La Liga : Real's Ramos prefers PL referees

Sergio Ramos has suggested Premier League referees are more lenient than their Spanish counterparts after he was sent off on Sunday.

The Real Madrid captain earned a second booking in injury-time for elbowing Deportivo's Borja Valle while challenging for an aerial ball, adding to the yellow card he received in the second half for slapping Fabian Schar in an off-the-ball scuffle.
Ramos has now been sent off a record-equalling 18 times in La Liga.
"In some areas we need to look more at English football and let the players play on more, I like their system better. In Europe referees are more tolerant," he said afterwards.

"I don't agree with the [second] yellow card, it was harsh, but I respect the opinion of the referee. I have no intention of hurting him, I just supported myself, but you learn from everything."
Explaining the first incident with Schar, which occurred when Deportivo's Zakaria Bakkali player was injured on the floor, Ramos added: "We didn't kick the ball out because they didn't do it [earlier in the game].
"They ran after me, Schar headbutted me and all I did was push him out the way without trying to hurt him."

Five players were sent off in eight Liga games over the weekend, compared to two in nine Premier League games.

Ramos is Real's most sent off player, with former defender Fernando Hierro trailing way behind on 12 red cards.
Out of Ramos's 23 red cards, 18 have come in La Liga, three were shown in the Champions League and two in the Copa del Rey. The centre-back, however, has never been dismissed in 143 games for Spain. - SKY SPORTS

Shocking !!! Nigerian drug peddler dies after jumping down 4th floor of building to evade arrest

A 40 year old Nigerian living in India identified as Cyprian Ama Ogbonnaya has fallen from the fourth floor of a South Delhi building on Friday afternoon and died, after trying to evade arrest following police raid on the house for narcotics.

The incident which took place at Phase-1 of Chattarpur Enclave at 12:15pm was captured by a CCTV camera and witnessed by locals.

Police was said to have recovered 25 kilos of Ketamine, a drug believed to induce a trance effect, during a search. The seized contraband could fetch Rs 20 crore in the clandestine international drug market.
According to Hindustan Times, the deputy commissioner of Delhi Police’s special cell, Pramod Kushwaha, said a team was sent to the neighbourhood following a tip-off that drugs were stored in the building.

‘’A head constable was sent as a decoy customer during the raid. Ogbonnaya, who was with two women from his country, was allegedly talking to the staff of a local restaurant when he sensed that police were heading for his room.’’
“He must have been taken by surprise. There was no escape route. So, he jumped off a window without grills.”

Deputy commissioner, Kushwaha said the injured Nigerian was taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre in a police van, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Reports claimed two women, who were also Nigerian nationals, were found in the house and have been arrested. - Daily Post

Yeah ! Nigeria must be renegotiated – Eastern Assembly tells Buhari

 The Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari over his stance on self-determination groups in the country.
Buhari had told them in his nationwide broadcast Monday morning that Nigeria’s unity was not negotiable.

But in a reaction, Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, the Secretary, Earthen Consultative Assembly, described Buhari’s stand as shocking.
His statement read: “The shocking position of Mr. President that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, is a confirmation that he is clearly the wrong person to govern Nigeria.
Nigeria is tottering at the edge of the precipice, bursting at the seams and sitting on a combustible keg of gun powder, and Mr Buhari and his speech writers are the only people who are unaware of this self evident fact.

“If Mr. President does not immediately as a matter of urgency set up a constituent assembly to draft a new people’s constitution that will be affirmed at referendum before the end 2017 there will be no Nigeria by 2018. We also implore Mr. President to apologies to Nigerians without delay on his very provocative position on Nigeria’s very fragile unity.

“It is a tragedy that we are ruled by a man who is completely out of touch with reality. This means that the disintegration of Nigeria is inevitable, as only an early return to true fiscal federalism anchored on regional autonomy in an immediate consensual restructuring may save Nigeria now.
“Those who are yet to come to grip with that, are living in another world. Nigeria must be negotiated or Nigeria will die, ” he concluded. - Daily Post

No shaking ! Uncle London is back !! Nigerian banks ‘sacked 360 people every week from Jan to June’

Data made available by the National Bureau of Statistics show that 8,663 people lost their jobs in the first half of 2017.

In other words, an average of 360 people have been sacked every week from January to June 2017. The figures were higher in the first quarter and lower in the second.

According to a report titled “Selected Banking Sector Data: Sectorial Breakdown of Credit, ePayment Channels and Staff Strength” released by the bureau on Sunday, a total of 8,663 lost their jobs and more contract staff were employed during the period.

In the first quarter of 2017, there were 174 executive staff but the figure reduced to 161 in the second quarter.

From 20,483 senior staff in the first quarter, the number dropped to 19,826 in the second quarter.

The drop was larger in the junior staff category where the number dropped to 33,783 in the second quarter from 36,202 in the first quarter.

However, the number of contract staff increased from 20,237 in the first quarter to 21,837 in the second quarter.

In January, Heritage bank had sacked 400 workers although Fela Ibidapo, the bank’s head of corporate communications, had said the figures were incorrect adding that the mass sack was not limited to the bank but it cut across all operators in the industry.

In May, Ecobank Nigeria, a subsidiary of the Ecobank Group had merged 74 branches saying it was embracing digital channels which would reduce the need of visiting physical locations. - Cable Nigeria

 

Face of fraudster !!! Na’Allah, Kebbi senator, ‘diverted community borehole project to his compound’

 

BudgIT’s Tracka team has again uncovered how legislators divert constituency projects to personal use.

Tracka was established to address the critical issues with social and economic development in the country, such as the exclusion of citizens from developmental projects, the increasing number of abandoned projects, and poor execution of the few implemented projects.
This time, the team visited Kebbi south senatorial district, during which it observed that a number of projects were captured in the 2016 federal constituency projects. 

The tracked projects include: complete renovation of Zuru Town Hall for N155m, supply of eight Toyota Hiace ambulances for Zuru, Yauri, Dankwo/Wasagu, Shanga, Sakaba, Fakai and Ngaski for N160m, provision of 71 motorised boreholes in each of the 71 wards in Kebbi South for N710m and provision of 41 hand pump boreholes in 41 wards of Zuru/Fakai/Sakaba/danko-Wasagu for N61.5m.

Hospital boat for Yauri

In October 2016, the Tracka team held a community engagement meeting with residents and the Zuru Emirate Development Association (ZEYA) to provide them with relevant information on the line items in the budget and encourage them to ensure project delivery through active participation. The community leaders wrote a letter to their representative, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, and the relevant ministry, requesting an update on the implementation of the projects.
The community leaders wrote a letter to their representative, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, and the relevant ministry, requesting an update on the implementation of the projects.

Over Head Tank

In December 2016, youth leader Nuhu Hussaini informed the Tracka field officer that the renovation of the Zuru town hall had begun and that one Toyota ambulance vehicle had been delivered to Yauri General Hospital. The provision of 71 motorised boreholes had also started in the selected wards in Kebbi South Senatorial District. The team ensured a follow-up with all the project implementations and observed that some of the empowerment materials purchased were labelled as donations e.g. the boat and ambulance.



The residents also expressed displeasure to the team on the renovation of the Zuru hall for N155m, which they see as a misplaced priority. There are more pressing needs that will sustain the youth in the community, they said. For example, if the N155 million was invested in their agriculture, the unemployment rate in their community would significantly reduce. This will also improve the living standard of the people, as the state is known as one of the largest producers of rice.
In June 2017, the project-tracking officer received a call from Zuru community members informing him of a motorised borehole constructed in the premise of Senator Ibn Na’Allah Bala. This facility was supposed to be for the community to put an end to water scarcity. They expressed dissatisfaction over the conversion of public property into personal use, thus depriving the residents of Zuru community access to potable water supply. - Cable Nigeria

PL : 'Pep is one of the best' - Ederson

Ederson did not have to think twice about joining Manchester City from Benfica once he became aware of Pep Guardiola's interest.

The 24-year-old Brazilian became the most expensive goalkeeper in football when he joined the Premier League club from the Portuguese champions in June for £34.7million.

Fourteen months earlier, Ederson impressed when Benfica were edged out by Guardiola's Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The ex-Barcelona boss identified him as a keeper who could operate successfully within his team's approach of building play from the back and came calling after Claudio Bravo's disappointing maiden campaign in the Premier League last season.
"It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world," Ederson told Omnisport ahead of City's home game with Everton.
"When I knew I could work with him I was very happy. I didn't think twice.

"He has helped a lot in my adaptation, in the form of the game he likes. I train a lot with the ball."
For most of pre-season and in the opening weekend win at Brighton and Hove Albion, Ederson operated behind a back three.
This marks a departure from the four-man defence Guardiola tended to favour during his first season in Manchester but it is a system the recent recruit prefers.
"It's a young group that promises a lot in the competitions we're going to play," Ederson said of City's defensive unit.

"The defensive part is very well crafted. The way of playing with three defenders makes me more comfortable and it's easier for me.
"And my team-mates in the defence pass a lot of security to me and to the whole team."
Guardiola finished last season without a trophy for the first time in his coaching career – a state of affairs Ederson does not expect to be repeated this time around.

"Pep is integrating a young team, with an eye on the present and the future. So I think this will pay off."
"We will fight for the Premier League title and we will fight for the Champions League as well," he added. - Goal

PL news : Spurs star Kane unconcerned by continued August hoodoo

Harry Kane played down talk of an August jinx after he again failed to find the net in Tottenham's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.

The England forward has never scored a Premier League goal in August, despite winning the Golden Boot in each of the last two seasons, and - as at Newcastle United on the opening weekend - struck the post against Chelsea.
But Kane insists he is not affected by any talk of a jinx as he looks to offer Spurs more than just a goal threat.
"It is something that is spoken about a lot but I am not too bothered by it," he said. "I try to play well for the team and play well every game.
"Sometimes the ball does not go as it did [when it came] off the post and the few chances I had. It is part of the game.

"I just need to keep working hard, keep my head down and I am sure the goals will come."
While Kane refused to pass comment on whether Tottenham should spend in the final days of the transfer market, with only Davinson Sanchez having signed so far, he does believe the window should close before the start of the season - a change that has been mooted by English clubs.
"We do what we do. We have a good squad," he added. "There are no complaints. We will see what happens in the next couple of weeks.
"The manager will decide who he wants and we will go from there. "At most clubs now everyone waits until the last minute to see who they can get and who is the best deal - and it is understandable''. - Goal

Transfer news : Chelsea still interested in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Despite spending a club-record £70m to bring Alvaro Morata to the club from Real Madrid, Chelsea are still looking to improve their attack before the transfer window shuts next week.

Looking for a versatile forward to add to their attack, the Blues remain interested in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who continues to confirm his desire to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer:
“This club and these fans are incredible, but if I want to grow, I feel I need to leave.”
“This is the question I keep on asking myself – and I don’t have an answer. I need time to think about it. If I want to grow, I surely need to leave this summer. I am 28 and I need to grow. If I leave, it will only be somewhere I would play regularly.”
Chelsea will face competition from AC Milan for Aubameyang with the Serie A side eager to bring in a big-name attacker to round off their largely successful transfer window.

Aubameyang, primarily a central striker, can play across the forward line and would make an exciting partner for Morata and Eden Hazard in a potential front three at Stamford Bridge.
Finishing last season as the Bundesliga top scorer with 31 goals, Aubameyang is regarded as one of the best attackers in Europe today and would be a valued addition to the squad.


The likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and PSG have all been linked with him earlier in the window but Chelsea and Milan seem to be the only clubs still in for Aubameyang who has signaled his intent to leave.
However, at 28-years-old, Aubameyang doesn’t quite fit Chelsea’s transfer philosophies of signing younger players with strong resale values, but Antonio Conte is eager to persuade the club to abandon that approach when it comes to top-level talent. - Read Sports

Shocking !!! Couple says hotel owner turned them away 'because he does not accept dark-skinned guests'

A couple have allegedly been turned away from a hotel in southern Italy for having "dark skin".

Cristobal Rojas, an Italian citizen of Cuban descent, attempted to check into his beach hotel in the town of Margherita di Savoia, Puglia, with his wife Josephine.
The couple live in Milan but were visiting Puglia for the Italian mid-August holiday of Ferragosto. They had visited the town several times before and were shocked by the reaction of the owner.
Speaking to Italian newspaper Repubblica, Rojas said: "When the owner saw us, he said we had to leave because he does not accept dark-skinned guests.

"We did not expect it. We have always felt welcome here in Puglia.”
When contacted by Repubblica the hotel confirmed they had asked the couple to leave, although they did not give a reason.
The incident comes after a summer where reports of discrimination in Italy have been rife. Last week an Italian student, born in Italy to Ghanaian parents, was prevented from participating in a music festival in Verona as she was “not Italian enough.”

And last week a young gay couple were told to stop hugging by a pool guard in Campania. Although heterosexual couples were also hugging the guard singled out the pair and asked them to behave in a “more composed” way. 
In July a guesthouse in Calabria turned away a gay couple who had booked a room saying that they do not “accept gays and animals”. The Catholic owners told the couple that they believe in “traditional families”. - The Independent

PL news : 'Zlatan a good alternative'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic would provide Manchester United with another "good alternative" up front this season, according to former England international Stuart Pearce.

Ibrahimovic is reportedly ready to sign a new contract at Old Trafford after recovering from a long-term knee injury which ended his debut season in English football.
United released Ibrahimovic at the end of last season and subsequently replaced the Swedish striker with Romelu Lukaku, who joined Jose Mourinho's side in a £90m deal from Everton.
Pearce believes the two strikers are unlikely to start alongside each other under Jose Mourinho, but he believes Ibrahimovic would be a welcome addition to the Portuguese's squad.

"[He's] a good alternative," said Pearce. "Whether Mourinho will play them both together or just divvy them up and play one one week and one the next week, or just for certain games.
"They've got Champions League football this year, some real high-profile matches, and certainly Mourinho prioritises every bit of silverware he can get his hands on.
"Whatever it is, he likes to win things, so he's going to need a big squad of players. And this player, when he walks through the door, he demands respect and he'll get that from them there."

Ibrahimovic scored 28 goals in all competitions in his first season with Manchester United and former Everton midfielder Leon Osman is not surprised to see the Swede linked with a return to Old Trafford.
"When the injury happened and it turned out to be as significant as it was, I wasn't surprised with how it was dealt with," said Osman.
"I presumed there must have been some sort of gentleman's agreement where they said 'we want to keep you on but the wages you're on make it incredibly difficult for us to give you the contract for the next six months when you won't be playing, but we would still like to honour it when you're fit'.

"It wouldn't surprise me if that was an agreement struck up a good few months back. He's done all his rehabilitation in Manchester and now it seems as though it has come to that point." - Sky Sports

Conte had moment of madness - Costa

Diego Costa feels Antonio Conte's decision to tell him he has no future at Chelsea by text message was a "moment of madness".

Costa, who is currently staying away from Stamford Bridge in a bid to force through a transfer to former club Atletico Madrid, said he thought it was "disrespectful" of the Chelsea head coach to inform him in such a manner.
The Spain international has been strongly critical of his employers, and last week accused the club of treating him "like a criminal" - a suggestion laughed off by boss Antonio Conte.

His latest comments come on the back of news that his agent, Jorge Mendes, is attempting to broker a return for his client to Atletico, who are the only club he will consider moving to.
Costa was pictured last week training by himself wearing a pair of Chelsea shorts, but has said he does not intend to return to their Cobham training base.
"Conte's text? It was a moment of madness. It can happen, but I thought it was disrespectful," he told MC News.

"I always asked to speak face to face with the coach and the board. I never sent [them] text messages, so it shows what kind of person he is.
"If something makes me sad about this situation, it's [the fans'] affection as they'd always supported me, even during the delicate moments.
"If I'd been in the team for three years, it was for them and the dressing room, which was very much united. It was a great experience."

Costa also reiterated his desire to return to Atletico, who it has been reported are offering more than the £32m they received for the player from Chelsea three years ago.
"I already have in mind where I want to play and I've made it very clear," he said. "[Spain's] a country with which I identify a lot due to the climate and the people.

"I fell in love with Madrid. We have to wait for the right moment." - SKY

Shocking !!! Ghanaians kill 5 Nigerians

Five Nigerians residing in Ghana have been killed following a reprisal attack launched by some Ghanaians.

This follows the arrested of a Nigerian identified as Thompson Peter in the Sowutoum area of the country who allegedly stabbed a 27-year-old Ghanaia, Misbau Amadu to death.
Thompson was said to have stabbed the man to death claiming he was a thief.

The 48-year-old Thompson was reported to have said he committed the act in self defence.
The incident , however, led to xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in Ghana, with five persons reportedly killed already.
Policemen who visited the crime scene were also attacked and chased away by the protesting Ghanaians.
The post was sheared by a Nigerian, Ifeanyi Chukwuemeka on his Facebook wall.

Thompson was said to have stabbed Amadu in the head with a knife after a confrontation at his residence.
Chukwemeka wrote, “The victim was rushed to the Mary Lucy Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors.
“Inspector Kwabena Danso, Deputy Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO ), said a week ago, Thompson Peter lodged a complaint at the Sowutoum Police Station that Misbau Amadu had broken into his apartment and stolen some items.

“After taking the statement of Thompson, the PRO said the police proceeded to the residence of Misbau Amadu with the intent of inviting him to the station to help investigate the claim but he was not available.

“Thompson said at about 9: 00 pm last Thursday, Misbau came to his (Thomson’s) house, armed with a knife to attack him for reporting the case to the police. In the course of the fight, Thompson said he overpowered Misbau and stabbed him in self-defence.

“‘The matter is still under investigations’ Inspector Kwabena Danso posited. Meanwhile, crisis has allegedly broken out in the area, with many Nigerians being attacked.”

He advised every Nigerian living in the crime area to “stay indoors till things cool down.”
According to the report, Ghanaian policemen were attacked by angry youths in the crime scene because they wanted to enforce peace in the neighbourhood.
The Ghana-based Nigerian claimed that five Nigerians have been killed in a reprisal attack along Santa- Maria, a few kilometres away from Sowutom. - Daily Post

Shocking !!! ‘35 per cent of Ibadan residents hypertensive’

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State capital, Prof. Temitope Alonge, has said about 35 per cent of people in the city are hypertensive.

Alonge spoke on an Ibadan radio, Fresh FM, at the weekend.
The CMD said UCH discovered this in a project it initiated during which its workers tested residents in their homes and offices.
According to him, the tests showed about 35 per cent of residents live with hypertension, with most of them unaware.

Alonge stressed the need for Nigerians to take their health serious by embracing preventive measures to reduce sudden deaths.
He said: “The commonest cause of deaths in adult population since 2004 is stroke due to hypertension. From our tests, about 35 per cent of Ibadan residents are hypertensive.”
The CMD urged governments in the Southwest states to support UCH because the patients come mostly from the states.

To help poor patients who sometimes run away after treatments due to inability to pay bills or reduce preventable deaths among poor patients, Alonge said doctors make monthly contributions  to a fund from where the hospital draws.

In the hospital’s efforts to reduce negative impact of poor funding, Alonge said UCH concluded plans to manufacture fluids and some basic drugs.
He said production would begin within the next six months.

The project, he said, would also include provision of certain equipment, which the hospital cannot afford. The equipment will bring convenience to patients as well as possibly reduce cost of tests.
The project would be undertaken through public private partnership (PPP). - The Nation

 

4yrs will soon end !!! ''Uncle London'' to work from home as office under renovation

A Presidency source on Monday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will work from his official residence till renovation work is completed in his office.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said that the President has actually resumed work at home.
Buhari, who had been in the United Kingdom since May 7th on medical ground, returned to the country on Saturday.

On Saturday, Buhari had met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and security chiefs at his official residence.
Speaking with State House correspondents on Buhari’s resumption in office, the Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed that the President has communicated his resumption to office to the National Assembly.
He said: “Yes, some few minutes past 11, the President signed the letter notifying the National Assembly of his resumption. A copy has been sent to the Senate President and also has been sent to the Speaker, House of Representatives, so the President has resumed.”

On what his resumption will do to Nigerians, he said, “It means the President they voted into office, who has been serving them and who was indisposed for some time and who came back on Saturday, is ready to continue with the work he has been doing.”
Asked to speak on Nigerians criticising that the President’s broadcast message was not explicit enough, Adesina said, “That broadcast was just one step of many steps that are going to be taken in the days and weeks and months ahead. So you can’t expect that everything will be said in one day.”

A statement he later released reads: “In line with constitutional provision, President Muhammadu Buhari has written the National Assembly, notifying the legislature of his return to office, after returning from medical vacation in London.

“President Buhari had returned to the country on Saturday, August 19, 2017, and in a letter dated August 21, 2017, he told the Senate as well as the House of Representatives, that he was resuming office.
“The letter stated in part: ‘In compliance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I write to intimate that I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, 21st August, 2017, after my medical follow-up in the United Kingdom.” - The Nation

Chelsea players back Conte - Neville

Gary Neville says Chelsea's win over Tottenham at Wembley proves the players are behind manager Antonio Conte.

The Chelsea boss has cut a frustrated figure this season following a fall-out with Diego Costa, the sale of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United and defeats to both Arsenal in the Community Shield and Burnley in their opening Premier League game.
However, two goals from Marcos Alonso earned a 2-1 victory at Wembley Stadium on Super Sunday - and Sky Sports expert Neville felt the win was important for many reasons.
"In the last two or three weeks, people have been writing Chelsea off," he said on the Gary Neville Podcast.

"I don't think it's unfair for us, the media, to be asking questions around Chelsea after losing the first game in such fashion, the Costa situation rumbling on and the Matic situation.
"We are aware of what happened last time after Chelsea won the title. Mancini, Ranieri and Mourinho have all been sacked pretty quickly after winning the title.
"You thought today before the game, this was more than three points for Chelsea because you could see if they were beaten here today and beaten well it could start to unravel a little bit.
"They stood up today. They stood up like champions. They pulled together a makeshift team, this is certainly not their first XI, and they've shown something today.

"They've shown they are actually with the manager. If you think about the accusations last time Chelsea won the league it's that they weren't with Mourinho.
"Today they played, even when they went to 1-1, brilliantly. They put in a good performance against a really good Tottenham team."
Neville said Chelsea benefited from a strong start at Wembley, going close through Alvaro Morata in the opening stages before Alonso opened the scoring in the 24th minute.
Chelsea were without several stars through injury and suspension - including Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Gary Cahill - but Neville had praise for Conte's tactics.

He added: "The way in which Chelsea set up surprised us all with the diamond in midfield; Willian at the point of the diamond and David Luiz in central midfield.
"When you're away from home, the first three or four minutes set the tone for how you settle into a match.
"Chelsea were pressurising Tottenham, they were up in their half, they got a chance through Morata and should have been 1-0 up and their first 20-25 minutes was really good.

Gary Cahill - but Neville had praise for Conte's tactics.
He added: "The way in which Chelsea set up surprised us all with the diamond in midfield; Willian at the point of the diamond and David Luiz in central midfield.
"When you're away from home, the first three or four minutes set the tone for how you settle into a match.

"Chelsea were pressurising Tottenham, they were up in their half, they got a chance through Morata and should have been 1-0 up and their first 20-25 minutes was really good.
"It was probably the best period in the game for Chelsea and it culminated in what was a stunning, stunning free-kick.
"They fully deserved to be in front after the first period in the game."

"It was probably the best period in the game for Chelsea and it culminated in what was a stunning, stunning free-kick''. - Goal

PL updates : Arsenal send Jenkinson and Bramall to Birmingham

Arsenal have sent defensive duo Carl Jenkinson and Cohen Bramall to Birmingham City on season-long loan deals.

Jenkinson, who has been on the Gunners' books since 2011, only made five appearances in all competitions last season, having spent the previous two seasons on loan with West Ham.
Birmingham confirmed on Monday the 25-year-old will spend 2017-18 at St Andrew's, where he will be joined by Bramall.
Left-sided Bramall, 21, only joined Arsenal last season from non-league Hednesford Town midway through last season and will now get the chance to gain first-team experience in the Championship.

Both players are in contention to make their debuts at home against Bournemouth in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.- Goal

PL news : Arsenal offer Oxlade-Chamberlain new four-year deal

Arsenal have offered Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a bumper new four-year contract which would see him earn £125,000 a week in order to keep him at the club and snub a potential move to Chelsea or Liverpool, the Daily Star reports.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is in the final year of his contract at the Emirates and has been continuously linked with a move to London rivals Chelsea this summer.
Antonio Conte has made the England international one of his top transfer targets this summer and has already bid £40million for the versatile winger.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez could all end up leaving the Emirates for free next summer if they are to remain at the club for the upcoming season without signing a new deal.
However, Arsenal are said to be confident that Oxlade-Chamberlain will sign a new deal with the club

The 24-year-old is reportedly interested in a move to Stamford Bridge this summer. He is understood to be unhappy with the lack of money on offer from the Gunners compared to what they are offering Alexis Sanchez. - Read Sports

Transfer updates : Manchester United join Liverpool in race for Draxler

Liverpool are set to face competition from Manchester United and Arsenal for the signing of £32m-rated Paris St-Germain winger Julian Draxler, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Reports over the weekend stated that Paris St-Germain are wanting to offload Draxler this summer, despite only signing him from Wolfsburg in January of this year.
Having completed the world record signing of Neymar from Barcelona for a fee of £198million, Draxler could find minutes hard to come by next season if he were to remain at the Ligue 1 side.

Draxler played just the final five minutes of Paris St-Germain’s 6-2 victory at home to Toulouse on Sunday, after he came on as a substitute in place of Angel Di Maria.

Arsenal are reportedly leading the chase for the 23-year-old’s signature, but Manchester United and Liverpool are also reportedly readying bids.
Liverpool had tried to sign Draxler from Wolfsburg in January but the German opted for a move to Paris instead. - Read Sports

PL news : Conte still has the plan

Chelsea inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Tottenham in the first ever Premier League game at Wembley thanks to two goals from Marcos Alonso. It was a massive result for the reigning champions after an alarming start to their title defence, writes Adam Bate.

"I don't think Mauricio Pochettino would have expected Chelsea to line up like this," said Gary Neville during the game. "It has worked. Well done to Antonio Conte. While all around him this week have been questioning what's going on at Chelsea, he's been working on the training pitch, thinking about his tactics for this game and drilling it into his players."

Simple things, easily forgotten after a strained summer. For all the talk of Tottenham's troubles in transitioning to Wembley, make no mistake about it, Chelsea were the team going into the game with question marks over their capabilities. An opening weekend home defeat to Burnley in which Conte's men were three down at half time will do that.
Add to that the frustrations of the transfer window, suspensions to Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas, and the injury of Eden Hazard - the problems were mounting. Throw in the comments of the exiled Diego Costa that Conte is "not a coach who is very close with his players" and "does not possess charisma" and the word 'crisis' was even being mooted.

What followed was a response every bit as emphatic in its own way as anything that Manchester United have treated us to in thrashing West Ham and Swansea so far. Chelsea battled their way to victory, seeing off wave after wave of Tottenham attacks. Under pressure, they stuck together and took the acclaim of the fans at the final whistle.
Pochettino and his players will feel unfortunate that Chelsea scored from their only two shots on target, a fabulous free-kick and a late drive under Hugo Lloris, both by Marcos Alonso. But there were other opportunities. Alvaro Morata somehow contrived to divert his fifth-minute header wide of the post and Willian struck a second-half shot against it.

Even so, this was undeniably a win that Chelsea had to grind out. Playing almost exclusively on the counter-attack, the performance required concentration and for the team to remain compact. Top-class players were asked to chase and harry rather than show off their skills, sacrificing themselves for the team. Conte will be all the more pleased because of that fact.
The statistics tell much of the tale. Tottenham had 18 shots, more than Chelsea faced in any game last season. Conte's men also saw only 32.5 per cent of the ball. By comparison, their lowest possession stats in their title win was the 37.6 per cent that they had in drawing against Liverpool at Anfield. But it was all part of the coach's plan.

Speaking afterwards, David Luiz interrupted team-mate Alonso to hammer home the point. "It was a clever game," he said. "You need to understand when you play against a very good team, sometimes you can keep more of the ball and have possession but sometimes you need to try to surprise on the counter-attack. I think we did great in a clever way."
Chelsea switched to a midfield diamond - what amounted to a 3-6-1 formation - in an attempt to crowd out the creative players in Tottenham's much-vaunted midfield. A new-look back-three of Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta was cobbled together at Cobham. David Luiz was pressed into action in the centre of midfield.

The player himself described his role as being "to cover the space of the fantastic players like [Christian] Eriksen and Dele Alli" and while there were times when they eluded him, he stuck to the task. The Brazilian added: "They always play very well between the lines so I was trying to close this gap and not leave space for them to create. I tried to do my best."
Conte is renowned for his training ground work, focusing on pattern of play and repeated drills - especially important when using a new system. It was a change of formation that proved decisive in last season's title success. While there is little suggestion that this performance was a stylistic template for the coming campaign, it is still significant.

"There was a lot of talking in the week from everybody," the two-goal hero Alonso told Sky Sports afterwards. "I think that we showed we are together. We worked so hard this week and we 100 per cent deserved this win." As Neville put it, the players "showed they are with their manager" and that is what will delight Conte in the aftermath of victory.
It was his first thought in his post-match interview. "First of all I want to thank my players because I think their commitment, their heart, their desire that they put onto the pitch was incredible today in a moment that was very difficult for us," said the Chelsea boss. "They showed me that the desire of last season stays in our hearts. That's very important."

After the malaise that followed their previous title win under Jose Mourinho, everyone at Chelsea will share that sentiment. This result and the manner of it will do much to dispel any fears of a repeat. Conte's successful tactical changes have reinforced the idea that he still has the plan. - SKY SPORTS

Uncle London with this flaw and dysfunctional system !!! Nigeria’s unity not negotiable, says Buhari

 President Muhammadu Buhari says the unity of the country is not negotiable.

Buhari said this in his first address to the nation since he returned from London, where he had been receiving medical attention for over three months.
Revealing that he was in touch with major developments in the country while abroad, Buhari said some those who questioned our collective existence as a nation went too far.
“In the course of my stay in the United Kingdom, I have been kept in daily touch with events at home,” he said.

“Nigeria’s unity is settled and not negotiable. We shall not allow irresponsible elements to start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with their blood.”
In his absence, the call for restructuring was rife and there was tension in the land based on a quit notice which a youth group issued to the Igbo in the north.
But Buhari overruled that, saying Nigerians were free to live wherever they choose.
He also charged security agencies not to be distracted by the successes achieved in the last 18 months.

Vowing that “terrorists and criminals” would be destroyed, Buhari said the menace of herdsmen would also be tackled.
He also promised to address kidnapping and ethnic violence “fueled by mischief makers”.
“I am charging the security agencies not to let the successes achieved in the last 18 months be a sign to relax.
terrorists and criminals must be fought and destroyed relentlessly so that the majority of us can live in peace and safety,” he said.

“Therefore we are going to reinforce and reinvigorate the fight not only against; elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of attacks on soft targets kidnappings, farmers versus herdsmen clashes, in addition to ethnic violence fuelled by political mischief makers. We shall tackle them all.
“Finally, dear Nigerians, our collective interest now is to eschew petty differences and come together to face common challenges of; economic security, political evolution and integration as well as lasting peace among all Nigerians''. - Cable Nigeria

Madness !!! Yahaya Bello declares public holiday over Buhari’s return

Yahaya Bello, Kogi state governor, has declared Monday as public holiday and “thanksgiving” day over the safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari to the country.

Buhari returned to the country on Saturday after leaving on May 7 to receive medical attention.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Kingsley Fanwo, the governor’s spokesman, Bello said the gesture is to show the support of the people of the state for the president.

He thanked the people of the state for “standing by Buhari” and for trooping to Abuja to welcome “the lion of Africa” back to the country.

Bello described Buhari as “Mr. Integrity” for “ his efforts in tackling” corruption in the country.

“The gesture is in line with the support of Kogi people for the renaissance of our nation by Mr President,” the statement read.

“We urge Kogites to also use the occasion of the public holiday to pray for Mr President as he resumes his responsibilities of repositioning Nigeria.

He also described the president as “an African icon who is a nightmare to corruption” celebrated for “his vision and commitment to the greatness of Nigeria”.

“Nigeria was almost a globally blacklisted state due to institutionalized corruption until the advent of the man whom world leaders respect as the antidote for corruption came on the stage to reverse the trend. Mr Integrity is the singular reason the world is having hope in a prosperous Nigeria,” Bello said.

“Let me thank Nigerians for standing firmly with the man who has restored their hopes. Nigerians prayed fervently for the recovery of Mr President and their prayers have been answered.

“With the return of Mr President, we are re-assured that good governance will continue to be the lot of our nation.”

He also thanked Acting President Yemi Osinbajo “who has displayed competence, loyalty and patriotism throughout his stint.”

“It is a testimony that our party is a gourd of great leaders,” the governor added. - Cable Nigeria

UK : Almost one in three Jews thinking of quitting

Almost one in three British Jews has considered moving abroad in the past two years, a survey has found.

The findings come from a large-scale study by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism which surveyed nearly 4,000 members of the community during 2016 and 2017.
One in six British Jews (17%) reported feeling unwelcome in Britain and over a third (37%) said they had felt the need to conceal their Judaism in public.


They found that 31% of British Jews had considered moving abroad, a rise from 28% during their last survey two years ago.
Some 65% of respondents said they believed the Government was not doing enough to protect them, and over four-fifths feel the Labour party is too tolerant of anti-Semitism.
However, a separate YouGov survey, carried out for the CAA, found that anti-Semitic attitudes in UK society, measured by how many respondents agreed with seven anti-Semitic statements, were declining, with the number of people who agreed with at least one statement down from 45% in 2015 to 36% in 2017.

The campaign group works on bringing cases of anti-Semitism to justice, and chairman Gideon Falter told Sky News the findings should be "a shot across the bows" for the authorities.
Mr Falter said: "We've got a very serious situation where on the one hand, British society is very effectively starting to shun anti-Semitism, but the institutions we rely on to protect our communities are not doing enough.
"We've been talking about it for years and years. When are they going to wake up?"
The CAA claims only around two dozen anti-Jewish crimes are prosecuted every year but the Crown Prosecution Service said it did not recognise the figure.

A spokesman said: "Tackling hate crime in all its forms is a priority for the CPS and last year we prosecuted over 15,000 cases more than ever before."
Mandy Blumenthal, who is in her 50s and runs a commercial property company, told Sky News she was making preparations to move to Israel.
Ms Blumenthal spent most of her life in Birmingham where her father, a former Major in the British Army, served as Lord Mayor and her mother worked as a magistrate. She has encountered anti-Jewish prejudice, and knows others who have been targeted with verbal and physical abuse.

"I was always very happy in England, I come from a normal British family, my parents were so proud to be British and our ethos at home was always that you have to give back to society," she said.
"I can't believe I'm having to do this but I'm literally scared not of what's going to be happening in England tomorrow or even next year, but I think within the next 10 years it will not be tolerable for Jews here."
Others in north London had dramatically different experiences.
Jodeci, a student from Ilford, who wears a Jewish skullcup, said he was shocked by the finding that one in three Jews had considered emigrating.
He said: "I've had an extremely good approach from people to the fact that I'm Jewish. I feel very safe here."

Earlier this year the Community Security Trust, another organisation which monitors anti-Semitism, recorded 1,309 incidents of anti-Jewish hate last year, compared with 960 in 2015 - a rise of 36%.
They included 107 violent assaults and 65 incidents of damage and desecration to Jewish property, as well as more than 1,000 incidents of abusive behaviour in person and on social media.

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Responding to the survey, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Our Hate Crime Action Plan sets out how we will tackle these crimes, boost reporting to the police and Community Security Trust and help victims rebuild their lives.

"We are also providing an extra £13.4m to protect Jewish faith schools and synagogues."- Sky 

Arsenal need to sell before we can buy - Arsene Wenger

Wenger says his first thought is not to sign new players as he reflected on Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Stoke City at bet365 Stadium.

Jese Rodriguez's debut strike 90 seconds into the second half gave Stoke the surprise victory on Saturday, although Wenger was unimpressed with the decision to disallow an Alexandre Lacazette goal for offside.
The Arsenal boss was asked for an update on the club's transfer business following the loss and reiterated that any immediate movement would involve players going out, rather than in.
"I expect to sell players first, that is all," Wenger told reporters. "I expect some players to go because we have too many players and it is not manageable. 

"Many clubs are in this situation which is why the transfer market is quiet. We have 33 players at the moment, and that is too many players.
"I am not in transfer mode after a game like that. We are more disappointed at the moment rather than thinking about buying players straight away tonight."

Wenger also felt Hector Bellerin should have had a penalty in the first half after going down under a challenge from Mame Biram Diouf.
Asked if he thought the incident was a spot-kick, Wenger said: "Of course, but we know we don't get penalties - we know that.
"Look at the numbers and you will see. Look at the statistics and that is it. Penalties - we had last year the highest number of penalties against us at home by a mile and the lowest number for us.
"So I give you just the numbers, I don't say anything else." 

But Wenger was also critical of Arsenal's defending for Jese's goal, as the Gunners suffered a defeat that puts them under pressure going into next Sunday's match away to Liverpool.
"It is the kind of night where you are angry because not only did we not score with the number of chances we had, we made stupid mistakes centrally," he said.
"First by losing the ball and then afterwards we didn't defend properly for the goal. On top of that, I think we were unlucky with some of the referee’s decisions because we scored a regular goal [by Lacazette].

"In football, when you don't win, you can only look at yourself. Last week [the 4-3 win against Leicester City] we conceded two goals on corners. 
"They only had three shots on goal, so I don't feel that we defended that badly. On set-pieces, yes.
"But here I would say that we can look at ourselves and we are 100 per cent guilty on the goal we conceded" he concluded. - Goal

'' I remember one day he started shooting the journalists'' - Pochettino recalls Maradona mayhem

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino continues to idolise Diego Maradona, despite the Argentina great once abandoning his young team-mate and going absent from a training camp to attack reporters with an air rifle.

Pochettino had the dubious honour of sharing a room with the veteran Maradona at Newell's Old Boys in 1994, the mercurial forward having returned home following his glittering, if erratic, spell in Europe with Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla.
Speaking ahead of the clash against Chelsea at Wembley, the Spurs manager cast his mind back to the chaos of attempting to learn his trade alongside one of football's most colourful characters.

"We were together in the room during pre-season in Mar del Plata," Pochettino said.
"I remember one day he started shooting the journalists in Argentina. The day before he was sleeping in my room. He loved basketball and went to see it in Mar del Plata – the final in the conference. And then, in the morning, I woke up and he wasn't in bed.
"I then go to breakfast, the manager asked about him and I said: 'No, no, no, he didn't come back to the hotel.'

"After breakfast we went to training. Nobody knew about Diego and at lunchtime it was breaking news on the television... 'Diego shoots journalists in Buenos Aires!' 400 kilometres away!"
In the same year Maradona was thrown out of the 1994 World Cup in disgrace for failing a drugs test and, in 1998, he eventually received a suspended prison sentence of two years and 10 months for opening fire on reporters in the incident recalled by Pochettino.

Despite the former national team player and manager's occasionally bizarre behaviour, Pochettino insists it is impossible not to adore the "real" Maradona.
"I love him," he said.
"I love everything about him. I knew Maradona, the real Maradona. We see him on the pitch and then there is his image. Outside it was crazy.

"But I promise you, if he arrived here and opened the door we'd all be in love with him.
"His energy, his personality – and he's a person that when he's with you he makes you feel the best.

"I think I was one of the most happiest people in the world when I met him for the first time. Because it was a dream come true, but more than a dream.
"It's so difficult in English to express myself and my emotion.'' - Goal