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Kevin-Prince Boateng urged Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to join Napoli as a tribute to club and Argentina great Diego Maradona.

Maradona – arguably football's greatest ever player – died at the age of 60 after suffering heart failure last month.

Napoli renamed their stadium to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in honour of the 1986 World Cup winner, who guided the Serie A side to their only Scudetto triumphs in 1987 and 1990 after arriving from Barca in 1984.

Messi removed his Barca shirt to reveal a Newell's Old Boys jersey emblazoned with Maradona's famous number 10 after scoring in last month's 4-0 La Liga rout of Osasuna.

But former Barca team-mate Boateng wants six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi – who has been heavily linked to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain – to do more to pay tribute to his countryman.

"I often hear of the comparison between Messi and Maradona and therefore I'll make a proposal to Leo," Boateng, who now plays for Serie B outfit Monza alongside Mario Balotelli, told ESPN.

"He should go to Napoli after his contract with Barcelona expires. It would be great if he himself called [president Aurelio] De Laurentiis and said: 'I'm coming'.

"Even if they have retired the No 10 shirt, 'I would like to honour Maradona's No 10 and come and play for a year or two at Napoli', without thinking about money, just the heart.

"Maybe then he manages to win a championship and then it would be the apotheosis, a movie story.

"If I were him, I would think about it. By now, he has won everything at club level, closing in a legendary way would be incredible."

However, Messi's former assistant coach at Camp Nou, Juan Carlos Unzue has a warning for any future team-mates of the Argentine wizard.

Unzue, who spent three years working alongside the Argentine icon as assistant coach to Luis Enrique, says the 33-year-old's high standards turn out to be too much for many of his team-mates .

"What has kept Messi going has been ambition, and that brings moments of stress with it," he told Marca.

"He demands that he continues to be the best and as a consequence he always wants the maximum from those around him.

"It doesn't matter if this is team-mates, the coach, the physio or what, it produces great stress on some colleagues who aren't able to shoulder it."

Hyderabad FC took on ATK Mohun Bagan on Friday evening with just two foreign players in their starting lineup and none on the bench. And they returned with a draw. 

It was a promising show by Manuel Marquez' team who did not have four of their overseas players due to injury concerns, with their Indian contingent stepping up to the plate. 

Bagan had plenty of shots on target in the first half. Roy Krishna could have grabbed a brace by half-time going by how many chances he had. But the Fijian striker, who already has four goals to his name, had a rare off day in front of goal. 

With Tiri absent due to an injury, their midfield presence Carl McHugh had to step in at the back to fill the gap alongside Sandesh Jhingan and the stand-in partnership were not afforded an easy day out by their opponents. 

A goalless first-half produced an even contest. But ATK Moun Bagan did fashion quite a few chances which could or should have been scored. However, a 25-minute period after the restart saw a goal each at either end and it was a result of lacklustre defending. 

Arindam Bhattacharya's careless goal kick ended up at the feet of an opponent. And from the centre of the field, Manvir Singh, who was given another chance to impress alongside Krishna in the final third of Bagan, did the rest. The former Goa forward dribbled his way into the box skipping past multiple challenges (and a bit of luck) and found the net with confidence that he arguably did not have this time last year. 

However, the lead didn't last long as the goalscorer barged into the back of Nikhil Poojary to commit a silly foul inside the box and gift a spot-kick to Hyderabad. Joao Victor said thanks by converting it from 12 yards and giving his side a dais to put up a fight. 

And it was an impressive fight for the rest of the game by Hyderabad. Victor and Souvik kept things simple in midfield. Onaindia was alert at the back with Krishna waiting to pounce and Liston Colaco ran the defence ragged with his touches and runs in the attacking third.

The only thing Hyderabad was missing was a finisher. Colaco, despite impressing with his touches, needs to learn how to finish moves and Thangboi Singto, who was on the sidelines in place of the suspended Manuel Marquez, will be hoping to have the injured Aridane Santana back in the team as soon as possible. 

Habas brought on Pronay Halder in place of Bagan's most creative midfielder Edu Garcia after they took the lead - and that change proved to be decisive. From thereon, it was all about Hyderabad's spirit and fight.

Both coaches have star names missing. Habas wants David Williams and Tiri back in shape as soon as possible. Marquez, on the other hand, will hope some of his foreign players return to action sooner rather than later because the Indian players look promising and it could be a remarkable campaign for his team if things fall into place. 

Ulsan Hyundai have been at their prolific best in the East Zone Asian Champions League as they have scored 18 goals in seven matches in Qatar. 

After defeating their more glamourous opponents Beijing Guoan 2-0 in Thursday’s East Zone Semifinal, coach Kim Do-hoon revealed to the media the one single unifying strand running through his team which helped connect their on and off-field achievements – living life to the full despite the limiting external circumstances caused by the global pandemic outbreak.

“Even though we are limited to the hotel and training only, the players are enjoying their time here [Qatar] and enjoying the competition. I think we brought that onto the pitch and the players showed how much they wanted to win this game," said Kim.

A day previously, while addressing the media, Kim had revealed that the three players who had joined the squad from Austria after the national team friendlies  – namely defensive midfielder Won Du-jae, full-back Kim Tae-hwan and centre-back Jung Seung-Hyun -- had all undergone self-quarantine for 10 days despite testing negative upon arrival in Qatar.

There had been an outbreak among six players, including Ulsan’s number one goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, ahead of the ‘Taeguk Warriors’ friendlies against Mexico and AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar. Right from the outset coach Kim was clear in his communication that the AFC and LOC had done a perfect job with respect to tournament health and safety protocol, especially the provision of excellent quarantine facilities.

“I am looking forward to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar now that I know how well this tournament has been organised,” said Kim. “We were tested for Coronavirus every time we played a game on the previous day – this made us feel safe and I need to thank the LOC and the AFC. The bubble system was implemented right through and we could not meet anyone from outside. Good quarantine infrastructure was provided [for the three players].”

The tone was set right from the word go. During his first media interaction ahead of his club’s first centralized venue group game on 21 November, Kim had waxed eloquent about the strides made by Qatar in terms of tournament infrastructure and had specifically referred to Education City Stadium and an important accessory of the 2022 FIFA World Cup venue, the Advanced Stadium Cooling System.

“I came here twenty years ago as a Jeonbuk Hyundai player but now everything has changed. The place looks totally different. As a country hosting the World Cup, it is well prepared,” the 50-year-old former South Korea striker had said.

“The ground [Education City Stadium] and facilities are great. There is great involvement to play football here. The stadiums are kept cool at 23 degrees [Celsius] and this helps players a lot. I hope the players are motivated to be at their best.”

That is exactly what his players did. They combined perfectly as a team moving the ball around at ease in the midfield and finding the killer passes to penetrate rival defences.

If this was the story at Education City Stadium, where they played their East Zone Quarterfinal in addition to all group games, another 2022 WC venue Al Janoub Stadium brought out a different aspect of their game.

After taking an early first-half lead against the fancied Beijing Guoan in the East Zone Semifinal, Kim’s side showed great tactical nous and defensive technique for the rest of the match to set up an East Zone Final date with Vissel Kobe on Sunday.

Everyone played their role – from the experienced legend Lee Chung-yong to Won Du-jae, the brightest young defensive talent not just in Korea but arguably the whole of Asia who did a great job containing the dangerous Brazilian Renato Augusto.

By the time coach Kim leaves the shores of the host nation of the second Asian World Cup with his team, 2020 AFC Champions League could well become an all-of-Qatar-for-Ulsan story as well.

While the Malaysian FA (FAM) has recently announced the slightly controversial, if necessary, step of entering a youth team in the coming season of the Malaysia Premier League, several youth Malaysian players have taken the bold measure of trying their luck overseas.

On Friday, FAM revealed the success of Malaysia U-15 women's international Celine Chuang, who earned a spot on the Bayern Munich women's U-17 second team in Germany.

The winger had gone to the country to pursue her education, after undergoing training at the British International School Phuket for two years.

In Munich, Germany, she attended a trial held by the Bavarian giants, and was accepted to join their U-17 women's second team.

More impressively, she has also been playing on the men's U-15 team of lower tier club Wacker Munchen e.V.

According to an FAM social media posting, Celine has been scoring for both sides, one for the U-15 side and two more for the women's team.

“Despite the challenges, the community here is very friendly and has been extremely welcoming to me since the very beginning. Thanks to this, I have been able to adapt and settle in since arriving in Germany in June.

"I am currently undergoing online training due to the cancellation of competitions and leagues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains Celine as quoted in the posting.

Earlier in the week, Harian Metro reported on the success of brothers Anas Nadawi, 16, and Amar Makruf, 18 in joining Valencia-based academy The Next Generation Sports (TNGS).

According to their father Shahruddin Mat Dali, his sons will train with TNGS for a number of months and stand a chance of being recruited by youth scouts of lower league clubs based in Valencia.

"TNGS has been in touch with Amar after they were contacted by him on Instagram back in January. In April they reached out to me through Zoom to discuss our plans for Amar and Anas. The academy now represents their development in Spain."

Odisha and Goa go head to head in a 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) encounter at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim, on Saturday evening.

TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM

The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the ISL in India.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

TEAM NEWS

Odisha FC Possible XI:   

Injured - Kamaljit Singh, Thoiba Singh
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players - Diego Mauricio, Cole Alexander

FC Goa Possible XI: 

Injured - None
Doubtful - None
Suspended - None

Key Players -  Igor Angulo, Brandon Fernandes

Frank Lampard believes England have an embarrassment of riches up front with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's emergence at Everton meaning he is now competing with Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham in the national team.

The trio are currently front-runners to make Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2020, which will now take place in the summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chelsea will try to stop the Premier League's top goalscorer Calvert-Lewin from finding the net on Saturday as they travel to Goodison Park to face Everton.

The 11-goal hitman is a threat for club and country, according to Lampard, but he is backing his own striker Abraham to come out on top.

"Yes, it is an exciting battle," Lampard told reporters via Zoom. "I profess my love for Tammy enough sitting here. He's my player.

"To speak about an opposition player is a bit different but what I do respect about Calvert-Lewin is that, and this is from afar because I don’t know him, but it feels like a career that he has really worked for. That sounds simple but it is not a straightforward pathway.

"Not everyone gets in their first team at 17 or 18 other than the Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen types of the world. Other players have to find different ways and now he has shown himself, last season and particularly this season, consistently he's an all-round striker. Every part of his game is a real threat.

"When I look at him as an opposition striker and he has quite rightly got into the England team and he has settled into that so he is a major threat for us at the weekend and for Everton going forward. That’s why he has scored so many goals, so fair play to him.

"It is a good challenge for England to have a few strikers competing and he has thrown himself into that question."

Saturday's game will also see Lampard face his former manager Carlo Ancelotti, who coached him between 2009 and 2011 at Stamford Bridge.

Ancelotti got a career-best 27 goals in all competitions out of Lampard in the 2009-10 season, which the current Chelsea boss believes was a triumph of his former mentor's coaching ability.

“I remember that season very well out of my seasons because it was the season I did not start very well," Lampard continued. "Carlo came in and we played in a diamond formation and I played at the top of it, which on paper may have looked right but I was finding it very difficult.

"My game was very fluid and I wanted to get my chance to arrive in the box. I went quite a few games myself without getting a goal.

"I remember having a really honest conversation with Carlo and he was very open with how he dealt with it with me and I remember being really impressed, not just because it meant my position changed slightly and I managed to start playing better, but just how he handled that for me, with [what] was a tough period for me.

"From then on the season went from strength to strength, not just myself but for the whole team, so he got a tune out of the whole team. It was a difficult squad looking back, a very good squad - difficult is the wrong word - but we were strong and overloaded in certain areas.

"In this job, I understand you have to find balance in a squad and he found the perfect balance during that run-in and he should take a lot of credit for that. I think he had a very laid-back demeanour about him which I appreciated. But beneath that was a hard edge.

“That was very evident but I certainly enjoyed his general, laid-back demeanour. I didn’t crave too much conversation with my manager, I just wanted to do my job but with him I always felt comfortable when I had that one-on-one conversation. I’ve got specific moments in my time with him that I remember.

“One was the evening that he left the club and he actually came and had a couple of beers with us in The Plough over the road in Cobham. Another time when I was in America with Andrea Pirlo in Vancouver and we had dinner together in an Italian restaurant and it was a fantastic event.

"I have such high regard for him. He has the personal touch, he got it nailed, and I think the great thing with it is that he is very straight. He is very honest in everything he does and that is very refreshing.”

Kevin De Bruyne has warned Manchester City to expect a strong response from Manchester United following their exit from the Champions League.

City travel to Old Trafford on Saturday for the first derby of the season with United stinging from their 3-2 loss to RB Leipzig, which saw them miss out on the Champions League knockout stages.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side sit a place and a point above City in the Premier League table and De Bruyne is expecting a reaction after their European disappointment.

“We need to be careful because everything that has happened this week, it is a good game for them to change the switch,” the Belgian midfielder said.

“They will want to show a different side to what happened in Leipzig and we need to be aware of that.

“In the end it is similar for them as it is for us, both teams want to keep momentum from the last few weeks and it is important to do that.”

The two rivals met four times last season with United winning three of those games. Pep Guardiola’s side were caught out by their opponents’ quick counter-attacking, particularly through Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

But with Edinson Cavani and Donny van de Beek joining in the summer, De Bruyne believes United could play a more attacking derby this season.

“They have some new players and maybe they will play a bit more offensively but we will see tomorrow,” he added.

“After five minutes you are going to know what is happening in the game and then it depends how the game goes, who scores first.

“They played defensively and on the counter last season and picked us off really well. I remember the home game when we lost 2-1 but we made a couple of mistakes and it was difficult to come back.

“In the away game I wasn’t there so I don’t know the details but they won three out of four last year so we need to try and make that right.”

City strengthened themselves in the summer with Ruben Dias, in particular, helping to give a strong defensive base alongside John Stones or Aymeric Laporte, who missed much of last season through injury.

“I think we are playing more solid,” De Bruyne said. “At the beginning of the year, we lost ones we shouldn’t have, conceding goals and not scoring a lot of goals so it is difficult when you don’t score.

“It is hard but lately we have been scoring a few goals, not conceding many. It makes it easier for everybody and makes everybody feel comfortable.”

City go into the game six points behind Tottenham and Liverpool with a game in hand.

The top half of the Premier League is separated by just seven points and De Bruyne is not surprised that this season is an open title race with injuries and a hectic schedule meaning a number of teams are capable of making a challenge.

“It is something I expected before the season just with the way everything happened last year with having no pre-season while some had one and some didn’t, injuries and then a lot of teams became stronger,” he added.

“I think it is going to be open and it seems that way. I think teams are so good and every team has got quality so if you are not 100 per cent there is a chance you can lose these games.

“I think this has been happening for every team. I think the team that goes on a decent run with six, seven games in a row then maybe there will be a gap, but at the moment that has not been the case.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hailed Paul Pogba’s work-rate this week after the midfielder’s agent Mino Raiola cast doubt over his future at Manchester United.

Raiola claimed his client’s time with the club was "over" this week and talked up a transfer before his contract expires in the summer of 2022.

Pogba came on as a second-half sub and scored against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, but he couldn't prevent United from crashing out of the Champions League after a 3-2 loss.

Speaking after that game, Solskjaer responded to Raiola by saying: “As soon as Paul’s agent realises this is a team sport and we work together the better."

The United manager was again asked about Pogba ahead of their clash with Manchester City this weekend and Solskjaer said he had no doubts over the player’s commitment.

“I think I said during the week that this is a team game and Paul is part of this team,” Solskjaer explained. "He's very focused on contributing when he's here. He's got the hunger and appetite to play and wants to play.

"He wants to train and he trains. There's been other players refusing to train and refusing to play – they're not here anymore of course – but Paul's not once done that.

“He's just focused on performing when he gets a chance. That's the good thing about Paul. He's got the quality and the desire to do well when he comes on, like he did against Leipzig. He had a positive impact. The short answer is he's part of the squad for tomorrow.”

United go into the derby looking to bounce back after crashing out of the Champions League, another result that increased the pressure on Solskjaer. His job is not under immediate threat but he spoke about dealing with the pressure and scrutiny that comes with being manager at the club.

“There's always pressure on you when you manage Man Utd," the Norwegian said. "That's something I had to think about when I accepted the role.

"Do I have what it takes to be in such a situation? Can you handle setbacks? Can you handle success? I think I can.

“I've got a fantastic staff around me who I use as sparring partners for discussions even [though] the conversation with the club goes on all the time. It's a continuous open dialogue. When you come to work the next day you see the quality of the players you have and you want to work with them.”

Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal's experienced stars that he is willing to drop them to give the team's younger players a chance.

Eddie Nketiah, 21, Joe Willock, 21, and Folarin Balogun, 19, were all on the scoresheet as the Gunners beat Dundalk 4-2 in the Europa League on Thursday.

While Arteta's side finished the group stage with six wins and scored 20 goals, they have been struggling to find any consistency in the Premier League.

Arteta was  frustrated with their failure to convert chances  in last week's 2-0 defeat to Tottenham, which left them 15th in the top flight.

Only three teams - including Sunday's opponents Burnley - have scored fewer league goals than Arsenal this season, with Alexandre Lacazette their top scorer with three and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having netted just twice.

Arteta says he is open to giving the team's rising stars a run in the starting XI.  

Asked if he could mix up the attack, Arteta told reporters: "When I feel that it is the right moment to do that I have to pick the players that I have the feeling, we have the feeling as a coaching staff, that has the best chance to win the game, so it has to be a yes."

Arsenal host Burnley on Sunday and then welcome Southampton to north London three days later. They have lost three league games in a row at home, but Arteta sees an opportunity to improve their recent form. 

"Absolutely, and we can do nothing right now about what happened in the last few weeks," he said.

"We know the home form is going to be vital for our success and we have to change that immediately.

"So, if we want to have any hope of doing something important and relevant this season, it has to be by winning the games at home."

He added: "I'm telling the desire, commitment, attitude and everything that they will try and put onto that pitch will be the best that they can do.

"It’s not just about character, because at the end you have to win football matches, you have to make a lot of decisions on that pitch and everybody has to contribute for that.

"So it’s not just about how much I want it, because it’s an opponent in front of you that are gonna minimise your strengths and maximise your weaknesses. What I can tell you is that the team will be prepared to battle with a real desire because we know how important that game is going to be for us."

Manchester United can win the Premier League title this season, according to coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Red Devils take on Manchester City in a blockbuster derby at Old Trafford on Saturday - only days after they were eliminated from the Champions League by RB Leipzig with a disappointing 3-2 defeat.

Despite an inconsistent start to their domestic campaign - including a 6-1 loss to Tottenham and home defeats against Arsenal and Crystal Palace - United can go within two points of leaders Spurs if they manage to get the victory against their city rivals.

United have won their last four Premier League games, with three of those victories coming on the road after going behind, and Solskjaer feels his team are showing signs they could be developing into title contenders.

"At Manchester United, you should always aim to win trophies," Solskjaer said.

"Of course, with the last three seasons, as they have been, there's been two teams far ahead of the rest of the pack.

"I got belief during the season, or since the turn of the new year, that this team is improving and that we can put up a challenge.

"Of course we need to improve on last season but I don't think any team will run away with it.

"I go into every single game wanting to win, so maybe that's the answer to your question. If you win every game you end up with a trophy."

Solskjaer's decisions as Man Utd manager have come under-fire in recent matches, with the Norwegian criticised for not substituting Fred prior to the midfielder being sent off against Paris-Saint Germain and the back five formation deployed against Leipzig has also been questioned.

Former United star Paul Parker feels the manager was far too conservative when choosing his line up for the Leipzig match, and has urged him to stick with one system to halt the team's recent run of unconvincing performances.

"Solskjaer is too reliant on having two holding midfielders all the time. It doesn’t make sense," Parker told Eurosport.

"He’s going into a game where you can’t go looking for a draw, but when you’re putting out two holding players, their coach [Julian Nagelsmann] couldn’t believe what they were doing.

"That first half tells you why Manchester United got their team selection so wrong and you can’t just keep coming out against quality sides and changing your system for every game.

"When I played for United we were 4-4-2 and then when Eric Cantona came along it was 4-4-1-1. It was very flexible. Everyone would do every other person’s job. They’re not flexible in what they’re doing."

Asante Kotoko registered their first win of the Ghana Premier League season as they defeated Asamoah Gyan's Legon Cities 1-0 in Accra on Friday.

Osman Ibrahim's 11th-minute effort handed the Porcupine Warriors all three points over The Royals who threw on Ghana legend Gyan in the second half in a desperate attempt for an equaliser.

The matchday five win has catapulted Maxwell Konadu's outfit to fourth on the league table.

Legon, who played under new coach Bashir Hayford for the first time, sit only two points above the relegation zone as they continue their search for a first win of the season.

Konadu welcomed centre-back Habib Mohammed back into his starting line-up while handing a debut to former Atalanta and Ghana U-20 left-back Patrick Asmah.

Against speculations of a first starting spot for October signing Gyan, new Legon coach Hayford left the former Sunderland and Udinese forward on the bench, instead putting faith in Raphael Ocloo to lead the attack.

After Kwame Opoku sent a rebound just wide, Kotoko broke the deadlock in the 10th minute through Ibrahim, who beat Legon goalkeeper Fatau Dauda with a shot from inside the 18-box after being picked out by Godfred Asiamah.

The goalscorer's night turned from joy to misery as the game approached half-time, having to be taken out of the game after sustaining an injury.

Just back from the break, Legon almost found an equaliser when Ocloo was put through one-on-one with Kotoko goalkeeper Kwame Baah but the striker saw his shot saved.

Nine minutes later, Baah was again on hand to prevent an equaliser as he reacted well to palm away a David Cudjoe first-time shot before Joseph Adjei's rebound went off target.

In the 70th minute, Kotoko's Evans Adomako shot over the bar from dangerous position before Gyan's free-kick at the other end was coolly collected by Baah. The 35-year-old was introduced into the game on the hour-mark.

Gyamfi had an opportunity to consolidate Kotoko's lead seven minutes to full-time but his effort, having sprinted into the opposition box after benefiting from a quickly-taken free-kick, proved no trouble for goalkeeper Dauda, who ended the game as the official Man of the Match.

Gyan came close to joining Kotoko during the transfer window but ditched the Porcupine Warriors at the last hour in favour of Legon. 

Mamelodi Sundowns legend Bennett Mnguni says Gaston Sirino should work hard to earn his place back in the starting line-up.

The Uruguayan playmaker's potential transfer to Egyptian giants Al Ahly has failed to materialise so far and he is now expected to compete for his place in the Sundowns team again.

Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus have flourished for the Tshwane giants this season as the front trio in Sirino's absence. 

“I don’t think his space in the team is closed‚ he just needs to be focused and work hard to force the coaches to give him an opportunity in the starting line-up," Mnguni told Sowetan.

"He can’t just walk back in the team because all the players at Sundowns deserve to be in the starting line-up.”

The 29-year-old made one appearance this season, before he made a transfer request through the media last month as he pushed for a move to Al Ahly.

This made Sundowns general manager Yogesh Singh angry and he threatened disciplinary action against Sirino.

Mnguni, who won the PSL title with Masandawana, stated that the Chloorkop-based giants should find a way to reintegrate the former Union San Felipe player.

“I am not sure if there was a fall-out between the player and anyone at the club behind the scenes as a result of his public statements that he would like to join Al Ahly," continued added.

"But if they have not done it yet‚ the coaches must sit him down to clarify issues and move on.

“I don’t think there is going to be a problem for the boy to come back to the team and the other thing is that we still need him," the retired midfielder added.

"A way forward must be found because he has been an important part of the Sundowns attacking system and we can’t say that we don’t want him anymore.”

Sundowns tied down Sirino to a new long-term deal in July 2020 as he signed a five-year contract extension which will expire in 2025.

He was one of Sundowns' best players last season as the Brazilians clinched a domestic treble - winning the Premier Soccer League (PSL), Telkom Knockout Cup and Nedbank Cup.

Emmanuel Amuneke has revealed the reason why he rejected a chance to become the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical director was because of his current involvement with a club.

The 49-year-old is believed to still be under contract with Egyptian side El Makkasa after joining the club initially as a coach before he was given the position of technical director.

Amuneke joined El Makkasa after leaving his role as coach of the Tanzania national team, following their abysmal performance in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where they failed to win a single game before their exit from the tournament.

The former international won a number of laurels during his playing years for the Super Eagles and guided Nigeria to win the 2015 U17 World Cup.

Amuneke revealed he was approached by the NFF to take up the role of Nigeria’s technical director - which was subsequently handed to Austin Eguavoen - and explained why he rejected it.

“I was approached by the NFF for the role of a technical director but I had a contract with the people I was working with and I needed to respect the contract,” Amuneke told Punch.

“I was in a difficult situation with my team as of that time and we were in a relation battle.

“Though my country comes first, I needed to respect my employers. They said they wanted me till after the season.”

Amuneke also ruled out the possibility of becoming Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr’s assistant in future, explaining he would be a threat to his job.

“No! Why? I have my principles. We are ready to serve our nation. But as individuals, we have our reputation to protect,” he continued.

“If I come on board, I am a threat to Rohr. If I am here as an assistant, he will lose more concentration. He will think I am there to take his job.

“We have decided to give him the job, but let us support him.  If Nigerians decide that Amuneke, we need your service, I will be there. But it is not possible [to be Rohr’s assistant]. What will I be saying? He has his own philosophy, I have mine.

“Nobody has ever told me to come and be an assistant coach and if it’ll be, it is not possible, it will never be.

“I am not better than anybody. I am not arrogant. It is unfortunate that we don’t respect our stars in Africa. I deserve a little bit of respect and I didn’t reject any job.

“After U-20, I decided to get out of the Nigerian space. I took that decision myself. At the age that I am now, I have been involved in football all my life, for me I like challenges and I am not afraid. I should make decisions for myself and respect others.”

Amuneke was part of Nigeria’s team that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and subsequently clinched the African Player of the Year award for his electrifying performances in the tournament.

Arsenal's reputation is in decline amid the club's weak start to the season, says former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

Although the Gunners protected their perfect record in the Europa League this week to finish top of Group B, they have been underwhelming in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta's team are 15th in the table, just seven points clear of the relegation zone and 11 adrift of leaders Tottenham, and have won just one of their last seven matches in the top flight.

It is the worst start they have made to a season in 39 years and Lehmann, who spent five years at Arsenal, says it has been an unacceptable beginning for a club of their stature.

"The position right now is the worst in decades. For a club like Arsenal that is not acceptable," the former Germany international told The Daily Mail. 

"All of us old players would try to help and make the Arsenal brand strong and big. We are very disappointed because the brand name is deteriorating, and you simply cannot let that happen."

He added: "The board has to make the right decisions, the manager has to make the right decisions by signing players and coaching them. 

"The players are in a fantastic environment, they are in London at one of the most traditional clubs. 

"It seems that some of them are still having problems to cope with the pressure because everybody expects them to win something.

"But we are not even talking about winning anymore when you speak of Arsenal. There are a lot of problems."

It has been a period of upheaval for Arsenal since Arsene Wenger's departure in 2018 after 22 years in charge.

Arteta is the third manager to sit in the dugout since the Frenchman left and Lehmann says the pressure is on the Spaniard to impress. 

"Wenger teamed together with [former vice-chairman] David Dein for a long time. There was huge consistency, and financial consistency," he said. "The spine of the team and of the club, that has gone now. 

"But look at Manchester United after Sir Alex [Ferguson] has left. It is the same problem there, and football has moved on. 

"It is always the same. If you work for a big club like Arsenal, and you don't fulfill ambitions, then you have to accept to be replaced."

FC Robo striker Gift Monday said she is confident the team can challenge for the 2021 Nigeria Women's Premier League title this season.

Monday swapped now-defunct COD United Ladies for Robo at the start of the 2017 term and has enjoyed an incredible rise at the club, narrowly missing a Super Four qualification in 2019.

The Lagos-based outfit opened their season with a 1-0 win over Nasarawa Amazons at Lafia City Stadium, where they were held to a 1-1 draw on their opening day visit in 2018.

And following Wednesday's triumph, the 2019 Africa Games gold winner expressed joy over their fine start and has assured her side will work hard to contend for the league diadem this time. 

"We are happy as a team of getting three points in Lafia. We will continue to put in our best as a team in the coming matches," Monday told Goal. 

"It's definitely a long season for us but we hope to build a good start. There is a lot of hope for FC Robo to go far this season.

"I have great confidence in the set of players and believe we have what it takes to challenge for the league title this season and possibly, in the end, play in the Caf Women's Champions League."

Shobowale Rukayat's first-half strike was all Emmanuel Osahon's side required to upset the two-time Nigerian champions and Monday opened up on her side's build-up to the encounter.

"Last two years, when we came here we had a draw and this time it resulted in winning," she continued.

"Nasarawa Amazons have always been a good team. They have won the league twice and consistently involved in the Super Four mostly played in Lagos, where we had the chance to watch them.

"We trained hard on the little information we had about them and managed to execute it on the field. We are glad the scoring opportunity came, we actually identified it and made good use of it.

"We have a team of young, talented and experienced players who have the determination to succeed. I am very confident we will do better than we ever did this season."

Robo have never qualified for the Super Four tournament since their promotion to the Nigerian top-flight in 2015. 

However, they will hope to upset the odds by maintaining the winning momentum when they welcome neighbours Osun Babes at Legacy Pitch, Lagos on Wednesday.

Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has backed manager Mikel Arteta to turn things around at the club, hailing him as a "really powerful individual".

The Gunners have stuttered to begin the 2020-21 campaign and are now off to their worst start to a top-flight season since the 1981-82 season.

They sit 15th in the table with 13 points - seven ahead of third-bottom side Burnley and 11 behind leaders Tottenham, who beat them 2-0 last week. They have won just once in their last seven top-flight matches, while only three teams have scored fewer goals in the Premier League this season.

The north London side's results have put pressure on former midfielder Arteta, who has insisted that he has "zero doubts" about his side's ability to bounce back from their underwhelming start.

Although they may be struggling in England, Arsenal finished top of their Europa League group with a perfect record, having won 4-2 at Dundalk in the final match of the round on Thursday.

Venkatesham has given the 38-year-old a vote of confidence amid their disappointing domestic form and believes the team is strong enough to get their season back on track.

"With Mikel we have got a number of things. You’ve got an individual who has extraordinary experience in the Premier League across his time at Arsenal, Everton, Man City and then back at Arsenal," Venkatesham said in an interview with The Times.

"You have got a guy that loves this club and understands what it means to play for this club, and he was obviously captain here. You’ve got a guy who is a real team player.

"The team he’s formed with [technical director] Edu, and also his technical staff, is really, really strong.

"You’ve got a guy who is absolutely driven to succeed and be successful on the pitch, but doing it in a way that respects our history and traditions. So I think with him we have got a really, really powerful individual."

Arsenal will be looking to recover from last week's loss to their north London rivals when they return to Premier League action on Sunday with a home game Burnley. They host Southampton in the league three days later.