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Former Ghana international Nii Odartey Lamptey has urged Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Felix Annan to fight for the club's No.1 spot amid increased competition for the slot by the Porcupine Warriors' recent acquisition of Razak Abalora.

Kotoko captain Annan, a member of Ghana's squad at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt, has been in the news lately for reportedly falling out with coach Maxwell Konadu who has sensationally handed the starting spot to Ghana U23 shot-stopper Kwame Baah.

There have also been reports of bad blood between Annan and Baah, leading to speculations of an imminent move away from the club by the former.

On Tuesday, competition for the starting spot intensified even further following Kotoko's signing of Ghana goalkeeper Razak Abalora, a day after featuring in a 5-1 defeat of Qatar in a friendly fixture.

“For now Felix Annan has to fight for his position at the club this season," Lamptey told Happy FM.

“If he is not able to reclaim his spot then he should seek other opportunities elsewhere as other clubs will also be interested. He should fight for his position and not give up."

Annan held the No.1 spot until early last season when he lost the role to Baah after a brief time away to tie the knot with his girlfriend.

“You can’t always depend on one goalkeeper. Asante Kotoko are having three very good goalkeepers in all aspects," former Ghana shot-stopper Abukari Damba told Max FM following Kotoko's latest goalkeeping addition.

“Asante Kotoko has gained my respect for the assembly of these excellent goalkeepers.

“They are looking at the department and not the personalities, the goalkeeping position is for specialists and I can see Asante Kotoko according it the necessary importance."

Recently, Annan called out Konadu in an explosive interview, demanding that the coach be bold enough to tell him to his face what he may have done wrong to lose his position.

“Maxwell is a good coach, so it's not even necessary for me to advise him. I believe him, it won’t be like he is favouring Kwame Baah alone," ex-Kotoko goalkeeper Anthony Osei Kwadwo told Silver FM.

"If he [Baah] makes a mistake, he [Konadu] will change him. Same applies to Abalora and the others."

Interestingly, Kotoko's No.1 spot is not a three-man fight as Ghana U20 goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim, who spent last season on loan at Berekum Chelsea, is also in the running.

Sam Nyamweya has termed the planned Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections as ‘mischievous’ and an ‘illegality’.

Speaking on behalf of allied stakeholders, the former FKF boss echoed the Sports Registrar Rose Wasike’s latest demands made to the federation before holding the national polls on Saturday.

Wasike made clear demands especially on the conduct of the county elections in September and said FKF must follow the laid down procedures before going on to carry its national polls.

“The law of the land must be respected. We must conform with the Sports Act and we have all along been saying this [FKF elections] has been mischievous and you can now see,” Nyamweya told Goal on Thursday.

“Anybody participating in this elections should consider himself participating in illegality and this is a waste of time.”

Among other things that the Sports Registrar raised is the manner of the submission of names of regional elected officials.

“It should be noted that election returns for FKF county/branch elections have not been submitted to my office by the returning officer yet the returning officer and observers needed to do so within seven days from the date the elections were held,” Wasike’s letter to FKF read on Thursday.

“Further, your submission of the newly elected officials was submitted one day after the deadline for submission which ended on 11th October 2020 as it needed to be within 21 days from the date the elections were held.”

Wasike further claimed the new office bearers could have been elected without getting due clearance.

“I have also noted that the notification of the newly elected office bearers was not done in the prescribed form ‘R’ set out in the first schedule of the sports registrar regulations as required under paragraph 20(4) of the sports registrar regulations,” the letter continued.

“You, however, submitted the list of officials who were elected without copies of their clearance certificates hence meaning that they vied for positions without the requisite clearance by the above government agencies and therefore they were in violation of Paragraph 20 (2) (f) of the sports registrar regulations.”

Nyamweya did not go for clearance to challenge Nick Mwendwa in the upcoming elections whose fate may now lie uncertain over the new demands.

“In view of the above, it would have been prudent for FKF not to proceed with the planned elections to allow them to put their house in order and conform to the national laws of the country and Fifa Statutes before proceeding with the elections,” the letter concluded.

FKF has attempted to hold the mandatory elections twice but they were stayed by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) over concerns that were raised by interested parties.

Zambia national head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has revealed why TP Mazembe defender Kabaso Chongo was released during the Fifa break.

Chongo was released just a day after Chipolopolo had lost their second friendly match against Kenya on October 9 and the coach has now stated why he is not ready to tolerate behaviour he considers not right.

“We are determined to establish iron discipline, absolute order, organisation and fanatical hard work with a family atmosphere,” Micho said as quoted by the FAZ Facebook page.

“I would like to say there is nothing personal, there is no issue whatsoever.

“So, for the times ahead of us any player called to the national team not ready for the three case scenario; to play, to sit or be off the bench as per the decision of the technical team, that person is wasting his own time.

“I would like us to function under fanatical hard work because we are far from every person, every player being the best version of himself.

“I would like us to function on absolute order and organisation every minute and moment that we know what we are doing and of course I would like us to function under the iron discipline that whatever is normal we follow and whatever is abnormal is unacceptable.”

The former SC Villa and Orlando Pirates coach likened his job to a driver’s undertaking saying he must understand everyone that is in his team.

“I need to tell you that each and every player and person involved are my personal friends but when it is a question of professional work I put all the emotions aside and strictly put my best as the guardian of Zambia,” the Serbian added.

“When you look at the first thing that I have monitored is the behaviour of the outfield player, outfield behaviour meaning how players are showing belonging to the group? How the chemistry of the group is functioning?

“It is like being a driver of the bus and then you need to look at the situation on the road and how your passengers are behaving in order to know what will happen in the match.”

Zambia played four friendly matches in preparation for the November double-header against Botswana in Afcon qualifiers.

Ligue 1 side Metz have confirmed Ibrahima Niane will be out of action for ‘several months’ after rupturing his cruciate ligament on Wednesday.

The forward has been delivering outstanding performances in the 2020-21 campaign before injury cut short his fine showings.

The 21-year-old Senegalese currently leads the Ligue 1 top-scorer chart with six goals in six appearances for the Maroons, including his first career hat-trick against Lorient on October 4.

The forward’s impressive performances ensured Metz’s 15th place on the league table after two wins, one draw and three losses.

The former Senegal U20 star could now spend the rest of the year on the sidelines following the ligament problem.

“Ibrahima Niane suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in his knee on Wednesday. The Garnet striker will therefore be absent from the elite grounds for several months,” read a statement from the club website.

“The whole of FC Metz are united behind this young striker in this event, and hopes to see him again on the elite grounds as soon as possible.”

Niane arrived at Stade Saint-Symphorien in 2017 from Generation Foot, teaming with the youth setup before he was promoted to the senior side.

The forward has since made more than 90 appearances for the side across all competitions and bagged 11 league goals.

Niane could miss several games for Metz, starting with their Ligue 1 clash against Angers at Stade Raymond-Kopa on Sunday. 

The Maroons will be expected to bank on Senegal’s Pape Yade and Mali international Adama Traore during the absence of the 21-year-old.

Niane has featured for Senegal U20 and will hope to continue his impressive showings at club level after his return from injury.

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) today announced the list of nominees for the 2019/20 PSL Awards.

The awards will be held next week Thursday, 22 October 2020 at 20h00 in a virtual event.

Samir Nurkovic (Kaizer Chiefs), Peter Shalulile (Highlands Park), Gaston Sirino and Themba Zwane (both Mamelodi Sundowns) will battle for the coveted prize of 2019/20 PSL Footballer of the Season.

This year, there are four nominees instead of the normal three after the players were tied on votes and could not be separated even after using the provisions in the rules to eliminate names.
Voting for the PSL Footballer of the Season is done by Premier Division coaches only.

Zwane features again amongst the nominees for the PSL Player’s Player of the Season. He is competing with teammate Hlompho Kekana, who has been nominated for the same award four consecutive times and Kaizer Chiefs’ Lebogang Manyama.

This category is voted by the players in the Premier Division. Players are not allowed to vote for their own teammate.

In the highly sought-after category of the PSL Coach of the Season, Maritzburg United’s Eric Tinkler is up against Kaizer Chiefs former coach Ernst Middendorp and former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane.

Mosimane has won the last two consecutive awards in this category.

In the MTN8, it’s an all SuperSport United affair. Clayton Daniels, Bradley Grobler and Ronwen Williams are in line to win the MTN8 Last Man Stadium.

In the Telkom Knockout, Mamelodi Sundowns duo of Gaston Sirino and Hlompho Kekana have been nominated with Maritzburg United’s Judas Moseamedi.

For the Nedbank Cup two categories, Keletso Makgalwa (Mamelodi Sundowns), Evidence Makgopa (Baroka FC) and Sifiso Ngobeni (Bloemfontein Celtic) have been nominated for the Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player.

For the Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament, Bidvest Wits' Terrence Dzvukamanja, Victory Letsoalo and Mamelodi Sundowns' Motjeka Madisha will be vying for the main prize.

Full List of nominees:

Footballer of the Season

Samir Nurkovic (Kaizer Chiefs)
Peter Shalulile (Highlands Park)
Gaston Sirino (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)

PSL Player’s Player of the Season

Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Lebogang Manyama (Kaizer Chiefs)
Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)

PSL Coach of the Season

Ernst Middendorp (Kaizer Chiefs)
Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Eric Tinkler (Maritzburg United)

PSL Young Player of the Season

Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Maritzburg United)
Goodman Mosele (Baroka FC)
Sphesihle Maduna (AmaZulu)

PSL Goalkeeper of the Season

Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs)
Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United)

PSL Defender of the Season

Daniel Cardoso (Kaizer Chiefs)
Rushine De Reuck (Maritzburg United)
Motjeka Madisha (Mamelodi Sundowns)

PSL Midfielder of the Season

Lebogang Manyama (Kaizer Chiefs)
Thabo Nodada (Cape Town City)
Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)

MTN8

MTN8 Last Man Standing

Clayton Daniels (SuperSport United)
Bradley Grobler (SuperSport United)
Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United)

Telkom Knockout 

Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament:

Judas Moseamedi (Maritzburg United)
Gaston Sirino (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Nedbank Cup 

Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player

Keletso Makgalwa (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Evidence Makgopa (Baroka FC)
Sifiso Ngobeni (Bloemfontein Celtic)
*(under 23)

Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament

Terrence Dzvukamanja (Bidvest Wits)
Victor Letsoalo (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Motjeka Madisha (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored twice on his Bayern Munich bow as the treble winners eased past fifth-tier Duren 3-0 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.

The international break limited Bayern to a makeshift side, but they comfortably came through a tie postponed until Thursday to allow them to recover from last season's Champions League triumph.

Free transfer signing Choupo-Moting was among those to get his chance and the striker opened the scoring midway through the first half before having a hand in Thomas Muller's penalty.

Duren, the designated home team who decided not to host the fixture, were certainly not embarrassed at Allianz Arena but Choupo-Moting's excellent second sealed victory for the Bundesliga champions.

The minnows had openly targeted simply bettering Barcelona and Schalke by conceding fewer than eight goals, yet they almost struck first as Marc Brasnic nodded straight at Alexander Nubel - another of four Bayern debutants in the starting line-up - after just 23 seconds.

Chances predictably followed at the other end, though, and Choupo-Moting twice might have scored before stabbing Bouna Sarr's square ball past Kevin Jackmuth for the opener.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward then won a penalty from Joran Sobiech after Jackmuth's poor clearance, allowing Muller to get on the scoresheet from 12 yards.

A sublime Douglas Costa run and shot was met with an equally good save from the goalkeeper, who also kept Choupo-Moting at bay after half-time.

The officials were next to deny Bayern as Choupo-Moting's delicate finish appeared to cross the line before David Putz headed clear, then Jamal Musiala's mazy dribble concluded with a low shot against the post.

Bayern's new striker persisted, however, and turned on the edge of the box to rifle a right-footed shot into the top-left corner and complete the scoring, although there should have been a fourth when Javi Martinez nodded against the upright.

What does it mean? Duren achieve target, Bayern advance

Duren's aim was to be competitive and they were certainly that. Bayern did not test Jackmuth until the 18th minute and gave up eight shots at the other end, while Jerome Boateng was fortunate to win a free-kick after slipping inside his own area late in the first half.

But ultimately, this was comfortable for the Bavarian giants, who had the opportunity to blood new players while progressing to the second round.

Bayern's full-back balance

When fit, Bayern had a settled back four for much of last season, with Benjamin Pavard at right-back. While the World Cup winner is a natural defender, though, he does not offer the same threat as Alphonso Davies going the other way.

That is where Sarr comes in. The full-backs were marauding down both flanks here - Sarr creating two chances, including an assist, with Davies playing one key pass.

Daylight after Duren errors

Jackmuth was largely excellent in the Duren goal, making five saves in all, but his dismal pass set up the attack that led to the second. Sobiech rashly brought Choupo-Moting down and the game was taken out of the underdogs' reach.

What's next?

Bayern go to Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga on Saturday and will aim to take top spot.

Ines Nehry and Josee Nahi shined for Gyeongju as they earned a 1-0 win against Suwon in Thursday's South Korean WK League game.

The Cote d'Ivoire internationals were handed places in the starting XI as their side aimed to leapfrog Incheon Red Angels to finish at the top should the holders slip up against Hwacheon KSPO.

As expected, Gyeongju started the better side as both teams played on a cautious note, though the hosts had the upper hand in terms of ball possession at Gyeongju Sports Complex.

There was very little to write home about in terms of clear cut chances in the first half, though Gyeongju seized the initiative in the latter stages of the half, with pressure on the visitors' defence.

With the first-half ending in a barren draw, there was some level of urgency at the start of the second as the hosts continued to pile pressure on their opponents but could not find a breakthrough.

The persistence of last season's vice-champions eventually paid off when Seo Ji-Yeon struck from the edge of the box to grab the winner for Gyeongju three minutes from time.

Nahi and compatriot Nehry were in action for the duration on their 21st appearance for Gyeongju, with both scoring five and three goals respectively during the regular season.

The victory saw Gyeongju end in second spot on the WK-League table after garnering 55 points from 21 games but they could not leapfrog Incheon Red Angels who won 2-0 to finish top.

A second-place finish means Gyeongju will face off against third-place Suwon in the knockout semi-final of the play-off on November 9.

Winner of the semi-final will lock horns with defending champions Incheon for the title in a two-legged final on November 12.

Eric Choupo-Moting scored a brace on his Bayern Munich debut in their 3-0 victory over Duren in Thursday’s Cup tie.

The 31-year-old teamed up with the Bavarians earlier this month after turning down a chance to extend his stay with French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

The forward spent two years with PSG and delivered impressive performances for the club, including his fine showings against Atalanta in the Champions League, where he inspired his side to the quarter-finals, scoring the match-winning goal in the encounter.

Choupo-Moting was left out of Cameroon’s international friendly against Japan to enable him to adapt at his new clubs.

The centre-forward was handed a starting role against the Blue and Yellow and wasted no time to announce himself in Germany with his display at Allianz Arena.

The Cameroon international combined well with French-born Senegalese forward Bouna Sarr, who also arrived at Allianz Arena this summer, to open the scoring in the 24th minute.

Thomas Mueller doubled Bayern Munich lead before Choupo-Moting sealed the victory with his second in the encounter.

The centre-forward fired home a superb effort past goalkeeper Kevin Jackmuth after benefitting from another Sarr assist.

Choupo-Moting was then replaced by Jann-Fiete Arp in the 77th minute of the encounter after inspiring the Hans-Dieter Flick’s men to a fine start in the tournament.

The attacker will hope to continue his outstanding displays when Bayern take on Arminia Bielefeld in their next Bundesliga game on Saturday.

Choupo-Moting had previously played for Hamburger, Mainz 05, Schalke 04 and Stoke City before joining PSG, where he won two league titles, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue before leaving the club.

The attacker will hope to help the Champions League winners and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich win more laurels in the 2020-21 campaign.

Lionel Messi says he is now “less obsessed with goals” during this stage of his career and is more focused on being a team player.

The 33-year-old is Barcelona’s all-time record goalscorer, with 635 goals in 734 appearances, as well as contributing 256 assists during his 16-year Barca career.

The Argentine has become increasingly proficient at setting up his team-mates in recent years and last season he broke the record for the most assists in a single La Liga campaign, laying on 21 goals for his team-mates.

“Today I am less obsessed with goals, I try to contribute as much as I can to the team effort,” he told magazine Garganta Poderosa.

Messi also highlighted the community work taking place back in his native Argentina to try and combat the devastating impact of coronavirus.

"In this pandemic, we must maintain all the basic necessities like water, food and electricity,” added the striker, who donated around €1 million (£907,000/$1.2m) earlier this year to help combat coronavirus, split between a Barcelona hospital and medical facilities back in his homeland.

“It makes me proud to see how people are getting involved with working in community kitchens and dining halls in Argentina, especially in such tough times as we are going through.

"Inequality is the biggest problem of our society and we should all work together to fix this."

Messi also said that any trophies Barcelona win this year would be in honour of those battling Covid-19. 

"The copas that are raised this year should be for all the people who are involved to help in that way," he said.

Messi has scored one goal in three appearances for Barca this season, after a turbulent summer that saw him hand in a transfer request following Barca’s 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The striker – who has a €700 million release clause – was heavily linked to Premier League giants Manchester City, before ultimately deciding to remain at Camp Nou.

Mesut Ozil’s issues at Arsenal have been caused by a desire for confrontation and not a lack of sporting ability, claims former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

The legendary French coach was the man to take the mercurial playmaker to north London in the summer of 2013. Arsenal smashed their transfer record to prise Ozil away from Real Madrid in a £42.5 million ($55m) deal.

The 2018 World Cup winner has helped the Gunners to three FA Cup triumphs across his seven years in English football, scoring 44 goals and providing 77 assists in 254 appearances.

The 32-year-old has, however, faced questions of consistency throughout his time at Emirates Stadium and has regularly been linked with a move elsewhere.

Ozil is firmly frozen out of the fold at present under Mikel Arteta, with the German omitted from Arsenal’s Europa League squad, and Wenger feels for a man whose talent has never been in question.

The iconic former Gunners boss told Sky Sports: “I don't know what's happening on a daily basis, I will just say one thing - creative players are perfectionists.

"They are a bit more sensitive and sometimes they need to be encouraged because, of course, if I want to play a risky pass I need to be confident. Creative players make the pass that makes a team dangerous.

“Mesut Ozil is an exceptional football player. What happens at the moment between him and the club looks to be more confrontational. It's not based only on sport.

“If Ozil cannot play in the Europa League, I'm sorry, but this guy has won things, he's a world champion, he's an exceptional football player.

“Why is he not playing at the moment? I don't know. When you're a football player you have to respect the decision of your manager and fight to get the confidence back and fight to get back in the team. He can fight, contrary to what people think. He has enough quality to get back into the team, that's down to him now.”

Ozil is into the final year of his contract and appears destined to become a free agent in 2021, but a recall could be earned if he meets Arteta’s demands and works his way back into favour.

Pressed further on why an enigmatic figure is not getting game time at present, Wenger added: “I don't know. I believe he can play in the Premier League. You practice every day and you make sure if it doesn't work you can go and play somewhere else.”

Orlando Pirates coach Jozef Zinnbauer believes it's possible for his side to win the Premier Soccer League title this season as long as they do away with the complacency that has undermined them in recent campaigns.

Pirates last won the league title in 2012, and Zinnbauer arrived at the club last December to assume the responsibility of ending the a trophy drought endured by the traditional South African giants.

The German feels that they have to put in maximum effort to claim trophies, a task which he says is not impossible, but only if the team's focus is right.

“All is possible in football. When you have a chance, you can win the league, the cup and Caf competition," Zinnabuer told the media as per IOL, "but you have to work hard, and that is the focus that we need in the team. 

“You cannot say that when we have six to seven games, then we start by working and then we go back to being casual. It’s not possible this season. We have to fight and give a 100 percent effort in all the games.

"When we do that, we have a chance of winning the games and then titles.”

In preparing for next season, Zinnbauer has signed the likes of Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Wayde Jooste and Thabang Monare as free agents, all froim Bidvest Wits.

After finishing third on the PSL standings, which qualified them for the Caf Confederation Cup, Zinnbauer is preparing his side for the challenge in Africa, a quest that he is relishing.

“When we have seven to eight weeks of pre-season, we can see what is happening with the new players: with the time of integration at the club and new environment," said Zinnbauer. "We don’t forget that. 

“At this point it’s important that they feel at home here. So, it’s important that we find each other quickly.

"From there, we’ll be able to get good results from [the Caf Confederation Cup] and other competitions that we have.”

Pirates kick off their season with an MTN8 quarter-final date against Cape Town City.

“Cape Town City is a good team,” said Zinnbauer, looking ahead to the weekend's bout. "It’s not a team that we can easily beat.

"We need a 100 percent focus. We need to dictate the game from the start.”

Jamie Carragher cannot see Jurgen Klopp staying at Liverpool beyond the end of his current contract in 2024, but says Liverpool’s current coach and owners have already cemented their “legacy”.

It is 10 years since John W Henry and the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) seized control at Anfield from much-maligned countrymen Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

That passing of the baton is considered to have been a major turning point in the Reds’ recent history, with a sense of order restored off the field.

Klopp’s arrival in October 2015 was another key moment for the club, with a German tactician having helped to lift the club back onto the top of domestic, continental and global perches.

Those calling the shots from the boardroom and dugout are committed to their current roles for the foreseeable future, which suggests further success can be achieved, but they will not be around forever.

Carragher believes another managerial change will be made in a little under four years’ time, while it remains to be seen how long FSG decide to stick around on Merseyside.

The Reds legend told the Liverpool Echo when reflecting on a memorable decade for the reigning Premier League champions: “So I think their legacy [FSG] when they sell up, as they eventually will do at some stage, Anfield will be unrecognisable and Liverpool will have one of the best training grounds in the world.

“They brought in the first title in 30 years, they got Jurgen Klopp at this club for longer than he's been at any other, I am not quite sure he will stay at the end of his current contract.

“And fingers crossed there's a few more trophies before Klopp goes or FSG go, whatever stage that is. So yes, I think they have done a great job.

“To be the owners that won the league, it is their legacy, isn't it?”

FSG and Klopp have formed the perfect partnership at Liverpool, with a heady mix of ambition and ability having allowed the Reds to make shrewd investments and reap rich rewards.

Carragher added: “If you look at the net spend is it huge? No it is not, but does it need to be right now?

"”ou know there will come a time when Liverpool are not top of the league and they are fighting it out for the top four position. Loads of teams have done it, look at Chelsea and Manchester United right now.

“Ten years ago they were dominating the league, at the moment it is us and City. It goes in roundabouts and that maybe the time when FSG have to spend a little bit more to get Liverpool back on top.

“There was a summer in 2018 when they did really spend big. It was a couple of hundred million. There was Naby Keita, Alisson, Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk had come in earlier in the year.

“I am not daft, I know the owners are not Manchester City's owners or Chelsea's. At the moment, whatever you say about the Glazers at Manchester United, they have spent a lot of money.

“Liverpool haven't and they are applauded for that but don't get me wrong, that means you have to get a lot right if you can't blow your teams out of the water, financially.

“But Liverpool are now seen as a model that everyone wants to copy in terms of how they sign players, bring young players through with the manager they have got.”

Lamontville Golden Arrows have announced Mandla Ncikazi as their new head coach.

The 51-year-old tactician has been promoted by Abafana Bes'thende following the sudden departure of coach Steve Komphela.

Komphela resigned as Arrows head coach last week and he has since moved to Mamelodi Sundowns where he is serving as the senior coach.

His former assistant at Abafana Bes'thende, Ncikazi has now been appointed head coach ahead of the new 2020/21 season. 

“Our journey continues with Mandla Ncikazi taking over and keeping the mission and vision of the club on track," a club statement read on Thursday.

"Sthende Nation let’s welcome our new Head coach Mandla Ncikazi."

Arrows club legend Mabhuti Khenyeza will serve as Ncikazi's assistant with the team set to start their 2020/21 PSL campaign against Bloemfontein Celtic on October 24.

Ncikazi served as the head coach at Arrows' KwaZulu-Natal rivals, Maritzburg United during the 2015/16 season.

However, his reign at the Team of Choice only last for three months and he was replaced by Fadlu Davids in September 2015.

Ncikazi returned to Arrows for his second spell with the Durban-based side as the assistant coach under Komphela in December 2015.

Prior to that, the duo had also worked together at Maritzburg and Free State Stars.

During his time at Arrows, Ncikazi has also served under coaches Manqoba Mngqithi, Muhsin Ertugral, Zoran Filipovic, Shaun Bartlett Ernst Middendorp, Mark Harrison as well as Khabo Zondo.

Furthermore, Ncikazi worked as Arrows' head of development as the club nurtured and produced the likes of Ricardo Goss, Sibusiso Sibeko, Siyabonga Dube, Bonginkosi Ntuli and Adile Fikizolo to name a few.

Lastly, he worked for the South African Football Association (Safa) as the Banyana Banyana assistant coach.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) newbies Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) FC have confirmed the signing of Harambee Stars defender Brian Onyango Mandela.

TTM bought Bidvest Wits’ PSL status a few months ago and have been busy in the transfer market, signing players to bolster their squad. Among the players confirmed by the Limpopo province-based side is the Kenya international who has vast knowledge in the South African game.

The 26-year-old started his game in Posta Rangers in the 2010 season and after a year, he secured a move to the 11-time Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Tusker FC where he played for two years before he moved to South Africa.

Mandela's first stop was at Santos where he played for three seasons and made 48 appearances, scoring three goals in the process.

His exploits interested Maritzburg United who went for his signature in 2015. He managed to make 77 appearances for the Team of Choice until 2019 when his contract expired. Since then, the towering defender has been a free agent.

However, he was part of Kenya's team that beat Zambia 2-1 in a friendly match staged at Nyayo Stadium on Friday, October 9. Mandela started in the heart of the Francis Kimanzi-led charges but was substituted later on for Wazito FC defender Johnstone Omurwa.

Mandela will now be part of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila for the 2020/21 campaign.

The Vhadau vhadamani have set eyes on starting life in the top tier with a bang after announcing they are aiming at challenging for the league title.

In a previous interview, Tshakhuma Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sello Chokoe hopes the Clever Boys finish the current campaign in the top eight in the league and qualify for next season's MTN8 competition.

"We are hoping Wits can finish in the top eight so we can play [in the] MTN8. We are not in the PSL to make up numbers," Chokoe told Power FM.  

"We want to be in the top eight consistently and fight to win the league. Even in NFD, we were in the playoffs last season..."  

Thabo Mnyamane and Gustavo Paez are other quality players who have been signed.

Ezri Konsa wants Aston Villa to maintain their concentration as they aspire to build on their awe-inspiring 2020-21 Premier League form.

The Claret and Blue Army have put last season’s disappointing outing behind them – where they waited until the last day to avoid relegation – to occupy the second position in the current campaign.

Before the international break, they demolished defending champions 7-2 at Villa Park with Ollie Watkins bagging a treble.

With action set to resume this weekend, Dean Smith’s men travel to the King Power Stadium for a date with Leicester City on Sunday.

As his side aims to get a result against Brendan Rodgers’ side, the 22-year-old is keen to ensure Aston Villa are fully focused on every opposition they face.

“It’s been a great start for us. We’ve carried on our form from last season, and we need to keep going and keep the focus on ourselves,” Konsa told Aston Villa website.

“The chemistry in the squad has gone up another level and we keep building on that in training.

“We’re definitely expecting a tough game against Leicester – it’s always tough against them.

“They’re a very good team. They lost their last game 3-0 (against West Ham) and I’m sure they’ll want to come back and get a victory.”

Born to a Congolese father and an Angolan mother, the U20 World Cup winner who joined Aston Villa from Brentford in 2019 for £12 million ($15m) has formed a formidable partnership with Tyrone Mings.

Despite cementing his place in Smith’s starting XI, he is hoping to keep working hard with the view of getting better.

“I’ve matured a lot from last season. I learnt a lot during my first season in the Premier League,” he continued.

“It was a great experience and a dream come true to play in the Premier League. That was a dream come true for me and my family.

“I’m still young, I’m still learning and hopefully I can only get better.

“What I need to do now is keep listening to the coaches, taking on advice from my teammates and keeping my head down. I’ve got to keep working hard and producing on the weekend.”

Tony Collins became the first black manager in English football history when he took the reins of Rochdale in 1960 and he made more history when he led them to the 1962 League Cup final - to this day their only major final appearance.

Since then, however, over half a century later, it is quite remarkable that black managers remain a rarity in English football, including the Premier League, particularly when one considers the number of black professional footballers that play the game at the highest level.

The number of black managers that have coached Premier League clubs is low - not even breaching double figures. So what is the actual number and who are they?

There have been a total of just nine black managers in the history of the Premier League.

Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit was the first black manager in the Premier League, having taken over as player-manager of Chelsea in 1996. Gullit repeated Tony Collins' feat at Rochdale by guiding Chelsea to a major cup final - the FA Cup final - in 1997, but he went one better by winning.

Gullit, who enjoyed a supremely successful playing career with the likes of AC Milan, PSV and the Netherlands, also served as manager of Newcastle United during the 1998-99 season.

Chris Hughton is one of the most respected managers in English football and, like Gullit, he has managed more than one Premier League club, having occupied the hotseat at Newcastle, Norwich City and, most recently, Brighton.

A former Republic of Ireland international, Hughton also spent two brief periods as caretaker manager of Tottenham in the late 1990s, having served as a long-term first-team coach at White Hart Lane.

Paul Ince is widely credited as being the first black British manager in Premier League history, having managed Blackburn Rovers for a period in 2008.

His stint in charge of Rovers was shortlived, lasting just 21 games. Ince, who was also the first black footballer to captain England, has subsequently managed MK Dons, Notts County and Blackpool.

France Euro 84 hero Jean Tigana managed Fulham in the Premier League for a period, having masterminded their promotion from Division One (now Championship).

Tigana, who had previously won the French league with Monaco, also secured a UEFA Intertoto Cup with The Cottagers.

Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo is another black manager who has coached in the Premier League, having guided Wolves into the division by winning the Championship in 2018.

A former Valencia and Porto boss, he led Wolves into the 2019-20 Europa League, where they reached the quarter-finals.

Darren Moore managed West Brom in the Premier League and is the first ever Jamaican to manage in the division, while Chris Ramsey served as Queens Park Rangers boss in 2015.

Terry Connor and Hayden Mullins complete the nine, but their tenures, at Wolves and Watford respectively, were on an interim basis.

Sports Registrar Rose Wasike has made new demands ahead of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections scheduled for October 17.

Wasike’s demands majorly arise from how the county elections were held and how the same could end up having serious effects on the national poll if not addressed.

“It should be noted that election returns for FKF county/branch elections have not been submitted to my office by the returning officer yet the returning officer and observers needed to do so within seven days from the date the elections were held,” Wasike’s letter to FKF CEO Barry Otieno read as obtained by Goal.

“Further, your submission of the newly elected officials was submitted one day after the deadline for submission which ended on 11th October 2020 as it needed to be within 21 days from the date the elections were held.”

Wasike further revealed the list for the new officials submitted by FKF did not provide clearance certificates of the elected members.

“I have also noted that the notification of the newly elected office bearers was not done in the prescribed form ‘R’ set out in the first schedule of the sports registrar regulations as required under paragraph 20(4) of the sports registrar regulations,” the letter continued.

“Further, Paragraph 20 (2) (f) requires an organisation carrying out elections to ensure that the nominated candidates obtain clearance from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

“You, however, submitted the list of officials who were elected without copies of their clearance certificates hence meaning that they vied for positions without the requisite clearance by the above government agencies and therefore they were in violation of Paragraph 20 (2) (f) of the sports registrar regulations.”

The Registrar further noted a number of complaints have been launched with her office. During the county elections that was sparsely marked with tensions, Moses Adagala declared he was going to challenge the authenticity of the results after he lost the Kisumu County race.

“I have received complaints through letters and calls that FKF used unregistered entities/persons and officials of registered county associations that they never initiated their registration,” Wasike’s letter added.

“Further, some of the officials that appear in various counties as having vied for various positions were nominated in their absence. They have further claimed that FKF used the list that was nullified twice by the tribunal when it quashed/nullified the first and second county elections.”

Wasike now wants the national poll stayed until the raised issues are resolved.

“In view of the above, it would have been prudent for FKF not to proceed with the planned elections to allow them to put their house in order and conform to the national laws of the country and Fifa Statutes before proceeding with the elections,” it concluded.

“I hope that the league football clubs and football county sports associations that intend to vote on 17th October 2020 are registered by my office and those candidates vying for various positions have the necessary clearance certificates from various government institutions.”

Facundo Pellistri was delighted to receive praise from new Manchester United team-mate Edinson Cavani and in turn backed the striker to be a hit at Old Trafford. 

The Uruguayan attacking pair both signed for United on the final day of the transfer window. 

Cavani is not yet available to play due to the need to quarantine, but Paris Saint-Germain's record goalscorer – who was a free agent - was quick to laud Pellistri. 

He described the 18-year-old, who joined from Penarol, as "the typical South American footballer who has that mischievous nature to his game".  

"The way he lives his football is a bit like, as we say in Uruguay, being on 'el campito', as we call it, a makeshift pitch where you have a kickabout for fun with your mates or whoever," Cavani told United's official website.

"He's a youngster who has a lot to learn but who has a lot to offer too. He's already shown what he can do at Penarol in the games where he's featured.

Meanwhile, Boca Juniors great Juan Roman Riquelme has described Pellistri as a "rascal" on the pitch. 

Pellistri was asked of his response to such comments and told United's official website: "It's something unbelievable.

"It's fantastic to hear such comments from the players they were and are, as Cavani is going to be a team-mate of mine.

"I'm very glad and I'm happy to hear those comments."

Cavani was linked to a host of top clubs around the world before arriving at United, and Pellistri added: "I'm very happy [to be his team-mate] and hoping he arrives soon.

"Cavani is a very top player, so I think he will be a great player here also."

Pellistri had been with Penarol since the age of 10, making his debut with the Montevideo giants in August 2019 and quickly going on to become a key part of the Manya first team. 

Despite the disruption caused to the 2020 season by the coronavirus pandemic the teenage winger notched two goals and 10 assists in just 14 games for his club, and attracted interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Lyon before United swooped for his signature on deadline day.

Ghana and Besiktas midfielder Bernard Mensah has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Turkish club has announced.

The 25-year-old was confirmed to have contracted the disease following a medical examination on his return from international duty.

He was with the Black Stars for friendly matches against Mali and Qatar, featuring in the first game.

"On the return of our football player Bernard Mensah to the Ghana national team camp where he was invited, the routine Covid-19 PCR test applied by our club was positive," Besiktas announced in a statement signed by club health board coordinator Dr Tekin Kerem Ulku on their official website.

"Bernard Mensah's follow-up and treatment process started in accordance with the relevant protocols.

"It is announced to the public with respect."

Mensah's time with the Ghana national team was his maiden call-up in five years.

On Friday, he played the first 45 minutes of what ended in a disappointing 3-0 loss to Mali.

He was, however, an unused substitute as the Black Stars bounced back with a big 5-1 demolition of Asian champions and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in a second friendly game on Monday.

Both matches were played in the Turkish city of Antalya, a situation requiring no international travel for him during the course of the national assignment.

Should Mensah fail to make a quick recovery, he could miss his club's Turkish Super Lig clash with Denizlispor on October 26.

His absence will be a blow for The Black Eagles who are looking to climb further up on the league table after a not-so-good start to the season.

The club currently occupies 15th position after four rounds of matches, with Mensah featuring in all the games.

In August, the Ghanaian joined The Black Eagles on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Kayserispor.

He has previously also played for Kasimpasa in Turkey, Atletico Madrid and Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal.

The Accra-born player is a product of Ghana Premier League side Wafa, formerly the Feyenoord Academy.

He will hope to earn a second straight call-up when Ghana’s squad assemble for a 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Sudan in November.