Governing Bodies
Former Shooting Stars and Super Eagles player, Pascal blasts fire-stoking ex-internationals
Former Super Eagles’ star Patrick Pascal has admonished a few of his fellow ex-international players who have nothing doing other than gaslighting football’s political space, to get busy with more positive and worthy endeavours.
Speaking on telephone from his Bauchi base on Wednesday, Pascal a former player of the Shooting Stars of Ibadan who is also the Chairman of Bauchi State Football Association, charged this brand of ex-internationals to imbibe the culture of hard work, and to actively develop themselves and develop the social quotient and emotional intelligence to competently challenge the part of the system they have issues with, not engage in empty rabble-rousing.
“We need to sit down and reflect hard on what we actually want to pursue, cogitate and intelligently seek those things, once they are noble and presentable.
“What I see presently is just silly moves and talks to create confusion that benefits no one. If you are actually interested in helping the system, building the system and making it more robust in the interest of all, why stoke fire that could potentially burn everything down?
“If you want to be an administrator, why not take the pain to study the Statutes and see how you can come inside and gradually work your way up?
“If you want to be a coach, why not take the patience to earn your coaching badges and then seek employment even if from club level?
“I admire people like Imama Amapakabo, Kennedy Boboye, Emmanuel Amuneke and Finidi George for the steps they have taken.
“Even if you want to be a player-manager, the route is clearly defined. So, why the need to cause trouble and chaos if you actually mean well?”
Pascal is at sea on what any clear-thinking ex-international could have against an Amaju Pinnick-NFF that continues to break new grounds in attraction of corporate partnerships, international football politics, organizational branding, international teams’ travels and accommodation, support for women’s football, welfare for and recognition and honour of former players, office infrastructure for FAs across the States of the federation and many more.
“We have an NFF Board that is responsive and responsible, transparent and accountable. We have people who have the interest of the game at heart and who can knock at mighty doors and they get the ears of those who make big political decisions.
“We should support them and not make moves that will endanger the football environment and the industry itself.
“Look at it this way: for so many years now, we have been trying to get the recognition of FIFPRO so that our players can truly have a sense of belonging. No way.
“Now, we have someone in FIFA and CAF Executive Committees who cares about our case and is ready to get us back into FIFPRO.
“I was so happy seeing the President of Players’ Union, Tijjani Babangida being introduced to the CAF President in Cameroon some weeks ago. We didn’t get such recognition and honour in the past.
“Instead of us to come together, keep a calm head and work with such a man, some of us are busy writing meaningless and odious petitions all over the place. That is a total lack of focus and ambition.”
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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