International Football
Automatic Shirt For Me, Sack Rohr or I quit, says Igiebor
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Christopher Green, head of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has admonished Super Eagles’ Nosa Igiebor to reconsider his stand on future national call ups. Igiebor, who on Sunday scored a last minute goal to aid his Turkish Süper Lig club, Çaykur Rizespor Kulübü to a 6-0 defeat of Bursaspor, has vowed never to honour any call up by Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles’ manager.
Another Nigerian player, Bright Edomwonyi had earlier scored to take the tally to 5-0.
Igiebor has not featured for a minute in any of the four matches Rohr had been in charge of the Nigerian side. The mid fielder was quoted at the weekend as saying: “It’s true; I’m no longer interested in playing for Nigeria as long as Gernot Rohr remains the coach.
“He disrespected me. He treated me like I’m nobody. I won’t honour any more calls unless if he assures me that I will play.
“I can’t watch players I’m better than play ahead of me.” If statistics obtained from Soccerway, an online football publication is anything to be considered, Igiebor has played 10 matches out of 30 matches for his Turkish club this season.
That made him the least active of the Nigerian trio in the club. Defender, Godfrey Oboabona has been more regular, playing 24 of the 30 matches so far for the club. Also, Bright Edomwonyi, who scored nine minutes before Igiebor’s last minute goal in the Sunday 6-0 defeat of Bursaspor in the Turkish Süper Lig, had played 12 times, two more than Igiebor who is calling for an automatic Super Eagles’ shirt or the sack of the coach.
In a popular whatsapp group chat, “Family United by Sports” anchored by Godwin Enakhena, Green remarked that Nosa is “no doubt a huge talent and no player want to sit on the bench. It boils down to what the coach wants from the player. As a professional he should just continue to work on his game. I like a player that is so confident of himself but for him to say he would not honour any call up under Rohr is taking it too far.”
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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