International Football
Aisha Buhari tournament is best gift to the girl –child – Rita Nwadike
Nigeria legend Rita Nwadike has poured encomiums on the First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Aisha Buhari for agreeing to headline the upcoming Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament kicking off in the City of Lagos, Nigeria from September 15 – 21.
Nwadike said the Aisha Buhari Cup with the theme Playing for Good is a most laudable project under the First Lady’s Future Assured Programme (FAP) for the girl-child, women and the less privileged in the society.
“I thank the organisers of the Aisha Buhari Cup who took the bold step to meet with Mr President’s wife over this noble project and the First Lady’s decision to support the bringing of the best women teams in Africa to Nigeria. For the girl-child, it’s the best gift possible and I want to appreciate her for doing this noble project during her tenure.
On the Super Falcons’ squad, Nwadike asserted the players therein are the best and capable of lifting the maiden ABC trophy for the country.
“I’m satisfied with the list, I think that’s the best the new team’s handler can work with at the moment. He is familiar with all the players and has been working with them at various tournaments. He cannot begin now to experiment, not at this invitational tournament that everyone is coming to win.
The Aisha Buhari Foundation focuses on women, young girls as well as vulnerable citizens like widows, orphans and the disabled. The programme involves training for entrepreneurial skills and provision of starter packs, conditional and unconditional cash transfers and provision of business tools.
Meanwhile, a girls’ grassroots football team, Infinitus Football Academy, bankrolled by former Nigeria international goalkeeper Rachael Ayegba, has thrown its weight behind the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament. The six-nation showpiece scheduled to be held from September 15 to 21 this month.
With the theme in mind, the young girls of the Lokoja-based Academy declared their solidarity for the competition, which is inaugurated to motivate the girl-child to embrace football and also grow the women’s game on the continent.
Team Coach Timothy Emmanuel harped on the opportunities behind the initiative and the future impact on the girls’ careers.
“We are excited with the positive responses of the girls to the vision and mission of the competition and the possibility of shaping the future of the young girls,” Emmanuel told ABC media.
Responding on behalf of the team, captain Fatimah Ahmed said: “We are happy to know about the Aisha Buhari Cup. We support the idea because we all want our future to be assured through football. We also believe that one day, we will all grow up to have the chance to represent our country and play in the competition or even in a bigger one.”
Earlier, Ayegba, who spoke from her base in Finland, expressed belief that the Aisha Buhari Cup will not only shape the dream of the girl-child in Nigeria but across the continent.
“I am happy to see how the young girls are feeling about the invitational tournament. It will surely go a long way to inspire them to pursue their career in football.”
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
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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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
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.
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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