists, finishing seventh. She was the only black semi-finalist that year – and the only finalist to wear a one-piece swimsuit as opposed to the more popular bikini. Encouraged by her position at Miss Universe in 2001, Agbani then competed at the Miss World pageant in November 2001, which she won, becoming the first native Sub-Saharan African to claim the title, a victory widely welcomed in Nigeria. Agbani was honoured with the Nigerian national honour ‘Member of the Order of the Federal Republic’ (MFR) after her win as Miss World in 2001. During her reign, she visited a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Puerto Rico, the United States, Germany, Italy, China, Spain and France. She was a public favourite, as for the first time in the history of the Miss World Pageant; TV Viewers were invited to participate in the Final Vote. Since then, Agbani has made appearances at and judged the Miss World pageant, as well as Miss England, Miss Bulgaria, MR Scotland, Miss Tanzania and the Most Beautiful girl in Nigeria pageants. In 2002, she relocated to London for two years. There, she signed with Top Modeling Agency Next Model Management and worked, strutting the catwalks during Fashion Week, gracing Magazine Editorials, and clinching the distinguished beauty endorsement with L’Oreal, which ended in 2005. In 2003, she made the move to New York, where she signed with Next Model Management NY for four years (2003 – 2007), and later moved to Ford Models NY; featuring in numerous beauty and fashion advertising and commercials, including Avon, Christian Dior beauty, Sephora, Target, and Macy’s, to name a few. She graced more pages of several magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Allure, Trace, Stitch, Cosmopolitan, Essence magazine , working with respected designers like Oscar de la Renta, Marc Bouwer, Tommy Hillfiger, Ralph Lauren, Gianfranco Ferre, and eminent Photographers Annie Leibovitz, Markus Klinko, and Richard Burbridge. Always the multi-tasker, she then decided to finish up her education in 2007, enrolling at the prestigious New York University (NYU) where she majored in Psychology, graduating in 2012. Agbani currently works with Ford Models NY and often shuttles between New York & Lagos. Culled from www.agbanidarego.com

SALUTE TO THE INCREDIBLE SOUND SULTAN

Sound Sultan performs at the Ha his all star anniversary concert.. Last night in Lagos, Sound Sultan wrote his entrance examinations for the legends university. And he passed in glowing colours. The singer-songwriter- performer used a brilliant assembly of poetry, choreography, pantomime, drama, and song, to create an unforgettable night for the thousands that came out for his 12th anniversary concert. The Harbour Point auditorium must have been more than pleased with Sound Sultan, his band, the Crown Troupe, DJ Jimmy JATT, the many guest acts, and the creative team, for a brief but near-excellent show that proved that not all concerts held outside the Eko Hotels’ insanely expensive yet structurally and technically inflexible hall, are subpar. A veteran by all definitions, Sultan did not seem like he was trying to prove any point, yet that’s exactly what he did – showing, with each set, that he’s not in the league of today’s hit-drunk pop stars who have no qualms miming at their own concerts. Starting from his debut album ‘Kpsheew— the sound of a Frustrated Mouth’, he worked with the band to deliver Jagbajantis, ghen ghen and more, with minor tweaks only ardent fans would notice. Lanky and fragile in person, the boldness and courage of his lyrics made many compare him with Fela since the early 2000s. Last night, he brought back those memories again, with the power of his lyrics, with some of his Fela-inspired costumes, and with a surprise Afrobeat set that featured that genre’s king Femi Kuti. But Femi was not the only king that came out to jam with Sultan. Africa’s king of pop and a legend in his own right 2face Idibia joined his friend for a thought-provoking performance of ‘bush meat’; while M.I, arguably the leader of Nigeria’s hiphop community, joined Sultan for their conscious collabo ‘2010’. Just before M.I and 2face, the concert paid a powerful tribute to hip hop, with an elaborate freestyle session featuring some of the rappers that matter today: Yungsix, Ice Prince, Ikechukwu, Dr SID and Uzi. 2face and Timaya would have made that list, had the show’s director not chased them off stage, midway into their ambush freestyle skit. Unpredictable from A to Z, a fashion session engineered by co-host IK Osakioduwa would lead into a performance of Sultan’s ode to plus-sized women ‘Orobo’; just as a brief stand-up act by Koffi (who was at his best last night, despite the initial lukewarm reception) would lead into, first a drama featuring Sound Sultan as groom-to-be who waits impatiently for his bride-to-be (Tiwa Savage) during a traditional Yoruba engagement ceremony; and later a Sultan- Tiwa duet of ‘Oko won lode’. With Crown Troupe members as support cast (friends of the groom, friends of the bride, parents-in-law etc), and Koffi as overzealous MC, the wedding episode continues, with 9ice performing for the ‘couple’, before Fuji giant Adewale Ayuba emerges, to entertain them with hits from the 22-year-old evergreen Bonsue LP, getting us all on our feet, screaming – such incredibly scripted; almost impeccably executed show that the words of no writer can fully capture. In spite of noticeable sound hitches and repeated dead air, and a few performances that failed the test, this low budget concert gets a first class – where many before it, for example, the Davido O.B.O. concert, fails woefully. Young boys like Davido should actually have been at Harbour Point last night, taking notes. Welcome to the Legends’ club, Sound Sultan. Please take a

SALUTE TO THE INCREDIBLE SOUND SULTAN

A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

My friend,Nnenna was waiting at the airport one night, with several long hours before her flight. She hunted for a book in the airport shop, bought a bag of popcorn and found a place to drop. She was engrossed in her book,but happened to see, that the man beside her, as bold as could be, grabbed a popcorn or two from the bag between, which she tried to ignore, to avoid a scene. She read, munched popcorn, and watched the clock, as the gutsy "pop corn thief" diminished her stock. She was getting irritated as the minutes ticked by, thinking, "If i wasn't so nice, i'd punch his eye!" With each popcorn she took, he took one too. When only one was left, she wondered what he'd do. With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh, He took the last popcorn and broke it in half. He offered her half as he ate the other half. She snatched it from him and thought, "Oh Geez, This guy has some nerve, and he's also rude, why, he didn't even show any gratitude!" She had never known when she had been so galled, and sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate, refusing to look back at the "thieving ingrate." She boarded the plane and sank in her seat, then sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her luggage, she gasped with suprise. There was her bag of popcorn in front of her eyes! "If mine were here," she moaned with despair, "then the others were his and he tried to share!" Too late to apologize, she realized she with grief, that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief!

A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

Fraser-Pryce Retain Womens 100meters Gold

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica saw off the challenge of American Carmelita Jeter to retain her Olympic 100m title in London. Fraser-Pryce moved ahead at the halfway stage and held on in a close finish to win in 10.75 seconds. Jeter beat another Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown, on the line for bronze. Fraser-Pryce becomes the first woman since American Gail Devers in 1992 and 1996 to win back-to-back 100m titles at Olympic Games. "It's completely different to Beijing because there I was inexperienced," said the 25- year-old Jamiacan. "I was young and I never believed I could win. This time I was a bit nervous but I believed in God and I trusted him to carry me through."

SELENA STAR, LUPE ONTIVERIOS DIES

Veteran actress Lupe Ontiveros (LOO-pay ahn-tee- VEHR-oos), best known for her role in the movie "Selena," has died. Close friend Rick Najera says the actress who also appeared in dozens of films and TV shows over her 35- year-career died Thursday night of cancer. She was 69. Najera said she was surrounded by family and friends, including actors Esai Morales and Edward James Olmos, when she died at a hospital in Whittier, Calif., a suburb southeast of Los Angeles Ontiveros played Yolanda Saldivar in "Selena." Her other credits include "As Good As It Gets," ''Real Women Have Curves," ''The Goonies," and "Chuck & Buck." The actress, born Guadalupe Moreno in Texas, once estimated she had played a maid more than 300 times.

LONDON 2012: SEVEN THINGS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY

1. Hail Britannia! The Opening Ceremony is heavy on real-life Britain. Nods to the industrial revolution, nursing and other stages of British history are supposedly included. If there's not an inflatable representation of fish and chips, it would be a minor upset. 2. #savethesurprise to #fallbythewayside -- Danny Boyle's ambitious anti-spoiler social media plan has worked wonders during two dress rehearsals this week. A quick search on Twitter reveals that attendees, with the proper motivation, are just as invested in keeping a secret as they are in revealing one. Unless you really search for them, spoilers have been hard to find on the Internet. That's all well and good for the UK and other parts of the world, who will see the Ceremony live, but here in the States, we won't be so lucky. By the time NBC shows the tape-delayed torch lighting around 11:30 p.m. ET on Friday, the actual event will be five hours old, long enough for anyone who wants to know how it ends to find out. [ Photos: Opening Ceremony blunders ] 3. James Bond and the Queen -- It's hardly a spoiler that James Bond (Daniel Craig) will appear in a short film shot at Buckingham Palace. That was heavily reported months ago. Still up in the air: A rumored appearance in the movie by Queen Elizabeth II. She was a revelation in "The Naked Gun." Boyle discussed the possible appearance on " Today" with Meredith Viera. "The entry of the head of state in our case, which is the queen, is a key part of the show," he said. "So yes, we had a meeting with her about that." 4. Watching from home will feel different -- Boyle, again: "The way you experience it on television, will feel, I hope, much more immediate and visceral than you normally get. And there'll be more close-ups, for instance, which is a way of conveying emotion." 5. Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and Voldemort walk into an Olympics -- Some of the most memorable characters in modern British literature will appear in the Ceremony. Old ones will too: A Shakespeare line from "The Tempest" is expected to begin the festivities. [ Related: Why Michael Phelps is skipping opening ceremony ] 6. Paul McCartney -- Even though nobody has officially confirmed his participation, Boyle did all but hum the opening strains of "Yesterday" in that "Today" interview. The most obvious way to use McCartney: A mass sing-along to "Hey Jude" to close the Ceremony. Boyle throws curveballs though, so maybe it'll be "I've Just Seen A Face" to open. As long as their no hologram John Lennon, this will be lovely. 7. A surprise torch lighting -- Fourth- Place Medal has been saying all along that Roger Bannister, the man who broke the four-minute mile, is the best choice to light the torch. No offense to David Beckham or anyone else who was ridiculously rumored to be in line for the honor, but they're accomplishments pale in comparison to the man responsible for the most legendary athletic achievement of the 20th century. Starting Thursday morning, there was a big push for Bannister wagers at London sportsbooks. His odds, 33/1 one month ago, fell to 1/1 before most bookies shut down the market. Could it be a ruse? Maybe Bannister is the second-to-last torchbearer and he passes it along to a group of diverse British citizens. That would keep in line with Boyle's egalitarian spectacle, right?

LONDON 2012: MEET YOUR OLYMPIADS

Perhaps the biggest of them is the success of the country’s male basketball team, D’Tigers in securing a first-ever Olympic place. Basketball will be the only team event that Nigeria will take part in during the Games of the XXX Olympiad. In this article, Goal.com gives a profile of five of the main Nigerian challengers for Olympic medals this summer. JONATHAN AKINYEMI (CANOEING) Yes, I know many people said – canoe-what? If you didn’t know, now you do. Nigeria will present her first- ever athlete for the K1 men’s slalom during this summer’s games so don’t you go changing the channel when the event comes up. You just might miss Jonathan Akinyemi, the non-Ijaw man who has mastered the temperament of white waters. Akinyemi won Africa’s sole slalom ticket in South Africa in February by defeating Togolese Benjamin Boukpeti, who won a bronze medal in the Beijing 2008 games. So now you know that Akinyemi is the stuff of legends. The 23 year-old, who was born in the United Kingdom, funded his way through most of qualifying but is now a proud member of Team Nigeria and a veritable medal hopeful. He has said that he sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night only to realise that he has qualified to participate in the Olympics and he laughs out loud. CHIKA CHUKWUMERIJE (MEN'S TAEKWONDO) Be-spectacled Chika Chukwumerije will go into his third Olympic tournament with the sole aim of claiming a gold medal in the men’s +80kg Taekwondo event. Having won bronze at Beijing 2008, Chukwumerije will surely be expecting to achieve a higher feat with his remarkable ability to compete on the biggest stage. The 28 year-old has been consistently inching his way up the martial arts ladder and will be a veritable medal hope for Team Nigeria as the games start. Chukwumerije has a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. His father is a senator in the National Assembly. D'TIGERS (MEN'S BASKETBALL) When the basketball team of Nigeria qualified for the London 2012 games seemingly out of the blues, it was an acknowledgement that the game was finally getting its due. No one at home gave them a chance but the team proved that it was worth its Olympic ticket by defeating world top 5 countries Greece and Lithuania in the qualifying tournament in Venezuela. At last, Nigeria’s big men will have the opportunity of strutting their stuff on the biggest stage of all. Do not be surprised if they come out with a medal against all odds, these guys have bonded together and they know what it means to win now. Just like the frenzy was on Twitter when they picked the ticket against the Dominican Republic a few weeks ago, names like Tony Skinn, the Al-Farouk brothers – Alade and Aminu, Derrick Obasohan, Ade Dagunduro, Ike Diogu and Olumide Oyedeji would become the new Nigerian youth role models. It is a jolly good time it is to be a basketball fan. Expect big games against America's NBA stars, Argentina, Tunisia, France and Lithuania. BLESSING OKAGBARE (WOMEN'S 100M, LONG JUMP, 4X100M RELAY) Nigeria’s golden girl, Blessing Okagbare is hitting peak form at the right moment. Okagbare is Team Nigeria flag bearer for the opening ceremony and the only track athlete to have won an individual medal from the Beijing 2008 games where she jumped to a bronze medal. Okagbare has come a long way since her Beijing performance as she has taken her game to a whole new level becoming an important role model to female athletes just like Mary Onyali was in her prime. This season, Okagbare has won back to back Diamond League meetings where she defeated Olympic and World champions Shelley Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica and America’s Carmelita Jeter with her best of 11.01s. If she keeps up this form, the darling of the corporate world would definitely make a podium finish in the 100m. She will also hope to improve on her long jump where she has gotten a 6.96m lift this season, better than her bronze-winning 6.91m effort. Okagbare will also be part of the women’s 4X100m relay alongside Damola Osayomi, Gloria Asumnu, Lawreta Ozoh and Christy Udoh. TOSIN OKE (MEN'S TRIPLE JUMP) At first Tosin Oke competed for Great Britain where he was born 31 years ago. However, in 2008 he switched back allegiance to Nigeria after he was dropped from the British team that participated at the World Championships in Osaka in 2007. Oke has since gone on to establish himself as a world class athlete by dominating the African space. In 2010, Oke won gold medals at the African Championships in Kenya and the Commonwealth Games in India. Last year he won gold at the All Africa Games in Mozambique and just a few weeks ago he retained his African Championship title in Porto Novo with a jump of 16.98m. he will be up against Christian Taylor of the United States who has the world leading jump of 17.63m and homeboy Phillips Idowu.

MEET YOUR OLYMPIADS

FOOTBALL GOSSIP ROUND-UP

According to the Daily Mail, Roman Abramovich has now "grabbed" the 20-year-old Brazilian midfield sprite Oscar from Internacional. Oscar, who will cost £25m, is described as "a wonderkid", if only because pretty much all kids in Brazil are wonderkids, where failure to attain wonderkid status by at least the age of 17 is often seen as a source of shame among Brazil's current 30 million- strong wonderkid population, many of whom can be seen thronging the streets of Brazil's main cities performing endless skinny-legged showboating keepie-uppies in the main shopping boulevards, occasionally being moved on by special squads of police officers. Oscar scored a hat-trick in the Under-20 World Cup final and has been "watched" by Real Madrid and Barcelona. He plays in the "false wonderkid" position, behind the false nine, close to the false 10 and false 11, and no doubt spends a lot of his time jinking about looking swankily potent in confusing positions that don't correspond to simple Anglo-Saxon terms like "centre-forward" and "right winger". Chelsea are also after Porto's Hulk. Also in the Mail, Manchester United still want to spend £30m on the 19-year-old midfield wonderkid Lucas Moura of São Paolo. "When I go on the internet I see Inter, Real Madrid and I don't know who else, wanting to come for me with a truck load of money," Moura said on Monday, believing everything he reads in hastily cobbled internet football rumour sites. West Ham are all set to sign the Sochaux striker Modibo Maïga for £4.5m as part of a sensational triple-swoop also involving Porto's Abdoulaye Ba and, for reasons that remain unclear, superannuated defensive flutterer William Gallas. Sunderland have been told they will have to pay Wolves £15m if they want Steven Fletcher, who scored 22 goals in two seasons in a team that was relegated, and who is apparently still only 25 despite managing to cultivate the ravaged and soulfully lived-in appearance of a taciturn middle-aged divorcee ex- boyband member with a story to tell. Also in the Mail, Arsène Wenger has decided the root of Arsenal's problems is the basic lack of skinny-legged French teenagers. Luckily help is at hand: the Caen striker M'baye Niang, 17, is currently on trial at the Emirates. According to the Daily Mirror Real Madrid are after Liverpool defensive doodle Daniel Agger , who is described as "a shock target", which seems a little harsh. And Manchester City goal-lamppost Edin Dzeko could be on his way to Milan for £20m. Bayern Munich are also keen. In the Sun City are continuing to gyrate seductively in front of Robin van Persie, whirling their hair extensions wildly while rotating their hot-panted hind quarters at high speeds and promising vaguely to sell Emmanuel Adebayor to Tottenham for £5m in order to seal the deal. Spurs will pay Adebayor something close to £170,000 a week. Van Persie is little more likely to join City in the absence of the head- stamping hitman, with whom he is currently no-speaks. The Roma goal-hanger Fabio Borini is "back on Brendan Rodger's radar". Borini had disappeared from the Rodgers radar after signing for Roma from Parma, but is now once again beeping and flashing despite signing a four-year contract two weeks ago. No. The Mill doesn't get it either. Rodgers is also in a smouldering funk over Fulham's goal-strike kicker Clint Dempsey, who could be on his way for an incredible £17m. José Mourinho has taken a series of flattering photographs of Ricardo Carvalho, painted his wheels black, sprayed him with air freshener and is currently revving him up outside White Hart Lane in the hope of convincing André Villas-Boas he'll make a good part exchange for Luka Modric. No don't worry about that knocking noise, it's nothing. Carvalho, 43, was at Porto with Villas-boas. Spurs want £35m and – apparently – a very old defender who will play three games, get injured, sit behind the goalkeeping coach on the bench looking glazed for eight months and then go and play with Nicolas Anelka in China. Arsenal and Chelsea are "hovering" after Steven Nzonzi failed to turn up at Blackburn's training camp in Austria. Both clubs also hovered a bit last season. Nzonzi would cost £5m. Arsène Wenger, when he's not levitating outside a Cul de Sac of new-build executive homes, the folds of his quilted blue sports coat flapping as he barks Nzonzi-friendly platitudes through a megaphone, is also "tracking" the 21-year-old Egyptian left-back Milo. Milo plays for Haras El Hodood and is also wanted by Lyon, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. Meanwhile Stoke are after the Houston Dynamos defender Geoff Cameron. "Personal terms are unlikely to be a problem with Cameron as he is on less than £3,000 a week in the States," The Sun notes. Help Geoff. Help Geoff now by sending what you can. Tweet Email Didier Drogba 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Last 24 hours John Terry case: football, racism and a four-letter word Football transfer rumours: Wonderkid Oscar to join Chelsea? John Terry racial abuse case should be thrown out, court told Emmanuel Adebayor close to signing permanent deal at Tottenham Hotspur John Terry case: racist abuse or sarcastic banter? 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Plus: all the latest trends in money management for Brits who live abroad or own overseas properties, and your chance to win a £25 M&S voucher. In association with HiFX guardian jobs Find the latest jobs in your sector: Search Keep up to date with the latest football tittle-tattle with guardian.co.uk’s round-up of the day’s gossip Previous: 9 Jul 2012: Football transfer rumours: Andy Carroll to Milan? More from Rumour Mill Rumour Mill index Sport Football Transfer window · Chelsea · Manchester City · Manchester United · Arsenal · Tottenham Hotspur · West Ham United · Liverpool · Real Madrid · Blackburn Rovers · Barcelona Harlequin ladybird Football transfer rumours: Freddy Shepherd to buy back Newcastle? 30 Jun 2009 Clear out at Spurs | Roy Keane to raid Sunderland | Martin O'Neill to dip into transfer kitty 14 Jan 2009 Wednesday's football transfer rumours: Kaka to Manchester City for £175m? 7 Jul 2009 Football transfer rumours: Craig Bellamy to Tottenham? 12 Jan 2010 Football transfer rumours: Joe Cole to Sunderland? 1 Sep 2009 Summer transfer window: all the Premier League ins and outs England captain John Terry Football transfer rumours: John Terry or Carles Puyol to Manchester City? 6 Jul 2009 Barton to Birmingham? | Viduka considering offers? | Berg to Tottenham or Aston Villa? | Yaya Touré to Manchester United? Related information Champions League European football Football League Transfer rumours License/buy our content | Privacy policy | Terms & conditions | Advertising guide | Accessibility | A-Z index | Inside the Guardian blog | About us | Work for us | Join our dating site today © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. Sign into the Guardian using your Facebook account Series: Rumour Mill Previous | Index Football transfer rumours: Wonderkid Oscar to join Chelsea? Today's rumours have more potential than Freddy Adu Email Tweet 91 Share 37 Barney Ronay Barney Ronay guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 10 July 2012 09.18 BST

DYING SUICIDE BOMBER:We're Doing God's Work

A suicide bomber who was blown off with an explosive device he was carrying on Tuesday said on his deathbed that the group was doing “God’s work” and would not stop. The suspected suicide bomber however died in the hospital on Wednesday, police in Bauchi said. The police said the suspected suicide bomber died at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, where he was receiving treatment after the bomb he was carrying exploded. They said the suspect was taken to the hospital by the Police, following injuries he sustained from the blast. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Idris Abubakar, said the suicide bomber died in the hospital, where he was receiving treatment. He said, “On June 19, at about 5.05pm, an anonymous caller informed the Divisional Police Officer, Township, Bauchi, that there was an explosion opposite ANPP Secretariat along Gombe road, Bauchi. “The police went to the scene and on arrival, a young man was found at the scene seriously injured. “Upon search by the police bomb experts, it was discovered that the unidentified man was hit by an improvised explosive device he was carrying. “We recovered one revolver pistol and five rounds of life ammunition on him.’’ The statement added, “The bomber was rushed to the ATBUTH but died in the course of treatment. “Before his death, the suicide bomber confirmed that he was member of Boko Haram Islamic sect.’’ On Tuesday, the suicide bomber had travelled by public transport for more than 393 km with the device from Yola, Adamawa State. He was said to have concealed the bomb in his backpack. The bomber was unfortunate when he carelessly dropped the bag on the floor to urinate in a corner. The device subsequently detonated, dismembering his lower limb and fingers. Shortly after the incident, while conscious and in pains, the bomber told onlookers – including police officers who had come to arrest him – that he was part of a larger cell of the terrorist Boko Haram sect who are infiltrating the city to carry out an assignment in “God’s name.” He said his colleagues were on their way to the city from other towns.

TU FACE, MI Others To Tour N.America

The United Sounds of Africa (USA) would kick off their first ever North American tour with Tuface, M.I, J.Martins. Organised by Interglobe Entertainment Group (IEG) and Live Nation, the tour would get together new and existing partners to create music and cultural connections with their individual brands in the context of a global music agenda. "United Sounds of Africa presents a perfect platform to connect with fans of the beautiful music coming out of Africa and taking the world by storm. I am excited and it is going to be a lot of fun," Tuface said. IEG is a global leader in media and entertainment, while Live Nation Entertainment is the world's leading live entertainment and eCommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. "I am proud to be joining Tuface and everyone on stage as a part of this very first United Sounds of Africa tour. I think American audiences will be blown away by the talent and diversity onstage and by how much the African music scene has to offer. These will be amazing shows," M.I. said. The tour which kicks off on August 1 in Houston, Texas, has Timi Dakolo, J. Martins, Iyanya, and Brymo as artistes to perform. IEG created the USA project to bring the best African music vocalists /artistes /composers together for a series of live performances uniting Africa's diverse musical cultures. In addition, the USA tour will connect current African artistes with those of the diaspora, continuing the legacy of such globally successful, African- born artists as Akon, Sade, and K'naan. "This will be an open platform for any audience that relates to a musical exchange and collaboration from one continent to the other. This tour presents Live Nation with the unique opportunity of introducing some of Africa's top musical talent to crowds across the country," Jay Belin of Live Nation said. CEO Efe Omorogbe of Now Muzik, said, "We at Now Muzik are very proud to partner with Interglobe Entertainment Group and Live Nation on the U.S.A platform. We look forward to a thrilling experience on this tour and more importantly, we hope that the platform delivers for our artists, Tuface, Timi and J. Martins, along with many other exceptional African talents, the much-needed in- road into the mainstream American circuit."

3MB CLOSURE; LAGOSIANS TURN TO THE RAIL AND WATERWAYS

The railways and water ways in Lagos have witnessed increased traffic as commuters take to these alternative means of transportation following the traffic snarls that have occurred as a result of the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for repairs. At various ferry and railway terminals in the state, the trains and boats were filled to the brim as early as 5am as Lagos residents moved to their respective places of work and business. The Ijoko and Agbado terminals of the Mass Transit Train Service (MTTS) of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), which usually cater to hundreds of passengers per day, were overwhelmed by the increased traffic. NRC operates six shuttles in the morning and six in the evening, with each shuttle being filled to capacity by passengers. The already congested coaches groaned at their seams as more passengers struggled to sit on the roofs cling to the sides of the coaches. Following this development, some of the commuters urged the management of the NRC to provide more locomotives and coaches especially during the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge. Olayemi Animashun, a civil servant, said that the train service had been turned to a dangerous venture as more passengers now risk their lives hanging to whatever they could hold all through the trip. “The NRC management should come to the commuters’ aid before lives are lost,” he said.

IS HE REALLY NIGERIAN?

The Deputy Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Bello Majenwaiyya (PDP-Charanchi), has resigned his position. Majenwaiyya gave no reason for his decision. However, sources said the lawmaker had aroused the ire of his colleagues who subsequently advised him to resign honourably or be impeached. The assembly, on Tuesday, accepted Majenwaiyya’s resignation. Sale Magaji (PDP- Sandamu) nominated Idris Yakubu (PDP-Jibia) as the new Deputy Speaker. His nomination was seconded by Halliru Atiku (PDP-Bakori). Danlami Kurfi (PDP-Kurfi) said that they wanted to make changes in the House for administrative convenience and had no intention of impeaching the speaker. The lawmakers had earlier removed the Majority Leader, Shuaibu Tandama (PDP-Danja), as well as the Chief Whip, Bala Yaya (PDP-Ingawa).

WORDS OF WISDOM

*Offloading Your Emotional Baggage: Everyone has a certain amount of emotional baggage they carry with them everywhere. We carry the shame for past deeds, judgments towards others, being victimized, being abused, guilt for past mistakes, distorted beliefs about yourself and others, insecurities and body image problems. *We Can Only Change Ourselves: Why would anyone want to bother with all this inner peace stuff? To end the cycle of ups and downs, emotions popping up when you don’t want them too, interactions with others become diplomatic and helpful and you will be able to experience an inner calm and confidence that words can not describe. What you put out, you really get back in life. So if you think and feel negatively towards others, you will think and feel negative about yourself as well. Whenever someone makes a decision as to how they spend their own time or energy, it is their decision to make, so don’t go sticking your nose in where it isn’t wanted and don’t think it is all about you. *Self Acceptance: Consider taking the time to write a list of the things you fear most in life. Then seriously consider ways you can work towards confronting and overcoming those fears. You should add to your list as you become more self aware, because you will have more realizations as to who you are and what you can work on overcoming.

FROM CARETAKER MANAGER TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNER; ROBERTO DI-MATTEO

He tried the Tinkerman, the Special One, the director of football, the World Cup winner, the European Cup winner, the Champions League specialist, and the young upstart – but, in the end, it took the caretaker to win Europe’s biggest prize for Roman Abramovich. All of the Chelsea owner’s investment in the club has been with a view to lifting the famous trophy – and it has cost him a great deal – but in Roberto Di Matteo he found almost by accident the man to do it. Around £13 million had been spent on bringing Andre Villas-Boas to Stamford Bridge last summer and Saturday’s scenes were no doubt the ones that Abramovich had in mind when he appointed the Portuguese, but he wasn’t prepared to let things get worse before they got better and the costly manager had to become an even more expensive ex-manager. Di Matteo, former MK Dons boss and sacked by West Brom before becoming Villas-Boas’ assistant, came in to steady the ship, to hold the fort until the summer when a ‘proper’ coach could be found

YEKINI: Anonther Unsung Hero

DEBATES will continue about the treatment of our heroes following the death of Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s iconic footballer and scorer of Nigeria’s first World Cup goal in 1994. The circumstances of his death and the panegyrics that have been pouring since then are typically Nigerian. We shun heroes. We fail to appreciate the consequences of the likes of Yekini dying as destitute from treatable medical conditions. The hypocrisy of lamenting Yekini’s end when millions of Nigerian pensioners, heroes in their own right, die in abject poverty because people have stolen their dues, is evident. Born in Kaduna, he began his career with United Nigerian Textile Limited, UNTL. He played in Cote d’ Ivoire, Portugal, where he became the third African to win the league’s highest goal scorer after the legend Eusebio, and fellow Nigeria Richard Owubokiri. He also played in Greece, Spain, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. “Yekini used to pay surprise visits to fans at their homes even at nights and ate with the poor ,” Serge Kouame, a 56-year-old secondary school teacher said in Abidjan where Yekini played for African Sports 19 years ago. “ I can still see his goals in my spirit. No other player has been so close and so good to us .” He is mostly remembered for his celebration after scoring Nigeria’s first-ever World Cup goal against Bulgaria. Incidentally it was his only World Cup goal though he played in other matches including the 1998 World Cup. Yekini used a Finidi George cross to score the first ever goal for Nigeria at the World Cup, but more striking was the celebration he brought to it, grabbing the net, and shaking it, while screaming. Nothing could have captured the exhilaration better. In 1993, he became the first Nigerian to win the African Player of the Year award. A year after he helped Nigeria to win the Africa Cup of Nations and was also the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, becoming the only player to have won the title as a reigning African Player of the Year ever since. Yekini scored 37 international goals for Nigeria in 58 appearances and also played in the Nations Cup in 1988, 1990, 1992. He scored Nigeria’s only goal in the 3-1 loss to Yugoslavia at the 1988 Olympics. CAF President and FIFA Vice-president Issa Hayatou’s tribute stated, “ I remember him well – he was a solid attacker. It was so difficult to take the ball from him .” A country that remarkably maltreats its people cannot bother about them, whether they are kings or commoners. Yekini’s death is another call for us to care for our people instead of wasting words when they die.

CAPITAL MARKET PROBE

Capital market probe: NSE faults Okereke-Onyuike’s claims However, SEC in a swift reaction said “a number of claims made by the removed Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in today’s proceedings at the Public Hearing were false and deserve quick refutation and rebuttal so that the investing and general publics as well as the public records do not retain such falsification. On the May 20, 2011 judgment of Justice Idris Mohammed of a Lagos High Court, Onyiuke claimed that the SEC only appealed the award of N500m to Okereke – Onyiuke in damages. “This is entirely false because the appeal filed by the SEC was against the judgment. The appeal challenged both the substantive judgment, as well as the award of N500million which was not sought for by Okereke – Onyiuke. Given the fact of this appeal therefore, her claim to being the DG of the NSE is clearly false “She also claimed that the SEC and CBN approved what she called the “Offer Prospectus” for “Private Placements” which have remained unlisted on the NSE. This again is entirely incorrect. At no time did the SEC ever approve offer documents for vendors of private placements. We decry this recourse to deliberate falsification of facts by Okere – Onyiuke under oath. We invite her to deposit proof of this fabrication in the public domain. As a matter of fact, the SEC had placed a number of “buyer beware” advertorials in key national daily newspapers, advising the investing public that private placements were beyond the regulatory purview of the SEC. The point she deliberately refused to make is that Public companies also make private placements for which the SEC must approve as opposed to private placements by private companies. “This deliberate lie was consciously fabricated by Okereke – Onyiuke to hoodwink the general public to the wrong conclusion that the SEC Nigeria was negligent in discharging its regulatory functions in the capital markets. She also sensationally claimed that the SEC was not performing its market development responsibility. Nothing can be farther from the truth. The sub-committee system which has been revitalized by the SEC is a market – wide development initiative which is intended to confront areas of deficiency in the market. The recent investor outreaches in Sokoto, Port Harcourt and Kano, as well as ongoing capital market awareness programmes in secondary schools and universities, and market wide capacity building in collaboration with sister regulatory agencies and multilateral financial institutions, are instances of market development effort undertaken by the SEC. “On the NSE’s trading platform, all her claims were false. It is within the forte of the NSE to offer a detailed refutation of these. What is material for us, from a regulatory point of view, is that appropriate machinery has been set in motion to overcome the challenges posed by the platform bequeathed by Okereke– Onyiuke through wholesale replacement. Contrary to the misinformation offered by her, the platform has a lifespan which lapsed in December 2011. It is not a renewable or upgradable technology like she claimed. “But more significantly, Okereke – Onyiuke, before her removal, had initiated the process of acquiring a loan of $20 million from African Export – Import Bank, AFREXIM Bank for replacing the NSE trading platform. This is the same platform that the current leadership of the NSE has concluded arrangements to procure from the same supplier at $10 million ! “On succession planning, Okereke – Onyiuke claimed that she had a succession plan in place. Contrary to this, it is common knowledge that she kept vacillating on succession and delaying her exit despite having spent 10 years in office as Director General and 26 years in the employment of the NSE in senior managerial cadre. The SEC intervention was the only way to cut short her reluctance. It was the only way t put paid to the regime of unaccountability and financial recklessness which she had instituted to the point that the exchange was on the verge of bankrup

MAN ALLEGEDLY AXED WIFE TO DEATH

I was under a spell, says 69- yr-old man who allegedly axed wife to death By ALBERT AKPOR Ordinarily, his frail look will readily counter the offense for which he is being held. But he is stronger and even much younger in speech, albeit his age. Pa Mathew Agbe is 69 and a security guard with the National Museum Benin city, the Edo state capital. Sadly, he may be confined in prison custody for the remaining part of his life, for a first degree murder except the court says otherwise. Pa Mathew is being held by homicide detectives at the Edo state Police command for allegedly axing his wife of 42 years to death. Although the Edo state born father of one said he could not actually say what came over him that ill- fated day, leading to grabbing an ax which he ended up using on his loving wife, Alice. But he was able to trace the beginning of the strained relationship between him and Alice, a woman he married in 1970, to the period he was bestowed with the title of Odionwere which in Bini language means, head of his community in security matters. He said his late wife had mistaken the title for one that should be accompanied by cash reward and therefore, made ceaseless demands for money.

BROADBAND;Key to Rapid GDP Growth

By Prince Osuagwu Considering that voice telephony has just become a basic service in many countries of the world today, while data transmission defines for them the speed which businesses are conducted in the new world order, Accenture, gathered technology experts and other industry stakeholders last week, in Lagos, to brainstorm on possible ways of promoting and sustaining broadband availability in Nigeria. Johnson, Juwah on broadband Interestingly, Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson chaired the parley while the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah also made a powerful presentation on the way forward. The event seemed to have revolved around these two, considering that the institutions they head are key to the success or otherwise of the country’s broadband penetration efforts. While the ministry is expected to formulate and implement right policies to ensure growth, NCC is expected to sustain growth through focused regulation. In her opening address, Mrs Johnson noted that on weekly basis, every event that holds in Nigeria, must have one segment or the other, where broadband access is discussed. For her, that is a strong point to begin to take the issue more seriously than before. This is more so, as she observed that some countries of the world have gone as far as defining access to broadband as a fundamental human right, just as access to water, electricity and healthcare. Broadband for wealth From every indication Johnson believes that for developing countries, declaring broadband a fundermental human right is the way to go. She said: “There are compelling and empirical statistics that tell us that every 10 percent increase in access to broadband in developing countries, results in a commensurate 1.38 percent increase in GDP. Therefore any country seeking growth, job and wealth creation, must address their minds to how it can increase access to broadband.” However, there seems to be a sore point in Nigeria’s position to all these advantages that broadband access can bring about. This also seems to be giving the minister some sort of migraine. Her voice while highlighting the point, betrayed an urgent willingness to turn things around before her country plays the catch-up, forever. “Despite the fact that we have internet penetration of about 28 percent which translates to about 45 million internet users, only nine per cent which is about 14.5 million people of the population are actually internet subscribers and broadband penetration is at a mere six percent. “Although access through mobile broadband increases tremendously, that statistics only tell us that most Nigerians still access through public venues like cyber cafes and computer labs. This is not only for lack of broadband ubiquity but also the cost of access. Today, we have one of the highest costs of access in the world at approximately N8,000 to N10.000 for 5Mbs of data. This is even when the average speed of access is still low and in fact lowest in Africa,” she lamented.

NOA LAUNCHES TRANSFORM NIGERIA CAMPAIGN

By Emeka Mamah The campaign by the National Orientation Agency, NOA, seeking the participation of Nigerians in all the sectors of the economy in the development of the nation was launched simultaneously in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, yesterday, with thousands of Nigerians joining the road shows. The campaign and logo for the Do the Right Thing: Transform Nigeria, campaign was launched Monday night by President Goodluck Jonathan and seeks the participation of all Nigerians as part of national transformation. According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to NOA, Mr. Paul Odenyi, the Director-General of the agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, led headquarters’ staff around the FCT in a carnival which was attended by several musical groups and movie artists to draw attention to the new campaign. Odenyi said those who attended included St Obi, representatives of other government organisations, market women, security organisations like the Civil Defence and road safety agencies, motorcycle and commercial vehicle drivers, among others. NOA said the Do the Right Thing charge was intended to create consciousness in Nigerians to do what is right at all times and under all circumstances in order to transform the country.

GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY;SEASON AFTER NEXT,MAYBE?

The goal-line technology debate was re-ignited when Chelsea were awarded their second goal in a 5-1 FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham. Chelsea were 1-0 ahead when referee Martin Atkinson ruled that Juan Mata’s shot had crossed the line despite Spurs’ players insisting the ball had been blocked by Ledley King and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Replays confirmed Mata’s shot had not gone in. Goal line technology has moved closer to implementation after the latest tests were considered by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). Under the chairmanship of The Football Association Chairman David Bernstein, IFAB — which sees the four home nations and FIFA come together to discuss the Laws of the Game – convened for its Annual General Meeting at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey. The IFAB received a general evaluation of eight available systems by EMPA — the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. The first phase of GLT testing was conducted between November and December 2011. Of the eight companies, two companies, Hawk-Eye and GoalRef – following the set criteria and recommendation by EMPA – were approved by the IFAB to take part in the second phase of testing. Hawk-Eye’s system uses optical recognition with cameras, whilst GoalRef utilises a magnetic field with a special ball to identify a goal situation. The second test phase — to take place between March and June 2012 — will rigorously assess the reliability and accuracy of each system, as well as how robust the technology is. Following the conclusion of Test Phase 2, should one or more companies fulfil the criteria, a Special Meeting of the IFAB in Kiev on 2 July 2012 will decide on a definitive approval of GLT. The wearing of headscarves by female players will also be discussed for final endorsement on 2 July after a presentation was made in the meeting. The IFAB agreed to the proposal in principle that headscarves be allowed, pending an accelerated review of health and safety issues. Alex Horne, The FA General Secretary, said: “It was a fantastic meeting. It was good to see colleagues from member associations and FIFA. We had a good debate about a number of things, in particular goalline technology. “We got absolute clarity from everybody that we are going to implement it when the technology is ready – so that is coming. There is quite a lot to think about for us in terms of how quickly we can implement it. “We also had a really positive conversation about headscarves and we received a strong presentation. We have approved that with one caveat; that we have to make sure it is safe.” In relation to the proposed amendments to the Laws of the Game, approval was granted by the IFAB to amend Law 1 (The Field of Play, Commercial Advertising), clearly defining the location of upright advertising. Approval was also granted to The FA’s proposal regarding modifications to the number of substitutions allowed in amateur football. An option was offered to all four British Associations to carry out a two-year experiment. The IFAB also approved an amendment to Law 4 (The Players’ Equipment) and to Law 8 (The Start and Restart of Play). Law 8 now clearly defines the action that should be taken by match officials, should the ball be kicked directly into the goal from an ‘uncontested’ dropped ball. FIFA agreed to withdraw the proposed amendment to Law 3 (The Numbers of Players) in relation to a fourth substitution being used during extra time, and the proposal regarding Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct) concerning the so-called ‘Triple Punishment’ will be reviewed further. In other matters, the IFAB received a presentation on the Additional Assistant Referees (AAR) experiment. Experiments are ongoing in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, as well as competitions in Brazil, Morocco and Qatar. A final report will be made at the Special Meeting of the IFAB on 2 July, following the conclusion of the UEFA EURO 2012 competition, in order that a definitive decision on the future of AAR can also be made. The decisions concerning the Laws of the Game taken on Saturday by the IFAB will come into effect — taking into consideration UEFA EURO 2012 – on 1 June 2012. The 127th Annual General Meeting will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland on 1-3 March 2013. 0diggs digg

UP THERE WITH THE BEST

To be honest I am still reeling from that performance on Sunday evening. Considering the state of play a couple of months ago I cannot believe anyone, not even the most ardent Blue, could have believed Chelsea would go on such a fantastic run culminating in such a devastating demolition of Spurs. First of all it was a superb spectacle with chances at both ends as well as excitement and controversy from start to finish. I must admit I expected a tiredness to overcome some of the Chelsea players as the game wore on, in contrast however they simply grew in confidence, stature and belief while the legs seemed powered by an ever-increasing invisible force. If Frank Lampard is really getting past it, then how can he still get from box to box throughout leaving enough energy to blast an unstoppable free kick past Carlo Cudicini? What about Didier Drogba as well? That was a performance to rival just about any of his best throughout his career. I have mentioned before on this page that big players keep big performances for big games and that was certainly the case here. It helped the big man that Juan Mata also had by far his best game so far in a Chelsea shirt. He routinely carved open the Spurs defence that in the end looked dazed and confused by his vision and skill. Then there was Ramires who suddenly rediscovered all the pace and energy that was the hallmark of his best performances for the Blues. Going forward he was immense and his goal from a typically unstoppable gallop forward was truly fitting. More than that, his cover play against the running machine that is Gareth Bale matched the offensive work. The more I thought about it, it wasn't just the best display this season by the team, but for large parts it was up there with the very best performances from the team for many years. One of the things you need in sport is timing and boy are Chelsea timing their late run fantastically well…so far. The slight worry is just how long this can be kept up. With David Luiz injured then carried off and a few other niggles creeping in, you just hope that it can last in what is an extraordinarily important and busy period.In plain terms, even with the fine run, Barcelona were probably not hugely worried before the weekend. Now however they will be totally focused knowing there is the possibility that they will be pushed all the way by a Chelsea team that has a point to prove and the odd wrong still to right. Right now the overriding question on every Chelsea fan's mind is how we manage to overcome Barcelona over two legs. Here is the easy bit; we have to have something from the first leg to build on at the Nou Camp. How to do that is a bit trickier. Every player is going to have to be at his best not only physically, but crucially mentally too, for the second time in just a few days. More than any other team in the world, maybe even any team in history, if you switch off for a second or leave a gap anywhere, they will find it and punish it. If the players involved will all have to play at the top of their games, it is just as vital that Roberto Di Matteo does exactly the same. Many hours and indeed days, not to mention nights, will have been spent deciding on who to play and what system to adopt. Do we change to stifle Messi, Xavi and Iniesta or do we try to overpower them with our own strengths? Before the weekend there may have been one plan, after Wembley the confidence may be there to be more aggressively positive. Even Real Madrid in last season's semi-final adapted to Barça. Jose Mourinho himself with all the talent at his disposal didn't fancy taking them on in an open game of football, he went for four defenders and three sitting midfielders in front of the back line to squeeze the area Barcelona prefer to attack through, specifically the area in front of the 'D' of the 18-yard line. It nearly worked, but only nearly. It was ugly, it was anti football if you like but it was also almost effective. Will Robbie be tempted to try a similar tactic? It is a thought, but only one of many. What about up front, we will almost certainly need a goal at least in the first leg? Well after Didier's powerhouse display and strike against Spurs can you leave him out? There must be a consideration of playing him up top and sending Fernando Torres down the right wing, I am sure Carlos Puyol would not enjoy the pace or vitality of Nando running at him, but then that may prove a block to Ramires' marauding runs. There has to be enormous energy throughout and in the first half against Spurs it showed exactly what is needed from the likes of Lampard and Ramires, who doubtless will be the first names on the team sheet. Like at Wembley a bit of luck is probably going to be needed as well, luck and brilliant defending. The luck was there when Spurs hit the post from a cross and the referee had a 'Liverpool' moment when the ball didn't cross the line and there was great defending when JT cleared off the line at the same end. The fact that he and other Chelsea defenders do that fairly regularly underlines it isn't luck but knowledge of what to do and where to go when your keeper is exposed. For all the talk, and consideration about this tie, strangely I don't find this period to be the most stressful. That is probably because in many ways it is so unexpected. Maybe the players are feeling that as well and as such it is freeing them up to produce their best. Most people feel that Barcelona are still huge favourites and the positive side of this is that all the expectation is on them, not always the best situation to find yourself in. I just hope that the team can give another magnificient display against barca. Pat Nevin(Chelseafc columnist)

WAS BJORN KUIPERS RIGHT TO HAVE AWARDED BARCELONA THE SECOND PENALTY AGAINST MILAN?

Bjorn Kuipers,the referee at the centre of action between Barcelona and Milan awarded a controversial spotkick for an action that is rarely penalised. During the course of the match,Barcelona were awarded two penalties,the first one which is acceptable but the second one is what i termed a ludicrous decision. Though Allesandra Nesta was pulling Sergio Busquet's shirt as the corner was being delivered but the contact no where near the ball,and it can be safely assumed that Busquet never had a chance of impacting the play. Carles Puyol was also infringing on Nesta which could have easily resulted into a foul against the Barcelona man,only Kuipers can explain the basis behind all of his calls in the encounter. Zlantan Ibrahimovic said in his post-match interview"The game is not about the man in green.Its a disgrace!.I couldn't believe he called a penalty when the ball wasn't in play.It seems like UEFA wants a certain two teams in the champions league final.Now i understand how Jose Mourinho fells everytime he comes to Camp Nou".The referee decision has casted a shadow upon the biggest game of this quaterfinal round. And finally and most notably,shirt pulling is an offence that is punishable with a foul but based on the precedent of thousands upon thousands of cornerkicks delivered this campaign in which no penalty was given,Milan and their fans can definately say that they were robbed.Barcelona also had their share at the sansiro but that does not justifies referee Bjorn Kuiper's decision. My question,is UEFA really giving Barcelona unfair advantage or the referee was simply poor?.Milan and their fans should accept the outcome as did chelsea,arsenal and madrid all accepted during their time.

GEJ ADMINISTRATION:THE GOOD,THE BAD AND THE UGLY(CONTD)

Corruption in the last two years is increasing geometrically due to GEJ uninhibited attitude to corruption because of trying not to step on toes.The late British satricist,Doug Larson said "the reason people blame things on the previous generations is that their is only one other choice".The Nigerian government has made its only choice in tackling corruption is to blaminfg it on the prevoius administrations.The nations anti-corruption commission has being turned into political hunt dog. Lastly,in the education sector it has being bussiness as usual.The recently releasef NECO result shows no improvement,it even got worse. The FG has taken the administration of tertiary schools with levty making it difficult for these institutions to produce world class graduates. The foundation of the Nigerian education sector is derisory. From the primary level through the university level is an eye sore. THE UGLY:What else will take this part other than state of security of the nation.It has being this administration greatest challenge and they have failed woefully. One of my friend recently told me that the fear of BokoHaram is the beginnning of failure,this admininstration is afraid of the radical islamic sect.In the eastern part of the nation,kidnapping his the order of the day. My prayer is that the administration will get it right soon. Opeoluwa from UNAAB

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AFTERMATH OF PARTIAL REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY

Today should have marked the total removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) but the Federal Government decided to put the cart before the horse. On the first day of the year(2012),the F.G in its wisdom decided to inflict unnecessary pains on its citizens by implementing the total removal of subsidy on PMS but later reversed the decision due to pressure from civil organisations,Nigerians in general and the national strike embarked upon by the labour unions. It should still be fresh in our minds that the presidency unilatterally decided to increase the price of fuel from the previous #65 per litre which i found to be frivolous and unacceptable in an oil producing nation to #141per litre in the name of removing subsidy citing that some 'CABALS' have hijacked the funds being used to subsidize PMS.January 10 2011,President Goodluck Jonathan also announced that the F.G has decided to reduce the price of PMS from #141 to #97per litre,a decision the labour unions claimed it was unilatterally reached by the presidency. Three months into this national issue,Nigerians are still where they were since the price of PMS was inncreased,their living condition haven't improved,the questions that were raised during the strike and protest in January are still there unattended to,fuel subsidy still exist cum making the cabals richer. Palliatives that were promised are still being expected,refineries and capital projects are still where they was in january,probe panel that was inaugurated on the floor of the national assembly is still postponing the submission of its report. The question that has being on my mind since the strike was controversially suspended is that does subsidy really exist?.Did the FG actually removed subsidy or it only increased the price of PMS?. When will project SEEDS and SURE become a reality or will it end up being like other projects e.g.MDG and VISION 2010 cum VISION 202020?. OPEOLUWA from UNAAB.

GEJ ADMINISTRATION; The Good,The Bad and The Ugly (pt1)

For three frightening years,Nigeria lost over one million of its citizens in bloody civil war which rrupted almost 40years ago.The aftermath of the Biafran war fortunately brought about peace and reconciliation,without totally solving the underlying of the conflict.The millitary junta Nigeria witnessed has not only poisoned the well of optimism diligently dredged up by our fore-fathers but has also regrettably inhibited the evolution of our young democracy Twelve more years into our democracy,nigeria has moved into a fragile stage. To be more precise and brief,i will be taking into account the the event of the last two years of Goodluck Jonathan admininstration(GEJ),which i splitted into the good,bad and ugly. I find it dismally outrageous not being able to write encouraging and soul-lifting about the GEJ administration except for the last genral elections which was adjudged to be the best since the botched 1993general elections although the april election has being villified in some quarters. The Bad:Readers,i will have to summarise this part because of the obvious. Starting from the sports sector,the last two years has been nigeria's worst.All our national teams has either failed to qualify or managed to qualify and then got embarrased.Team nigeria at the last common wealth games and world athletics championships all failed woefully.The football sector has become an eye-sore with nothing tangible to write about othetr than ineptitude administrators.Forvthe first time in my lifetime nigeria failed to qualify for the nations cup. The economy of the nation is going into a red alert stage thanks to GEJ economy team lacklustre management skills.Nigeri's debt profile has risen geometrically over the past two years. The self acclaimed peoples representatives(National Assembly) are not helping matters with their exubberant allowances,A situation where a sebatot takes home a quarter pf a billion annually is suicidal to the economy. (to bE contInuEd nExt-week) Opeoluwa from UNAAB