Brighttell Blog

Ahead of his expected debut for the Super Eagles, Wolverhampton Wanderers of England goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has told News24 that he won’ t be trying to be like first choice goalkeeper and captain, Vincent Enyeama . The 29 -year old was a surprise inclusion to the team for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania , and admitted himself that he was ‘shocked ’ to get that call , but says he ’s enjoying being with the team and won’ t be trying to be like Enyeama on game day, but would rather be himself . “ Obviously I was delighted when the call came from the coach, but I was a bit shocked because I wasn ’t really expecting it and I’ ll just try to do what I do for my club and hopefully it will be good for country as well. “ So far the team has had me settled in well and I’m enjoying being a part of it but I’m not going to try to be Vincent (Enyeama ) , I ’ll just try to be myself. “ Obviously the ...

The Nigeria international had two years left to run on the deal he signed when he moved to Stamford Bridge from Wigan in 2012. And he has now put pen to paper on an extension before heading to West Ham on a season-long loan deal. Moses has spent the last two seasons away from the Premier League champions on loan at Liverpool and Stoke. The 24-year-old's opportunities under Jose Mourinho were set to be further limited this season following the arrival of Pedro from Barcelona. Tottenham and West Brom were also interested in signing Moses but West Ham were always in pole position to land him. Moses becomes the second deadline day arrival at Upton Park with the Hammers having already confirmed the return of Alex Song on loan from Barcelona.

Chelsea Foootball Club manager, Jose Mourinho has had his name entered into the 2016 version of the Guinness Book of Records. He was presented with unique framed certificates marking his achievement at Cobhamrecently. Mourinho’s five managerial records in the latest edition of the famous and prestigious book are as follows: Longest football unbeaten home run by a manager (nine years) Most Champions League titles with different clubs (two) Youngest manager to reach 100 Champions League matches (49 years 12 days) Most points in a Premier League season (95) Most games unbeaten at home in the Premier League (77) Mourinho was pleased to be recognised by such an iconic publication. ‘The fact they gave me the awards in a way that I can put them up in my office is nice,’ he said. ‘ It’s something fun and as a kid you could imagine that one day you would be in the Guinness Book of Records.

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney admitted on Friday that he knows little about new signing Anthony Martial, but backed the French teenager to prove a success at Old Trafford.   United sent shock waves across Europe on Tuesday when they bought 19-year-old Martial from Monaco for a reported initial fee of £36 million ($55.1 million, 49 million euros), which it is thought could rise to £58 million. Martial’s new France and United team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin revealed earlier this week that Rooney had asked him about the teenager and the England captain confessed to being in the dark about the striker. “It’s been well-documented I haven’t seen that much of him play, so I can’t really say too much on him,” Rooney told reporters ahead of England’s Euro 2016 qualifier in San Marino on Saturday. “I obviously saw him last season against Arsenal (in the Champions League), where he had a fantastic game. Hopefully he...

The Lille goalkeeper’s parent has passed away and it is the reason for his opting out of the Nigeria game against the Taifa Stars Vincent Enyeama’s mother has passed away it has emerged, hours after Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh told media that the goalkeeper opted out of the Super Eagles ahead of their trip to Tanzania without an excuse. The 101-capped Enyeama posted a message on his Instagram page on Wednesday afternoon apologizing to Nigeria fans but fell short of stating the reason for his absence. However, it has been learnt that the goalkeeper’s parent died and it was the reason for his painfully written apology on Instagram. “So sorry I won't make it out there to wear this shirt,”Enyeama wrote alongside an artist’s impression of him in a Nigeria jersey. “So sorry that I won't be standing there singing the anthem of my sweetNIGERIA. #WEARENIGERIA. “I wish that this darkness didn't come in daylight. I wish that I could turn back t...

Ahead of the Monday, August 31st deadline for all invited Super Eagles players to report to Bolton white apartment Camp of the Eagles team for the African Cup of Nations qualifier billed to be played at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Europe-based Eagles goal-keeper,   Vincent Enyeama is yet to join the team. According to Patrick Pascal, the team’s Coordinator, Eagles Coach, Sunday Olise expected Enyeama to report to the camp, latest Wednesday morning to which the keeper is yet to fulfil. ‘’All the invited players have already reported at the Bolton White Apartment Camp of the team." Russia- based Ahmed Musa came in [Tuesday] evening.  and even trained.     But the only player we are still expecting is the team captain Vincent Enyeama.”     Pascal told newsmen on Tuesday. He also said that 18 foreign-based professional players were invited by the Eagles Coach while five home based players were also picked to ...

The Chelsea midfielder, 28, has a four-year-old son who was born after he had a  brief  fling with the lad’s mum. He also has a one-year-old daughter by a  woman he met in a  nightclub two years  ago. BABY No1 Sex: Male Age: 4 Mother: Woman Mikel invited to a party and had a brief fling with. Home: £500,000 house in Home Counties he bought for the mother. Upkeep: He gives the mum several thousand pounds a year and a new car every 3 years. BABY No2 Sex: Female Age: 1 Mother: Woman he met in a trendy London nightclub in 2013 and had a short relationship with. Home: Child lives with mother in South of England. Mum is not well off but drives a new car. Upkeep: Mikel provides for the child but is said to want no contact with her. Nigeria international Mikel, whose team were beaten at home by Crystal Palace on  Saturday, is  now  dating Russian  businesswoman   Olga Diyachenko  and  has posted online p...

Jose Mourinho has no plans to spend big in the final few days of the transfer window in a bid to end. champions Chelsea’s early season Premier League malaise.Chelsea’s shock 2-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday left Mourinho’s men a significant eight point behind leaders Manchester city just four games into the current campaign. Those four league matches have now yielded two defeats, including a 3-0 reverse at City, compared to just three losses in the whole of last season’s league programme. Asked whether he would be splashing the cash on Everton’s John Stones and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, two big-money targets both linked to Chelsea, Mourinho said: “I hope not. I don’t like that. “I gave my club the report of the season projection on April 24,” the Chelsea manager explained. “I don’t think it’s now, on the 29th or 30th August to say ‘I want this and that or I want to try this and that’. We have to gel. “The reality is that we have had a bad start,” Portuguese boss...

The Gunners have goalkeeper Peter Cech to thank for escaping another defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Monday, as the former Chelsea’s shot-stopper came up with several breath-taking saves against Liverpool in a game that Arsenal struggled for most of the first half against the Christian Benteke-led attack of the Reds. With four points after three matches, Arsenal needs victory to close the gap between it and Manchester City that has taken early lead with nine points from its 100 per cent result so far. Arsenal fans hold the bragging rights going into today’s clash with the Gunners winning in all six of the last meetings involving both sides in the EPL. And while Arsenal has won six out of its last seven away fixtures, Newcastle has failed to win 13 out of 14 of its last EPL fixtures. Arsenal must, however, be wary of Newcastle’s counter attacks and defending set pieces, two aspects where the Magpies draw their strengths. But the inability to keep possession, wea...

Carneiro's role was downgraded after she and head physio Jon Fearn went on the pitch to treat Eden Hazard in the 2-2 home draw with Swansea on 8 August. The move reduced Chelsea to nine men - goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had already been sent off - and angered Mourinho, who called it "impulsive and naive". Fifa's medical committee will discuss Carneiro at a meeting on 11 September. The committee is expected to make clear its support of team doctors who act in the best interest o f players. Chairman Michel D'Hooghe said: "This is once again an example of the difficult situation of the team doctor. "I want to discuss this with my colleagues and to see if we need to give a declaration from the medical side to help team doctors."   Mourinho was criticised for his comments about the medical team after  the game at Stamford Bridge but refused to back down.

Lionel Messi has been voted #UEFA BestPlayer in Europe for the year 2014/2015 Lionel  Messi was Thursday voted UEFA‘s best player in Europe for 2014-2015  ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez. The Argentina star, who won the Champions League, Spain’s. La Liga and Spanish Cup with Barcelona, claimed the award for the second time. He also won in 2010-2011 and succeeds Real Madrid rival Ronaldo who won last year.

New Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh said he omitted Mikel from his first squad because the player was uncontactable. However, Shittu told BBC Sport: “Mikel will never turn his back on Nigeria. “He loves playing for his country and this is just a miscommunication between coach and player.” On Thursday, Oliseh explained to local media in Abuja why Mikel was not part of his plans for next month’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Tanzania . “I was in England early this month and I put a call through to Mikel. I called him four times, the phone kept ringing. I sent him a text message, I got no response,” Oliseh revealed. “I called his Chelsea team-mate and compatriot [Victor] Moses and we met after the Community Shield. “I didn’t hear from Mikel to acknowledge my calls or text until I travelled back home [on 6August]. “But after our training [on 19 August]I saw a missed call [from Mikel]on my phone so at the moment I real...

Mario Balotelli was a pet project for Brendan Rodgers but even he had to admit defeat, writes Adam Bate.. Plenty of people scoffed at the thought of David Beckham studies being a university module, but working out what makes Mario Balotelli tick really could be something worth investigating. And yet, Jamie Carragher is just one of those wondering why anyone would bother. "Where's the quality? Where's the evidence of the quality? I must be blind," Carragher told Monday Night Football while discussing Balotelli's imminent loan move to AC Milan.

Everton's John Stones has handed in a transfer request following Chelsea's repeated attempts to buy the defender The Premier League champions have had bids of £20m and £26m rejected for the 21-year-old England international, with a further £30m attempt also reported. Everton manager Roberto Martinez has repeatedly said Stones will not be sold this summer and the club have not responded to the latest development. The centre-back moved from Barnsley to Everton in February 2013 for about £3m. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who substituted John Terry during their 3-0 loss at Manchester City and saw his skipper sent off against West Brom last Sunday, wants to strengthen in central defence. Stones is expected to be in the England squad for next month's Euro 2016 qualifiers against San Marino and Switzerland when it is named on Sunday evening. Chelsea's first game following the international break is a trip to Goodison Park on 12 September.

African Football Confederation (CAF) General Coordinator, Paul Bassey, has appealed to Nigerians to support the current reforms embarked by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick. A statement released by the NFF on Sunday said the reforms had so far recorded “remarkable’’ successes. It said that Bassey, a FIFA Match Commissioner spoke against the backdrop of improved reckoning of the country by the world football community as well over credible steps the board taken so far. “We must begin to assess the impact of the new NFF administration in real terms. “I am of the firm opinion that the recent appointment of Pinnick as Member of Organising Committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup is the latest acknowledgement by world football. “That the new NFF is projecting Nigeria football very well internationally. “I look at the reforms being embarked upon by the Pinnick and I see the need for Government and every Nigerian ...

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said his team's first Premier League win of the season would disappoint those who "love" to see the champions lose. The Blues had skipper John Terry sent off in a 3-2 win at West Brom. But Pedro scored on his Chelsea debut after a £21m move from Barcelona. "I prefer to have no views and try to keep quiet," Mourinho said of Terry's red card. "Many people are disappointed with this result. They love Chelsea to lose a game."