An unspecified number of Nigerian journalists travelling to Uyo for Friday’s Nigeria versus Libya’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match have been rescued.

This is contained in a press release by the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Thursday. The association commended the Nigerian security forces for their efforts in the rescue operation.
From the press release, it was gathered that the media men were abducted within the  Anambra and Imo states axis.

”SWAN therefore commends the security operatives, particularly the Nigerian Army and Police for their prompt action which ensured that up to six of the held Sports Journalists regained their freedom with efforts to get the remaining person freed”, reads the SWAN statement.

German coach Juergen Klopp has been appointed head of global soccer for Red Bull, owners of several clubs including RB Leipzig and New York Red Bulls, the company said on Wednesday, in his first job since leaving Liverpool earlier this year.

Klopp, who ended his successful nine-year stint with Liverpool at the end of last season, will be starting on January 1, 2025.

“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” Klopp, who also coached Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund, said in a statement.

“The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.”

The 57-year-old joined Liverpool in October 2015 and won the Champions League, their first English League title since 1990, the Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup and Super Cup, as well as the Community Shield during his time in charge.

Klopp, who also led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League final in 2013, had announced in January he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Klopp will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany, United States, Brazil and Austria, the company said.

“He will provide strategic vision, supporting individual sporting directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy,” Red Bull said.

Klopp will also support the organisation’s global scouting operation, and contribute to the training and development of coaches.

“I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more,” Klopp said.

Some German media reported his Red Bull contract included an exit clause for the post of Germany national team coach.

Klopp has long been linked to that job, especially after his successful stint at Liverpool and with Germany struggling to make an impact on the international stage in the past decade.

-Reuters

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has cited a conflict of interests and therefore asked Sudan’s Ghana coach, Kwasi Appiah to step down from the dual position he is holding. he is a board member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and at the same time, the head coach of the Sudan national team.

Both Ghana and Sudan are in the same Group F of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and are due to play back-to-back matches this week and the next as the series enters match days 3 and 4.  

Staying in both positions means he would be working for two different associations involved in the same competition.

The situation is contrary to the CAF Statutes and the FIFA Code of Ethics. CAF in a memo dated 6 October 2024 has asked Appiah to at least temporarily step down from one role.

The letter signed by Felix Majani, the CAF Director of Legal Affairs partly reads: “For that reason and to preserve the integrity of the AFCON qualifiers, I urge you to take immediate action to resolve this conflict of interest, including at the minimum, temporarily stepping down from one of the two roles until the conclusion of the competition.”

The qualifiers will conclude in November 2024 with Sudan set to face Niger before hosting Angola. Appiah took over the Sudan job in 2023 and guided the team to four wins in six competitive matches.

His Sudanese team is due to face his native country and the football association he belongs to, Ghana on Thursday in the first leg of the qualifiers in Accra.

Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat to Angola before a 1-1 draw against Niger, leaving them third in Group F with just one point.

According to media sources in Ghana, Appiah, a former Ghana Black Stars coach,  has opted to temporarily step down from the Ghana FA council.