Hennessy Artistry headliner, Dbanj is presently putting finishing touches to this year’s theme song. The exciting video sees Dbanj go through a selection of beats produced by fast rising producer, Dee Vee. The track, which is set to premiere on Tuesday, August 13th, has been described as the biggest Hennessy Artistry track in the history of Artistry. Watch...
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Omotola back in the day in Sweet Sensation TV ad (Watch!)
Y'all need to watch this. This is actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde back in the day doing a promo for fast food outlet Sweet Sensation. This lady's got skills. Check on it...
Sergio Ramos: I prefer Ronaldo & Ozil over Messi & Neymar
The Spain international believes his Real Madrid team-mates are the finest to play alongside and has called on the club to put last season behind them. Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has made it clear that he would rather play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Isco than Barcelona duo Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Although Ramos is full of praise for the South American duo, he insists his Blancos team-mates are his preferred choice when it comes to attacking prowess. "Neymar and Messi? I prefer Cristiano, Ozil and Isco, my team-mates here at Madrid," the Spain international told ESPN.
"No-one is in any doubt that Messi and Neymar are great players, but I just prefer the guys who are in our team." The defender then went on to discuss Jose Mourinho's three-year spell in charge of Madrid and stressed he is keen to move on following the disappointments - and controversies - of last season.
"I just think about the good things that happened. I’m not a resentful person. I just remember all of the things I learned during a period which is over now. "Football goes on, we need to continue growing, developing and be ambitious so that we can win more silverware."
Lampard, Mata and Luiz could miss Chelsea's season opener, says Mourinho
The Portuguese boss has revealed fitness concerns ahead of the Blues' first Premier League match but downplayed the extent of the injury problems. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that Frank Lampard, Juan Mata and David Luiz may not be fit in time for the start of the new season.
"He is in the England squad so it will be good if he plays a part against Scotland. He is getting ready but his pre-season has seen him train for a week and then stop for two weeks. "He is coming back again, we are calm. We have to be calm. We know the stages of recovery. His first minutes of pre-season have been against Real Madrid."
Mourinho also expressed concern over Luiz and Mata but downplayed the significance of them missing the Premier League opener through injury. Barcelona made a bid of €25 million for the versatile Brazil international on Wednesday, leading to speculation that he has sat out of Chelsea's matches as he awaits a move, but Mourinho dismissed the notion.
"If David misses the start of the season then it’s only because of his injury," he continued. "That's why I'm not risking him. He had a good session in DC with the fitness guys while we were in Miami. So, hopefully, there will be no problems."
Ronaldo is a role model - Ancelotti
The former PSG boss believes the attacker's prowess and professionalism makes him a prime example for young players at the club Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the complete footballer and feels the Portugal international is an example to follow for the club's promising youngsters.
The Santiago Bernabeu side secured the services of youngsters Dani Carvajal, Isco, Casemiro and Asier Illarramendi this summer to add to homegrown prospects such as Alvaro Morata and Jese Rodriguez, and Ancelotti believes Portugal star Ronaldo is the perfect role model for the club's young talent.
"Cristiano is an example for the youth," Ancelotti was quoted as saying on the club's official website. "He has everything a football player needs to be great. And he is great, a really fantastic football player. He’s an example for the young players on the team.
"I ask the players for a competitive spirit, professionalism, and to be aware at all times that they belong to a club with impressive prestige."
Ronaldo's future at the club has been subject to speculation of late as talks over a new contract continue to stall, although president Florentino Perez has stressed his confidence that the 28-year-old will sign fresh terms at the club.
Madrid are currently on their USA tour ahead of next week's La Liga opener at home against Real Betis.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Messi: I have no problem with Neymar
The Argentine insists he gets on with the Brazilian "on and off the pitch" and stresses there has been no great upheaval under new coach Gerardo Martino. Barcelona star Lionel Messi has made it clear he has had no problems with Neymar since the Brazilian's €57 million move to the club.
The Argentine ace started a game alongside the 21-year-old for the first time on Wednesday, with both players getting on the scoresheet in a 7-1 thrashing of Thailand, and Messi insists that any speculation of unrest between the pair is pure speculation from the media.
"There’s no problem between us; these are things that come out of the press," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur "We get on with each other on and off the pitch and we’re getting to know each other little by little. We haven’t played much together. But he’ll bring a lot of joy to the club, to us and to the people."
Messi went on to explain the impact of new coach Gerardo Martino at Camp Nou, revealing the former Newell's Old Boys coach is keen for the team to improve their pressing game once more in the 2013-14 season.
"He is telling us that we need to get back to being who we have been for the last few years," Messi explained. "He wants us to create more pressure and work on recovering the ball as quickly as possible. We’re out to do that.
"We’re still getting to know each other. Every coach has his own things. He hasn’t come to change anything, just to get back what we lost a little last year."
Barcelona face a Malaysia XI on Saturday in the latest leg of their lengthy pre-season tour, but Messi believes their work this summer will pay dividends come the new campaign. "I don’t know whether it [the tour] is the best way to prepare or not, but it’s what we’re doing," the 26-year-old said.
"We’re working very well. There are a lot of events and there’s a lot of travelling. We train when we can and take the matches very seriously. "The games help us to get into our rhythm, it’s good preparation and we’ll come into the season in good shape."
Barcelona risk ruining Neymar, says Ramalho
Barca doctor Ricard Pruna said earlier this summer that the 21-year-old must gain weight in order to reach his peak physical condition, after the Brazilian was diagnosed with anaemia following his €57 million switch to Camp Nou.
Ramalho, however, believes the Blaugrana are risking damaging Neymar's long-term effectiveness, claiming it could lead to a serious injury like that suffered by compatriot and former Barcelona star Ronaldo. "If Neymar puts on weight, they’re going to take away everything that’s best about him," Ramalho told Jovem Pam.
"They’re going to take away his speed. With small players such as Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and [Lionel] Messi at Barca, I never imagined that they would do this. "If he puts on weight he could suffer a knee injury, like what happened to Ronaldo. It’s a dangerous business."
Neymar scored his first goal for Barcelona earlier this week in the 7-1 friendly win over Thailand. Mike Idoko praises Stephen Keshi for building local players' capacity
Since Keshi's ascent to the managerial position of the national team, players like Godfrey Oboabona of Sunshine Stars and Enugu Rangers' Sunday Mba, who was recently named into the prestigious Goal 50, have become a key part of the Super Eagles.
Coach Stephen Keshi has been commended for giving players in the Nigeria Premier League opportunity to fight for a place in the senior national team.
the Ondo State Football Agency
executive director, Mike Idoko believes Keshi’s success story with the
Super Eagles can be hinged on the fact he never overlooked the
local-based stars stating that it takes a lot of confidence for a
national team handler to take such a risk.
“I must commend Stephen Keshi
for being fearless. He took a risk former managers, even the foreign
ones, couldn’t take. I think he must have borrowed a leaf from [Clemens]
Westerhof because he took time before building the USA '94 team which
we have not been able to assemble up till now. The NFF also must be
commended too because if they had not given him the chance, Keshi
wouldn’t have been successful,” said Idoko.
“All our boys now go to the Super Eagles to fight for a place because
it is glaring that they are no longer training materials like they were
in the past where the foreign-based were picked ahead of them. At the
Africa Cup of Nations, he took along six players which has not happened
before,” he added.
The football administrator, however, warned him not to be carried
away by the home-based performances stating he must select players that
will stand the test of time.
“If this trend continues, the league will experience rapid growth but
the coach should be careful on his choice of local based talents. He
must look at their age and ask himself if those players can play for a
long period of time,” concluded Idoko.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
'Not for sale' - why there is little chance Cesc Fabregas will leave Barcelona this summer
New coach Gerardo Martino and vice-president Josep Bartomeu insisted on Friday the midfielder is wanted at Camp Nou, and a move to Manchester United seems highly unlikely. Actions, it is often said, speak louder than words. Barcelona, however, spoke strongly and succinctly on Friday on the subject of Manchester United target Cesc Fabregas. The message from the Catalan club may not have been loud, but is was certainly clear: Cesc is not for sale at any price.
United have already made two bids for the former Arsenal captain and manager David Moyes claimed earlier this week that negotiations were "ongoing", perhaps hoping that new Barca boss Gerardo Martino would want to dispense with the 26-year-old midfielder for a big fat fee. But that was never going to be likely.
Asked about the possibility of selling Cesc at his unveiling on Friday, Martino replied: "I am not going to get involved in the club's finances, but the club have already rejected two bids and I'll reject a third."
If that was not clear enough, vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu spelt it out in even more forceful fashion to United and any other club who may have been hoping to join the race for Cesc's signature. "We are not thinking of selling Cesc," he revealed. "We are not annoyed [by United's persistence]; we are proud that there is interest in one of our players, but we are very happy with him. Whatever offer we receive for him, he is not for sale."
So while it is true that the player himself has grown frustrated at being left on the bench at times and also at having to play in a number of different positions for the side he grew up supporting, he does not want to leave Barcelona. "I want to stay at Barca forever," the midfielder said in February and, although he was later booed by a section of his own fans during the semi-final rout against Bayern Munich, his desire is to stay and triumph at the Catalan club. "Cesc is happy and he wants to stay here," team-mate and friend Gerard Pique revealed recently, while former Barca boss Tito Vilanova added earlier this month: "I am aware he has received offers, but he wants to stay."
And Barca also want to keep him. With Xavi showing signs of slowing down and unable to complete two games a week without feeling the effects and Thiago Alcantara sold to Bayern Munich recently, Fabregas will likely receive much more playing time in midfield during the coming campaign.
Further forward, the incorporation of Neymar means Cesc will probably play fewer games in that sector from now on, but with Thiago having left, he acts as cover for both Xavi and Andres Iniesta in midfield - and is set to start many games next term. Let him leave and Barca would need to go out and replace him, then find a player of similar quality able to slot in to their system. And there are few such players available.
Had Thiago stayed, Barca could conceivably have decided to place their faith in the younger man (although they would have wanted to keep Cesc anyway) but in his absence, Fabregas is now even more important to the club's plans for 2013-14 and beyond. The Catalans have been gradually reducing their debts, do not need the money and would weaken their team by dispensing with the 26-year-old. So expect Barca's actions to reflect their words when they say he is not for sale this summer.
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