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| As Hawks Fire French Coach Thierry Froger |
After losing in his bid to coach the Super Eagles, former Nigeria international, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has secured a new job to manage the national team of another West African country.
Speaking in a telephone chat from his United States base, Complete Sports Saturday exclusively gathered that Keshi is set to resume as the chief coach of the Togolese national team, the Hawks before the end of this month.
The Big Boss as Keshi is fondly called by Nigerian fans would be taking over from Frenchman, Thierry Froger who was recently sacked as coach of the Hawks following spates of poor results which have seen the Togolese team failing to win any match in recent times.
The Togo job would be Keshi’s second stint as coach of the Hawks, having handled the Togolese team between 2004 and 2006 when he led Togo to qualify for their first World Cup finals.
Speaking in a telephone chat from his United States base, Complete Sports Saturday exclusively gathered that Keshi is set to resume as the chief coach of the Togolese national team, the Hawks before the end of this month.
The Big Boss as Keshi is fondly called by Nigerian fans would be taking over from Frenchman, Thierry Froger who was recently sacked as coach of the Hawks following spates of poor results which have seen the Togolese team failing to win any match in recent times.
The Togo job would be Keshi’s second stint as coach of the Hawks, having handled the Togolese team between 2004 and 2006 when he led Togo to qualify for their first World Cup finals.
He was however, unable to lead the Hawks to Germany for the tournament proper, as he was sacked as coach of the team prior to the World Cup finals following a poor outing at the 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt where the Hawks failed to advance beyond the group stages.
After his sack from Togo, Keshi went on to become the coach of the Mali national team signing a two-year deal in April 2008. He succeeded in qualifying Mali for the 2010 African Cup of Nations but failed to secure the World Cup ticket. His sojourn in Mali however, ended abruptly, as he was sacked as coach after Mali failed to go beyond the group stages at the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola.
Keshi lost out to former national team colleague, Samson Siasia, in the race to land the Nigerian plum job recently.
After his sack from Togo, Keshi went on to become the coach of the Mali national team signing a two-year deal in April 2008. He succeeded in qualifying Mali for the 2010 African Cup of Nations but failed to secure the World Cup ticket. His sojourn in Mali however, ended abruptly, as he was sacked as coach after Mali failed to go beyond the group stages at the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola.
Keshi lost out to former national team colleague, Samson Siasia, in the race to land the Nigerian plum job recently.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Yak Seeks West Ham Move Following Everton Bench Hell
Nigeria forward, Yakubu Aiyegbeni could be set for a January exit from Everton after expressing his desire for a move to West Ham United.
The Nigerian was the subject of a controversial approach by the Hammers during the summer transfer window.
Six weeks after seeing Everton reject their £6m bid for the player, West Ham enraged the Goodison outfit by lodging a second, lower bid that was dismissed as “derisory”.
Nevertheless, West Ham manager Avram Grant is keen to bolster his strikeforce and has not lost interest in Yakubu, having worked with the forward when in charge at Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.
The Nigerian was the subject of a controversial approach by the Hammers during the summer transfer window.
Six weeks after seeing Everton reject their £6m bid for the player, West Ham enraged the Goodison outfit by lodging a second, lower bid that was dismissed as “derisory”.
Nevertheless, West Ham manager Avram Grant is keen to bolster his strikeforce and has not lost interest in Yakubu, having worked with the forward when in charge at Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.
Grant was spotted talking to the Nigeria international during half-time of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw between the teams at Upton Park.
Yakubu has endured a difficult campaign, netting just once in seven starts and is among the batch of strikers that continue to misfire under Moyes this season.
And it has now emerged the 28-year-old striker would be willing to make the move to London after growing frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities this season.
Everton would have to lower their summer asking price for Yakubu if West Ham are to make any serious offer, but Moyes may be tempted to move the Nigerian on and free up funds to bring in a replacement during next month’s transfer window.
Although Tuesday’s draw – their seventh in their last 11 games – means Everton are ensconced in mid-table with 22 points at the halfway point of the Premier League season, Yakubu believes European remains a realistic ambition.
Yakubu has endured a difficult campaign, netting just once in seven starts and is among the batch of strikers that continue to misfire under Moyes this season.
And it has now emerged the 28-year-old striker would be willing to make the move to London after growing frustrated at his lack of first-team opportunities this season.
Everton would have to lower their summer asking price for Yakubu if West Ham are to make any serious offer, but Moyes may be tempted to move the Nigerian on and free up funds to bring in a replacement during next month’s transfer window.
Although Tuesday’s draw – their seventh in their last 11 games – means Everton are ensconced in mid-table with 22 points at the halfway point of the Premier League season, Yakubu believes European remains a realistic ambition.
“That’s our target,” he said. “We want to finish in Europe. We’ll see how it goes. We’ll take each game as it comes and work hard in training.
“It’s not going to be easy but we’ll try. As a player you want to keep winning every week.
Sometimes we don’t do that but we want to keep doing the right things in training. At the moment results are not always going for us.”
Moyes’ displeasure at his struggling forwards was made clear on Tuesday evening when Yakubu and the two other available strikers, Louis Saha and Jermaine Beckford, were all named on the bench.
Yakubu eventually emerged after an hour at Upton Park, and of his first-team chances this season he said: “It’s frustrating as a striker when you don’t play.
“I want to play. When you don’t have chances to play it’s really hard for you as a striker.
“It’s frustrating sitting on the bench. But the team are playing really well, so you have to wait and take your chance.
“I just concentrate on my work as a striker. There is pressure when you play and don’t score goals.”
“It’s not going to be easy but we’ll try. As a player you want to keep winning every week.
Sometimes we don’t do that but we want to keep doing the right things in training. At the moment results are not always going for us.”
Moyes’ displeasure at his struggling forwards was made clear on Tuesday evening when Yakubu and the two other available strikers, Louis Saha and Jermaine Beckford, were all named on the bench.
Yakubu eventually emerged after an hour at Upton Park, and of his first-team chances this season he said: “It’s frustrating as a striker when you don’t play.
“I want to play. When you don’t have chances to play it’s really hard for you as a striker.
“It’s frustrating sitting on the bench. But the team are playing really well, so you have to wait and take your chance.
“I just concentrate on my work as a striker. There is pressure when you play and don’t score goals.”
AIYEGBENI SAYS NO TO WEST HAM
Eagles Star Ready To See-Off Contract
Nigeria forward, Yakubu Aiyegbeni is willing to honour his contract with English Premier League side, Everton, despite reported interest from basement club, West Ham United.
Yakubu has found it difficult to pin down a regular shirt in the David Moyes team, despite his impressive displays for the Toffees since returning from the injury which sidelined him early in the campaign.
Moyes instead prefers a Louis Saha, Tim Cahil partnership with youngster, Jermaine Beckford favoured ahead of the Yak.
Yakubu has found it difficult to pin down a regular shirt in the David Moyes team, despite his impressive displays for the Toffees since returning from the injury which sidelined him early in the campaign.
Moyes instead prefers a Louis Saha, Tim Cahil partnership with youngster, Jermaine Beckford favoured ahead of the Yak.
West Ham are in the market for a World Class striker to steer them off the relegation zone and also shoulder goalscoring responsibilities with the likes Frederic Piquonne and Obinna Nsofor, should England international Carlton Cole decide to leave in the winter transfer market.
The Hammers who expressed interest in signing Yakubu last summer have once again been linked with the bulky striker, amidst speculations that they might get their man this time around.
A switch to London will certainly afford the erstwhile Middlesbrough player the opportunity to play more regularly, but it seems he is not thinking along that line for now.The Hammers who expressed interest in signing Yakubu last summer have once again been linked with the bulky striker, amidst speculations that they might get their man this time around.
‘The Yak’ told Complete Sports Saturday, Thursday evening from his Merseysede base that he is not thinking about quitting Everton for now.
“At the moment, I am not thinking of quitting Everton,” begins the former Portsmouth star.
“I have heard about the interest from West Ham but I still have two years left on my current contract with Everton, it is unthinkable for anybody to write that I am about to quit the club.
“Though things are not easy at the moment, I’m just concentrating on helping the club achieve greater things this season,” he stated
INTER MOVE TO OFFLOAD NSOFOR!
Italian Side Won’t Renew Eagles Star’s Contract As Door Opens For West Ham Deal
Fresh fact emerged from Appiano lately that Inter Milan supremo, Massimo Morrati won’t offer a new contract to Super Eagles and West Ham striker, Obinna Nsofor.
Italian sports newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Inter is ready to finally end the player’s contract after the former Chievo striker suffered a nightmare season at the Nerrazurris where he featured only sparingly under Jose Mourinho, prompting his loan move to West Ham in England.
Italian sports newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Inter is ready to finally end the player’s contract after the former Chievo striker suffered a nightmare season at the Nerrazurris where he featured only sparingly under Jose Mourinho, prompting his loan move to West Ham in England.
With just three goals to his credit for West Ham so far, Obinna has found a new home at West Ham where he featured 14 times in the English Premier League and twice in the League Cup this season, as the Hammers battle to stay afloat amidst poor results which have confined the side to the bottom of the table.
At this juncture, the former Enyimba striker will be allowed to decide on his future in June, with likely destination pointing towards a possible stay at the Hammers after recent speculation linked him with Fulham and Aston Villa.
Obinna has impressed pundits at the Hammers and he stands a good chance of signing the dotted lines should the club survive relegation at the end of the 2010/2011 season.
At this juncture, the former Enyimba striker will be allowed to decide on his future in June, with likely destination pointing towards a possible stay at the Hammers after recent speculation linked him with Fulham and Aston Villa.
Obinna has impressed pundits at the Hammers and he stands a good chance of signing the dotted lines should the club survive relegation at the end of the 2010/2011 season.
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