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ARGENTINE PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS, ORODE, NIGERIAN PLAYER IN ARGENTINA

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Olé, a publication in Argentina has highlighted Felix Orode, a Nigerian player featuring in the domestic league. It began with a question lead: “Did you know that there is a Nigerian who plays here has chances to face the National Team (Argentina) in the World Cup?  The Nigerian who had his debut in the Argentine league under Coach Diego Simeone now features for Defensores de Pronunciamiento.

“My wife already tells me that Nigeria-Argentina is just another classic,” Orode joked with Olé. According to information at the disposal of www.sportsvillagesquare , Orode had a tough time adapting to customs and language in Argentina when he made his debut in San Lorenzo in 2009.  According to Olé, Orode’s career is taking a new turn since last year when the Super Eagles began to follow him.  “Yes, gentlemen: Felix could be Messi’s rival!” remarked Olé.  The highlight of the interview translated from Spanish runs:

  • What did you think when you saw that Argentina will face Nigeria in the group phase?

 

FELIX ORODE:  (smiles) I was looking at the drawing at home and, as soon as it came out, my wife said: “Again with you, we are a classic.” It’s going to be a nice game. It is a difficult group, where anyone can beat anyone…

 

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  • Your children Simona (almost two years) and Salvador (two), do you explain that his mother is Argentina and his father is Nigerian?

Yes, I taught them the two flags and I tell them whenever they have two countries. I feel the same way. I’m even doing Argentina citizenship and I want to make them Nigerian. I hope that someday we can travel all four, I want my mom to meet her grandchildren…

 

  • There is talk that you have a chance to go to the World Cup. Can you imagine yourself in Russia?

It’s my big dream! It all came up when in Sportivo barracks I was given the ticket to go visit my family. When we arrived in Nigeria they found out that I was playing in Argentina and they started following me. They asked the club to send my videos and now we’re in touch. I know it’s hard, but with God everything is possible.

·         Do you know the players of the national team?A few. I talk a lot with Moses Simon: with him I shared a squad in the Under 20, where I played in 2007. He told me many things and hopefully we can share the team again. ·         You already thought about changing the shirt with Messi if it touches you?It would be incredible, but I do not know if it would cheer me up. I always look at Barcelona for him, I admire him a lot. There are not many like him, a Messi pass is a goal. ·         What does your family say to you in Nigeria?My family is very happy, they call me every day and they tell me what is said about me in the media there. The only problem is that I am unaccustomed to the language and sometimes I mix Spanish with English and my mother challenges me because she does not understand me, heh.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health

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Brasileiro Championship - Gremio v Flamengo - Arena do Gremio, Porto Alegre, Brazil - September 22, 2024 Flamengo coach Tite REUTERS/Diego Vara/File Photo

Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.

The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.

“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.

“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.

“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”

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Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.

-Reuters

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Brazil sack coach Dorival after humiliating loss to Argentina

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World Cup - South American Qualifiers - Argentina v Brazil - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - March 25, 2025 Brazil coach Dorival Junior is seen before the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo

Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.

The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.

“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.

“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.

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Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.

However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.

Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.

Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.

But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.

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Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.

Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.

Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.

Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.

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Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.

Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.

Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.

They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.

-Reuters

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England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game

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England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.

Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.

“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.

Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.

However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.

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“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.

-Reuters

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