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NIGERIA’S KELECHI NWAKALI RANKED AMONG PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR IN EGYPT 2019

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Will the Egypt 2019 Africa Cup for the U23 throw up new stars? That will be determined as the competition, which enters its third edition kicks off this Friday.

Apart from the three tickets for the 2020 men’s football event that are at stake, already eyes are on the potential stars. Among those picked for special attention is Nigeria’s Kelechi Nwakali.

 

The midfielder was the Nigerian captain in the U-17 FIFA World Cup Chile 2015 where he guided them to their record fifth title, winning the Golden Ball in the process.

Currently featuring for the Spanish side, Huesca, will he live up to expectation? He is expected to be on parade with the Nigerian side, which take on Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday in a West African derby.

Also being focused on is Egypt’s Ramadan Sobhy, teammate of Nigeria’s Junior Ajayi at the fanatically supported Al Ahly of Cairo.

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Sobhy, who had previously played in England for Stoke City and Huddersfield Town was among Egypt squad in FIFA World Cup, Russia 2018. He also was among The Pharaohs side that finished Africa Cup of Nations Gabon 2017 as losing finalists. He played in the previous edition of U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal 2015, scoring once.

Squaring up against Sobhy in the opening match of the Egypt 2019 is Mali’s Aly Mallé. A winger with Turkish side, Balikesirspor, Malle won the bronze ball in the U-17 FIFA World Cup Chile 2015, scoring two goals and assisting as much as Mali finished the global tournament as runner ups.

Also to be on parade is Cameroon’s Eric Ayuk. Like Mali’sMallé, he also plays in Turkey. But his club is Osmanlispor.

He scored twice in the qualifiers. He is a regular starter with his Turkish side, and scored once in this season’s league.

The Ghanaian star to watch is Owusu Kwabena who plays for

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Cordoba, in Spain. He has three caps with the Black Stars and was a part of Ghana squad in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, also in Egypt. He scored four goals in the U-23 AFCON qualifiers.

On Saturday when Nigeria takes on Cote d’Ivoire, the player to watch out for is Christian Kouamé. The player who wears shirt number 11 and features for Italian side, Genoa, scored twice in the qualifiers.

He has been in a brilliant form with Genoa, having scored five goals and assisted three in Serie A this season.

In the South African squad is Luther Singh who plays for Morirense in Portugal. He won the Golden Boot as top scorer of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Zambia 2017. He scored two goals in five caps with senior Bafana Bafana side.

The star player to watch out for in the Zambian squad is Patson Daka of Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. He was voted best player when Zambia won the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations at home in 2017. He won CAF Youth Player of the Year award for the same year.

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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

German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England

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 - Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 12, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

-Reuters

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Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel

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Champions League - Bayern Munich Training - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 7, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on the pitch during a walk around REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.

Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.

PLAYING CAREER

* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.

* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.

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* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.

* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

COACHING CAREER

* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.

* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.

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* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.

* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.

* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.

* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.

* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.

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* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.

* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.

* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.

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* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.

* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

-Reuters

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Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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