Arsenal can afford Rooney, hints Gazidis

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has added fuel to the speculation linking Wayne Rooney with a move to the Emirates Stadium, revealing that the Gunners have the financial power to attract the 27-year-old.

Arsene Wenger has already confided that it would been hard not to bid for the striker should he become available, while it is believed that Rooney is open to a move to north London. And now Gazidis has put more more weight behind any move for the England international, saying that Rooney's likely transfer cost and wage demands would be well within Arsenal's budget.

When asked if the Gunners could afford a €20 million-plus deal, plus €200,00-a-week wage, Gazidis told reporters: "Of course we could do that. We could do more than that.

"We have a certain amount which we've held in reserve. We also have new revenue streams coming on board and all of these things mean we can do some things which would excite you. "If Arsene thinks signing big names is the right thing to do, yes. The fact is this year we are beginning to see something we have been planning for some time, which is the escalation in our financial firepower.

"We can look at some options that weren't really in our financial capability. It's a progression over the next two seasons. It's quite significant for the club." While Gazidis refused to name any transfer targets, he believes Arsenal's ambition can see them emulate Champions League winners Bayern Munich.

"We should be able to compete at a level like a club such as Bayern Munich. I'm not saying we are there by any means, we have a way to go before we can put ourselves on that level," Gazidis continued.

"I think we are an extraordinarily ambitious club.

"This whole journey for the past 10 years has been about putting us up with the best in the world and now the question is turning that platform now into on-field success."

Ahmed Musa goal stuns Harambee Stars in Nairobi

The win now takes Nigeria back to the top of Group F with 8 points while Malawi are second on six after battling to a 0-0 draw with Namibia in a match played in Blantyre earlier on Wednesday.
Kenya, who had win to keep alive their hopes of gracing the World Cup final, started the match badly with defender Brian Mandela almost handing the visitors a quick goal in the 1st minute of the match.
The South African-based defender failed to deal with a loose ball after restart allowing Nigerian striker Brian Ideye to charge forward but the Super Eagles' star could not find the back of the net with keeper Ochieng’ to beat.
Five minutes later, Musa Ahmed beat the Kenyan defense but his attempt to pick out an advancing Sunday Mba was blocked by Brian Mandela.

Siasia: Eagles on the right track

Former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia has praised the resilience of the Super Eagles in the team’s 1-0 victory over the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Wednesday’s 2014 World Cup qualifier.

Ahmed Musa’s 81^st minute goal was all the African champions needed to garner all three points in the tough encounter in Nairobi.

Siasia who had charged the defence of the Eagles to wake up and up their game against the Kenyans after he watched them falter in the friendly against Mexico was a happy man after the team’s slim victory

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Neymar has the potential to be better than Messi, insists Pele

Brazil legend Pele believes new Barcelona signing Neymar has the potential to develop into a better player than Lionel Messi.

The former Santos star completed his €57 million move to the Liga giants on Monday, when he was presented to around 56,000 fans at Camp Nou.

Speaking at his unveiling, Neymar revealed how he was looking forward to helping Messi "continue being the best player in the world" although Pele is adamant that the Brazil forward has all the attributes to potentially surpass his Argentine team-mate.

"Neymar has really gone up the last two years," he told Goal. "He can use both feet well and get up in the air.

"The difference that I try to explain to the people is that both are really good. I love Messi, I love the player. But to make the comparison, I think Neymar has the capabilities to play better than Messi... or maybe not.

"I'm not happy, because Santos lost a good player! But, seriously, I think it's good for him, because Neymar was no doubt the best player in Brazil and now he gets the experience to play abroad.

"Playing in Europe is a little different than playing in South America. Football in Europe is a little more tough, while South America is a little more laid back and technical."

Ahead of the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil, Pele does not believe the hosts have what it takes to win the tournament, instead tipping Germany and Spain for success.

"I think Brazil have an excellent opportunity to do well," he told added. "To win [the World Cup] is very hard in football, but the team has the players.

"The team had almost three years with Mano Menezes. Now, they have one month with Felipe and [technical director Carlos Alberto] Parreira, they are excellent coaches."

"If you had to select now, one year before the World Cup, I think Germany would be a good surprise, they have a good team and good players, and Spain no doubt. Then Brazil."

win will do for the Eagles against the Harambee Stars

All the preparations, all the flying and all the withdrawals will not count when Referee Noumandiez Doue from Cote d’Ivoire blows the whistle to commence the World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Harambee Stars at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani on Wednesday at 2pm.

All that will matter at the end is whether the African champions get the three points to continue to hold their own destiny in their hands as qualification for the 2014 World Cup enters the final bend. The first match against the Harambee Stars in April showed a Kenyan team that was ready to soak up all the pressure and hit on the break though their goal was a masterfully taken free-kick. They had other chances on the counter but did not take it and were punished by Nnamdi Oduamadi’s equaliser in the 93rd minute.

But on Wednesday, the Super Eagles shorn of Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses will attempt to do what they did in 2009 – beat the Harambee Stars in Kasarani. Emotions still run high from that match as it was alleged that the Eagles won by scoring two offside goals. So to Wednesday’s encounter – coach Stephen Keshi has bemoaned the flight and travel arrangements for his team and has said God is on his team’s side but that is all psychology. What he needs to tell his players is that they cannot afford to draw talk less of losing in Nairobi.

The Super Eagles have shown over the last two years under Keshi that they are a hard team to beat so that quality must come to the fore on Wednesday – make it very hard for the Kenyans to get into any rhythm and quieten the partisan crowd. At every point, the players should take their time in taking goal kicks, throw-ins and all set plays. The Kenyans will be in a rush to score and will play a very high tempo game in their high altitude, the Nigerians must slow it down at every opportunity.

But more significantly, at the end of the day, whether they play well or not – they need to get the desired result – and that is a win.

Will Harambee Stars reach the sky

Kenya will revive their 2014 World Cup hopes if they beat Nigeria in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier at Moi Kasarani. Harambee Stars are currently at the bottom of Group F with just two points after picking two draws against Malawi and Nigeria.

Going into Wednesday’s fixture, the odds are seemingly stuck against the home team, who have never beaten the Super Eagles in 11 encounters so far between the two sides.

The situation is even more complicated for the Stars this time around with the team’s all-time highest scorer Dennis Oliech suspended for the fixture. The situation leaves coach Adel Amrouche with limited choices in front of goal yet the team needs goals.
In the absence of Oliech, Amrouche is likely to use Kepha Aswani upfront. Aswani is coming back into the team on the back of an outstanding performance for his Oman side Al Nasr for whom he scored seven goals in the just concluded season.
Home-ground advantage will play a key role in pushing the Stars to victory. The Super Eagles will be motivated by their past dominance against Kenya even on home soil and so far there is no reason to believe they cannot pick victory in Nairobi.
Nigeria have had good preparations for this match which included a two week training camp in Germany culminating in a 2-2 draw against Mexico last Friday in a friendly match.
Even in the absence of Chelsea star Victor Moses, the Super Eagles still have enough fire power upfront with Ideye Brown and John Obi Mikel controlling things in midfield.

Sunday Mba: We will get the desired result in Kenya

Sunday Mba is one of the players that Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi will be relying upon to get a win against the Harambee Stars Kenya tomorrow  at the Moi Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi. The undoubted hero from the last Africa Cup of Nations believes that though the team is shorn of some of its star players, the current squad will get the reslt needed against Kenya.

In the first leg in Calabar in April, Mba started but was replaced midway into the second half with the Eagles chasing an equaliser which Nnamdi Oduamadi got in added time to force the Harambee Stars to a 1-1 draw.

The Enugu Rangers midfielder played against Mexico in a friendly last Friday in which the Eagles were forced to a 2-2 draw.

“Last week, we showed character against Mexico in the 2-2 draw in Houston, Texas, and we believe we will also fly the flag high in Kenya, Namibia and also at the Confederations Cup.

“We have set a standard and Nigerians do not expect anything less,” Mba concluded.

Nigeria are ahead of Malawi on the Group F table courtesy of scoring more goals in the three matches played as both countries have five points.

Confusion in Kenya as Mikel lands ahead of Eagles

The Kenyan camp has become depressed that midfielder John Mikel Obi was on his way to Nairobi after missing the
friendly against Mexico in Texas at the weekend. They actually thought he was not coming for the game.
Chelsea FC of England ace Obi was instrumental to Nigeria’s 3-2 defeat of the Stars at the same venue on November 14, 2009 – a result that sent the Super Eagles to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.
The midfield lubricator flew into Nairobi aboard a British Airways flight on Monday evening, hours ahead of the rest of the delegation that was being expected from Frankfurt around 1.30am on Tuesday.