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Felda United head coach Nidzam Jamil's name has always been mentioned by Selangor fans as one of the possible coaches to take the reins, and with the Red Giants currently needing a new permanent boss, his name has again been thrown into the ring by the supporters.

While last year he produced a poetic response to Goal's enquiry whether he was interested in leading the Red Giants in the near future, a similar line of questioning posed by us just last weekend was met with bemusement.

READ: Nidzam not ready yet to take over at "former love" Selangor

However, the situation was understandable. On Saturday, needing a win in their final Malaysia Super League match against Selangor in order to stand a chance to beat relegation, Nidzam's charges instead fell to a 6-1 defeat, dooming them to a demotion in 2021.

Enquired by Goal whether he has changed his mind on joining his former team as a head coach or a coaching staff member, the 40-year old trainer responded that he has one year remaining on his contract at the struggling outfit, and declines to be linked with them.

"I still have one year left on my contract with Felda and they remain my employer. I have never talked of any plans of leaving. These days everyone creates stories and rumours, but the truth is I don't see it (appointment by Selangor) happening. 

"I still have long to go in my career, I'm only 40, I'm still happy despite the ups and downs of coaching. Not many coaches have had the experiences of beating relegation and being relegated. I'm hoping for a better time next year. Do you understand? 

"And Selangor are a big club, so they deserve a more renowned head coach," explained the former SPA FC and AirAsia FC head coach.

Paul Scholes believes striking sensation Erling Haaland has the capability of reaching the abilities of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 20-year-old Dortmund star has scored an incredible 17 goals for the Bundesliga club in 14 league matches since joining in January from Red Bull Salzburg.

Haaland nabbed his first international hat-trick for Norway this week, in the 4-0 Nations League thrashing of Romania - as his star continues to rise.

With Manchester United heavily linked with a move for Haaland before he chose Dortmund, Scholes feels his former club should be pursuing the bustling centre-forward again, instead of his team-mate Jadon Sancho.

"I think Haaland is sensational," Scholes told Stadium Astro.

"I think he’ll be up there with your Ronaldo’s and Messi’s levels possibly from what I’ve seen so far.

"That’s why I just never felt Sancho was the right type of player because we’ve got three of that type of player already.

"To spend £100m or whatever, I didn’t think it was right. I wasn’t that disappointed.

"Look, he’s a brilliant player and he’ll probably improve any team but I just didn’t think there was the need for him this year."

Haaland looks to be forming a formidable attacking duo with Martin Odegaard in the Norwegian, with the Real Madrid playmaker assisting two goals from his hat-trick against Romania.

He jovially suggested Odegaard should pass the ball to him more often before pointedly mentioning the potential partnership the duo could form in the future.

"I just have to pay tribute to him a little. Finally he came to his senses and played the ball to me," Haaland joked after interrupting Odegaard's interview with TV2.

"It's nice to play with Odegaard. It will only get better in the years to come. We are still young."

Haaland - who has six goals in his six caps for his nation - will attempt to add to that tally as Norway host Northern Ireland in an attempt to gain promotion to Group A of the Nations League.

Norway won't feature at next year's Euro 2020 tournament after being knocked out in the playoff round by Serbia last week.

New Orlando Pirates defender Wayde Jooste said he grew up modelling his game around Manchester United legend David Beckham. 

The 29-year-old liked how Beckham used to cross the ball and take free-kicks, and he wanted to be just like him as a professional.  

"Growing up I always used to watch David Beckham. I used to like how he crosses the ball and how he takes free kicks. I always liked to be like him," Jooste told the Pirates website. 

Jooste revealed that he then admired Juventus attacker and Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo when he became prominent. 

But most importantly, the former Golden Arrows wing-back said he learns from every high-profile player and looks for areas he can improve as a player.   

"As time went on then came Cristiano Ronaldo. In terms of moulding my game, I wouldn’t say there's a particular individual but what I often do is watch a lot of games and then I look at areas where they are good and things that I can adapt into my own game," he said.  

Furthermore, Jooste admitted that as football evolves, there will be more players he would learn from simply because the aim is to improve at all times. 

"It’s an ever-evolving process. One can never be satisfied, you always need to push yourself hence why I am always looking at other players from different leagues," he added. 

Jooste revealed that his immediate ambitions are to cement a place in Josef Zinnbauer's starting line-up while his long-term goal is to don the Bafana Bafana jersey.

However, he made it clear that on top of the list is to serve the Sea Robbers in the best possible way, adding that his personal goals will follow thereafter. 

"My immediate ambitions for the club is to secure a regular berth in the team but most importantly is for the team to gel well early on so that we can build momentum," he detailed. 

"First things first is the team and its ambitions and then personal ambitions follow. I would like to represent my country one day, but as I said, it starts with the team ambition first and then mine can follow later." 

National Super League (NSL) side Shabana FC have sent a special request to President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the Mashujaa Day celebrations set for Gusii Stadium on October 20.

The Kisii-based ‘Glamour Boys’ have pleaded to the head of state in a letter obtained by Goal to help them purchase a 63-seater team bus as they get ready for the new season.

Kenya is set to celebrate Mashujaa Day in Kisii, the home of Shabana, who were once the giants in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) before they were relegated from the top tier to the second-tier league.

“Your excellency, the purpose of this letter is to request you to donate us Shabana bus [63-seater] to help the club address transport challenges that have continued to cripple us financially,” read the letter to Kenyatta signed by the club’s fans’ chairman Erick Nyariki and obtained by Goal.

“As fans, we are working towards re-organizing Shabana to return to the top-flight league in the premier league and your kind gesture will go a long way in helping the club regain its star status, the bust can also help the club raise revenue internally.

“Your excellency sir, in the same breath, we request that the bus be donated through your courtesy, under the management of the Kisii County government, we are looking forward to hearing from you soon.”

Shabana is among the oldest clubs in Kenyan history as they were formed in 1983 by businessman Dogo Khan as a community-based club.

At one time, Shabana was the most feared team in top-flight, as they could beat giants in the league when they toured Kisii for matches and they are also known to have produced great talent including Mike Okoth, father to Divock Origi of Liverpool in the Premier League, the late Henry Nyandoro, Henry Motego, Richard Otambo, and current Harambee Stars striker Masoud Juma.

The letter which was also copied to the Kisii County Governor James Ongwae continued: “Your excellency, as the only community club in the larger Gusii region playing at the national super league, Shabana continues to struggle financially even when the county government of Kisii under Ongwae has upgraded Gusii Stadium to international standards, where you graced its opening with your trademark penalty that you scored against the governor.”

Last season, Shabana were among the teams fighting to earn promotion to the top-flight before the season was ended prematurely owing to the coronavirus pandemic, with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moving to promote Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United, who were first and second on the log at the time.

Arsene Wenger claims to have no regrets when it comes to his snubbing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Real Madrid during an iconic 22-year reign at Arsenal.

The legendary Frenchman took charge of the Gunners in 1996 and oversaw an era of considerable success that included three Premier League title triumphs.

His powers started to wane as finances took on ever-increasing importance in modern-day football, leading to him walking away in the summer of 2018.

Wenger left behind many happy memories in north London and is adamant that he would not change anything despite the struggles he endured towards the end.

It could have been that his story at Arsenal was very different, with opportunities missed to snap up a number of players that have gone on to become all-time greats.

Enigmatic Swedish striker Ibrahimovic, who is still going strong with AC Milan at the age of 39, was among those who Wenger allowed to slip the net, but he has lost no sleep over that call.

Quizzed by BBC Sport on whether he wishes he had handed a contract to a youngster he once invited on trial, Wenger said: “Not really, because he was a 17-year-old boy playing at Malmo in the second league in Sweden. And nobody knew him.

“We gave trials to many players at 17 - it was absolutely normal before you make a decision.”

As well as turning down Ibrahimovic, Wenger knocked back two approaches from La Liga giants Real Madrid during his time at Arsenal.

On those he came closest to joining, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Juventus also expressing interest at various intervals, the 70-year-old said: “Certainly Real Madrid - because you do not know many people who turned them down twice.

“And it was to stay with a team which doesn't have the resources to win the championship. But I told myself if I was going to go for the challenge of managing Arsenal, I would go until the end.

“You have different types of managers. I was the longest-serving manager at Monaco and the longest-serving manager at Arsenal - so it's part of my personality.”

Wenger left the Gunners having delivered 17 trophy triumphs – including seven FA Cup successes – but concedes that his preference would have been to bow out on a high.

He said of the protests which preceded his decision to quit a year before his contract was due to run out: “I don't believe you should rate highly what a fan says in the moment - a fan says something based on the moment, based on emotions.

“Today it seems the minority has a big dictatorship. They dictate what is talked about, therefore if you have 50 people on social media being negative it can somehow get more attention than 60,000 people in a stadium.

“It doesn't mean everybody has to do what they talk about. If you look at our last three years you will see in 2016 we finished second - OK, it was behind Leicester City but every other club finished behind Leicester too and they lost only three games. In 2017 that was the first time we were not in the Champions League since 1997.

“So, yes, I wish we had maintained that record but I think this year we have a good chance in order to be back in the top four.”

Manchester United’s decision to snap up Edinson Cavani was “very strange”, says Paul Scholes, with the Red Devils legend suggesting that the 33-year-old striker should have been a two-month loan signing rather than a permanent addition.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer moved to snap up the experienced Uruguayan on transfer deadline day – handing him an iconic No.7 shirt in the process.

Cavani had been in the free agent pool since severing ties with Paris Saint-Germain in July, with United eventually putting terms to him as they scrambled around to get bodies on board.

Scholes is not convinced that the right decision has been made when it comes to adding more firepower to the ranks at Old Trafford.

He believes Cavani can do a job, as Henrik Larsson once did during a memorable loan spell under Sir Alex Ferguson, but does not see the South American being any kind of long-term solution.

The Red Devils legend told Stadium Astro when asked how he expects Cavani to fare for United: “Well, we'll have to wait and see won't we. 

“Obviously in his day, he's been a top quality centre-forward. There's no doubt about that. But he's 33 years old, looked like he was going to retire. He's not played a lot of football for PSG last season.

“Five, six years ago, yeah he's a great signing, he'll take us onto that next level possibly. But I just don't think he'll take us to the next level now.”

Scholes added: “But that's what Manchester United seems to be now, it seems to be – I think of the forwards we have… Cavani, he should be a loan signing.

“If you're struggling without a centre-forward it should be a two or three-month loan signing just to get through a sticky period.

“Similar to what Henrik Larsson did. A brilliant centre-forward, 33, 34 years of age, he just filled a little gap for us, which was exactly what we needed. 

“I see Cavani as that kind of person, not at 33 coming to sign a two-year contract. I find it very strange. But he won't, he'll be loving it. I'm sure he will.”

Cavani has already been setting out lofty targets for United, with the former Napoli and PSG star adamant that he can help Solskjaer’s side to compete for major honours at home and abroad.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has formed a Winning Committee to help the national team's technical bench.

The Taifa Stars have been struggling to get wins and in the last five matches in all competitions, they have managed only one win and a draw with the remaining matches ending in losses.

The three losses have been back-to-back, something that has made the Federation react.

"Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) president Wallace Karia has formed a Winning Committee for the national team Taifa Stars," the Federation confirmed in a statement obtained by Goal .

"The Committee will be led by Ghalib Mohamed with Salim Abdallah deputising him. Hersi Said will serve as the Committee's secretary.

"Abdallah Bin Kleb, Anitha Rwehumbiza, Beatrice Singano, Christine Manyenye, Farid Nahdi, and Feisal Abri will be helping them with information.

"Others are Farough Baghozah, Haji Manara, Jerry Muro, Mohamed Nassor, Nandi Mwiyombella, Patrick Kahemela, and Philemon Ntahilaja."

The actions come in the wake of Tanzania's 1-0 loss against Burundi in a friendly match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday despite having almost all their players available.

The goal came in the 85th minute, when Saidi Ntibazonkiza repaid the faith of the technical bench by scoring the winning goal. The forward found space outside the 18-yard area and unleashed a fierce shot which the goalkeeper could not keep out.  

It was a reward for their overall excellent game as Burundi had managed to get five shots on target compared to the Taifa Stars' one for the entire game. However, the latter had 10 shots off target.  

Tanzania coach Etienne Ndayiragije blamed missed chances for the team’s loss against the neighbours.

"We had a big problem to score goals, we wanted to force and score goals which is not acceptable because our shooting was not accurate and if I look at the game, in the first half we dominated them very well but shot on target we had one, which was very worrying," the Burundian told reporters after the game.

The Taifa Stars will be playing Tunisia on November 11 away, before hosting them in Dar es Salaam two weeks later.  

The East African nation started the campaign in Group J with a 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea before losing 2-1 away to Libya in their second game.  

Manchester United still need a "top-class No.9", according to Paul Scholes, who says Martial "almost conned" fans into thinking he was the answer until his poor start to the 2020-21 season.

Martial posted the best scoring numbers of his career last term, hitting 23 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions.

His form post-lockdown was particularly impressive as the Red Devils stormed to a third-place Premier League finish, with Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood completing a deadly front three alongside the Frenchman.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men haven't been able to carry that momentum into their latest campaign, losing two of their opening three top-flight fixtures.

Martial has yet to open his account, with United becoming heavily reliant on the penalty-taking abilities of Bruno Fernandes amid struggles to carve out clear-cut chances in the final third of the pitch.

Rashford has one goal to his name, while Greenwood scored in a Carabao Cup third-round win against Luton Town. However, a 6-1 defeat at home to Tottenham before the international break raised more doubts over the Red Devils' attacking output.

Scholes, who has suggested United should have targeted Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland instead of his team-mate Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window, doesn't think Martial is capable of leading the line for his old club in the long-term, despite his impressive individual ability.

"These forwards are exceptionally talented lads. We all know that," the Class of '92 treble winner told Stadium Astro.

"The problem with United’s forwards is that none of them is an actual centre-forward.

"Martial almost conned us into thinking he was one at the end of last season because he scored so many goals and was quite good.

"He’s started this season quite poorly again, which makes you think he isn’t. It’s misleading. That’s why I’ve kept saying we need a top-class No. 9."

Solskjaer was able to add former Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani to his ranks on deadline day, but Harry Redknapp has been among those to label the Norwegian's latest signing as a huge "gamble" given the fact he turns 34 in February.

United are due back in Premier League action on Saturday, with a trip to St James' Park to face Newcastle on the cards. 

AFC Leopards have confirmed the promotion of Lewis Bandi from the junior team to the senior one ahead of the new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League season.

“We are delighted to announce that Lewis Bandi has committed his future to the club and signed his first senior contract,” the club said in a statement on their official website.

“The 18-year-old Eastleigh High school alumni joined the Leopards youth team in 2015 and was loaned out to Makadara’s Hakati Sportiff.

“The left-back was also part of the second edition of Chapa Dimba All-Stars team that travelled to Spain for a 10-day football camp.”

On earning the promotion, Bandi said: “I feel excited signing this contract, getting a promotion to the senior team is a big moment for me. I believe that staying at Leopards is the best decision now in my football ball career.”

Bandi has signed a three-year contract which will keep him at The Den until 2023 and joins a list of players who have been come through the club’s youth system.

In an interview on Monday, Ingwe chairman Dan Shikanda told Goal the club has completed their signings and in due time they will be unveiled to the public.

While rivals Gor Mahia, 2009 champions Sofapaka and other top tier teams are busy in the market and have confirmed their new players, the 13-time league champions are yet to do so.

“Leopards are doing things in their own way and soon the new players will be unveiled,” Shikanda told Goal.

"We have made about five signings to bolster the team; they are players who will help us challenge for top honours. As opposed to our rivals, we are not making wholesale changes since we did not release many players.

"For them, it is like they are building a new team, but for us, we are strengthening what we already have. All I can assure our fans is that we have completed our signings."

On Monday, October 12, the 13-time champions confirmed Washinton Munene had signed a permanent deal with the team.

The defender had joined Ingwe last year, initially on loan from Wazito FC, but convincing performances with the first team in the season that was cancelled, triggered AFC Leopards to make the move permanent.

The former league winners are also eager to complete Harrison Mwendwa’s move but reports have emerged the process has been slowed due to the demand made by the player’s agent.  

Munene and Ochan have extended their stays even with rumours interim head coach Anthony Kimani is set to leave for further studies sponsored by the club. 

Jack Grealish was right to snub Tottenham’s advances in the past as a “serious player” is ready to join “any elite club” once the time comes to leave Aston Villa, says Stan Collymore.

The 25-year-old playmaker has seen his obvious ability noted outside of the West Midlands for some time.

Back in 2018, Spurs decided that he would be a useful addition to their ranks in north London.

No deal was done, though, and Grealish went on to fire home-town club Villa back into the Premier League.

He helped to keep them there last season, sparking more talk of interest from the likes of Manchester United.

Once again no terms were put in place and a man who has gone on to make a senior international bow for England is now tied to a new long-term contract at Villa Park.

Transfer speculation is expected to surface again in the future, with Grealish earning comparisons to the legendary Paul Gascoigne, and Collymore believes sights will be set much higher than Spurs when a move is made.

The former Villa and England striker told The Mirror: “He made the right decision not moving when Spurs wanted him. He'd have just been in their squad at that point.

“Since then Jack has taken a step up and is a serious player.

“Well done for not taking that move, helping get Villa into the top flight, but he can play for any elite club now.”

It could be that Grealish gets the chance to represent another of Collymore’s former clubs, Liverpool, at some stage.

For now, though, the Reds are making headlines for their supposed leading role in the controversial ‘Project Big Picture’ proposal that threatens to see heavyweight Premier League outfits take on even more control.

Collymore said of Liverpool’s involvement in those plans: “The Premier League's elite clubs, led by Liverpool and Manchester United, are using the global pandemic to seize control of football.

“You've got an economic slowdown, folk losing their jobs and clubs banned from letting fans into their grounds, and football's top dogs have decided to make their move.

“They are offering incentives to the lower reaches, to install themselves as the unopposed rulers of the game, cementing a status as the unopposed aristocracy.

“I find it is insulting, insensitive and it makes a mockery of a semblance of solidarity from top to bottom.

“I am disgusted that they think they can get all the power and the vetoes to run the Premier League, by bunging the desperate club's below some much-needed cash. Anger can't express what I feel.”

Dejan Kulusevski insisted Cristiano Ronaldo cannot be stopped as the Juventus team-mates prepare to reunite in the Nations League fixture between Sweden and Portugal.

Ronaldo and Portugal will welcome Kulusevski's Sweden to Lisbon for Wednesday's League A, Group 3 clash.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal defeated Sweden 2-0 in the reverse fixture in September.

Sweden star Kulusevski - who plays alongside Ronaldo at Serie A champions Juve - is braced for a difficult encounter with Portugal's captain and all-time leading goalscorer.

"There is no one who can stop him. If he has a good day, he decides everything on his own," Kulusevski said via Aftonbladet.

"We did not manage to stop him last match, but we get another chance on Wednesday.

"I do not know how to stop him, you have to be aggressive get him frustrated. I know what it's like to play against aggressive backs and in the end you get frustrated."

Kulusevski joined Atalanta as a 16-year-old in 2016 from his native Brommapojkarna in Sweden - and made three appearances for the Bergamo-based club during the 2018-19 season.

He was then loaned out to Parma for the 2019-20 season where he excelled, scoring 10 goals and creating nine assists in an impressive Serie A campaign.

Kulusevski's Parma form earned him a €35 million (£30m/$39m) move to Juventus - where has had started both Serie A games under new coach Andrea Pirlo this season, scoring one goal.

The talented attacker was only used for 20 minutes as a substitute in Sweden's match against France in September, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic labelling the decision by coach Janne Andersson as a 'f*cking joke' .

Portugal top Group 3 – ahead of France on goal difference – with seven points from three games following Sunday's goalless draw in Paris.

Fernando Santos' Portugal are in the midst of a six-game unbeaten streak since going down 2-1 to Ukraine in October last year.

Sweden are bottom of the group following three consecutive defeats, having lost 2-1 to Croatia last time out.

Mohammedan Sporting have started their I-League qualifiers campaign on a bright note, winning their first two matches against Garhwal FC and ARA FC respectively. They just about managed to beat Garhwal before notching a comfortable win against ARA.

But the controversies off-the-pitch has relegated their exploits on the field to the backseat, with head coach Yan Law being shown the door immediately after the second game. It is also likely that the club management might take legal action against the coach for disclosing private information to an outsider, Goal understands. 

But trouble started brewing much before, right after pre-season started. It is alleged that the coach was preferring a certain group of players which led to discontentment and divisions within the team. 

A certain full-back was asked to play out of his natural position. It was evident that the move was not working according to plan but Law chose to stick to his guns. Moreover, it was alleged that Law was trying to implement a system that reportedly the players were not comfortable with. This allegedly increased tension amongst the squad.

One of the insiders even confirmed to Goal that the coach would ask his players not to listen to any tactical advice from anyone else as he is the most qualified with an 'A' License coaching degree. 

"We also understand a bit of football. The assistant coach, goalkeeping coach also understand the game. It is absurd that only the head coach understands football. The officials also know little football. But he was not at all open to suggestions. 

"Everyone saw what happened in the first match. We don't want to win by luck. We have a good team and we will win by playing well. He was more interested in press conferences and interacting with the media. The team was being prepared by Saheed Ramon (assistant coach)," stated Wasim Akram, General Secretary of Mohammedan Sporting to Goal. 

It is perceived that the coach was also involved in an element of a power struggle with the top officials of the club. He wanted to be in the loop regarding major administrative decisions and the officials put their foot down asking him to concentrate on his job at hand. 

After a lacklustre performance in the first match, the management got into a conference call with the coach and asked for an explanation. They also enquired why certain players were left out of the squad and fringe players were given a start. 

It was made clear to him that he cannot run the club according to his whims and senior players and other members of the coaching staff must also be consulted. It is alleged that what transpired during the call got leaked and that is believed to have been the final nail of the coffin. 

Even before the second match, the officials had made their decision to sack the manager. It was even decided that Yan Law's name would not feature in the official team list of Mohammedan for the game against ARA FC, but ultimately the club did not go ahead with it. Instead immediately, after the game, the termination letter was sent and he was relieved of his duties. 

Goal also reached out to Yan Law but he was not available for comments. 

Mohammedan will once again take the pitch on October 16, when they will lock horns against local rivals Bhowanipore FC. 

Carlton Chapman knew when to make a move in the centre of a football pitch. His excellent runs and an eye for an assist made him a midfielder that the best strikers in India wanted to team up with. 

And it wasn't just strikers that wanted to be a part of the team that he led. Everybody liked him, he was a genuinely nice guy who played football with a smile on his face. 

When the news of his passing at the age of 49 broke on Monday morning, the feeling his teammates had was one of utmost shock.

"He was like a younger brother to me. We were practically family. This is not an easy loss to take,” Chapman’s former teammate IM Vijayan told the All India Football Federation (AIFF).  “He was a really nice person, both on and off the pitch. I do not remember him ever getting angry at anyone.”

 Vijayan and Chapman, who played together at JCT and FC Kochin, reproduced the magic of their partnership for the national team in the same year by winning the South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup in Kathmandu. 

Chapman was one of the best midfielders in the country during his time. He graduated from the Tata Football Academy during the early 90s and a decade later, returned to his training grounds there as a coach and was a dedicated servant of the establishment for six years.

It would be a hard task to pick one historic moment in Chapman's professional career. However, scoring a hat-trick for East Bengal against Al Zawra of Iraq in the Asian Cup Winners Cup in 1993, within years of his graduation was his way of announcing his arrival.

Two years later, he left for JCT and embarked on a journey full of trophies. "We won 14 tournaments in two years (at JCT). It was a formidable side with IM Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri and Bhaichung Bhutia," Chapman had recollected a high point in his career in an interview back in 2011. Even there, he deflected praise and showered it upon his teammates. 

After winning the first edition of NFL with JCT, he had a short stint at FC Kochin before returning to East Bengal. He had unfinished business with the Red and Golds. 

In the 2000-01 season, East Bengal won the NFL by just a point over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and Chapman was instrumental in making that happen. 

After winning trophies almost every year in his professional career, Chapman turned to coaching after 2001. He enjoyed stints at TFA, Bhowanipore, Royal Wahngdoh, Students Union, Sudeva and Quartz FC and was about to add Gokulam Kerala to his list. He breathed his last before he could take over the reserve team of the Malabarians and the people who knew him will have prayed that he departed with a smile.

“It’s sad to hear that Carlton Chapman is no more. His contribution to Indian Football will never be forgotten. I share the grief," AIFF president Praful Patel said, upon hearing the news of his death. 

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said, “Chapman was a gifted player. He even inspired so many youngsters through his coaching. May his soul rest in peace.”

See you on the other side, Chapman. 

Jamshedpur FC assistant coach and former India international footballer Noel Wilson fondly remembered Carlton Chapman who passed away on Monday at the age of 49 reportedly due to a heart attack.

Wilson, who is nine years younger than Chapman, is a relative and hails from the same area in Bengaluru as Chapman.

Wilson recalled some fond memories of his ‘cousin’ and how he had followed Chapman’s footsteps in his footballing career. 

“I am in Goa now and I got a call from my home in the morning regarding the incident,” Wilson told Goal. “It is very sad and shocking. I started my career in SAI and Carlton (Chapman) was in Tata Football Academy (TFA). Being an Anglo Indian and his cousin, I always wanted to follow in his footsteps. I also wanted to play like him and I have always tried to follow the way he played even though he used to play on the wings and I was a central midfielder.

“His willingness, efforts and dedication towards the game are what I used to look up to. After he left football, he joined the TFA as a coach which also inspired me to take up coaching after retirement.”

“He was always been soft-spoken with a very good heart. He never compromised and always spoke the truth which is a unique quality. He was always ready to help everyone which I think, at times, has landed him in trouble. I think you cannot be good to everyone especially if people starting taking advantage of you. It is a huge loss and I feel sad that I cannot go for his funeral as I am in quarantine in Goa at the moment. He has always been like an elder brother to me.”

The former Mohun Bagan midfielder also suggested that Chapman was an icon in the Anglo Indian Community as he was the first person to make it big as a sportsman.

“Carlton was a role model for the Anglo Indian community. I think he was the first person from our community to make it big as a footballer. We do not find many Anglo Indian sportspersons in India. Being an Anglo Indian myself, I looked up to him as a role model,” said Wilson.

The Jamshedpur assistant coach recalled his professional debut for FC Kochin and had played against Carlton Chapman’s East Bengal in 1998. Wilson recollected how nervous he was before facing his idol but Chapman's encouraging words helped calm him down.

“The first tournament when I had played against him was when I was in FC Kochin and he was in East Bengal. I was a bit nervous playing against him but he always used to encourage me and tell me to play my natural game. Despite being an opponent, he used to encourage me.”

Noel Wilson made his international debut in 2000 during the Millennium Cup which was held in three cities, Kolkata, Kochi and Goa. Wilson suggested that it was a very proud moment for him as for the time, two Anglo Indian players, had represented the nation together.

“Also, it was an honour for me to play alongside him in the national team. We played in the Millennium Cup in 2000. It was an honour to play for the national team along with my cousin as not many Anglo Indians have played together for the Indian team; we were the first two players.”

Gambia’s international friendly with the Guinean national team has been called off due to positive Covid-19 cases.

The Scorpions - who had defeated Congo 1-0 on Friday thanks to Assan Ceesay’s strike – were billed to take on the Syli Nationale on Tuesday, however, that encounter will not hold.

According to a statement on Gambia Football Federation’s website, five out of the 19 Guinean players in camp have contracted the virus, while five are down with injuries in the wake of their 2-1 victory over Cape Verde.

“The Gambia National Team (Scorpions) second friendly international match earlier scheduled against the Guinea National team (Syli National) has been called off,” the report read.

“This development is necessitated by the Guinea Officials whose majority of players are confirmed to have contracted the Covid-19 virus while on camp in Portugal.

“This information is been communicated to the Gambian officials by the Guinea Football Federation and had further informed Fifa and Caf about the development and thus formally called off the match that is been scheduled to take place on Tuesday 13th October 2020 at 5pm.

“In fact, according to the Guinea officials, out of the nineteen players at camp, five have been tested positive of the Covid-19 virus while another five have sustained injuries in their game against Cape Verde and virtually been left with only nine players in the squad prompting their inability to observe any competitive match.”

The Gambian football ruling body also confirmed all medical tests carried out on Scorpions players and coaches returned negative results.

“Nonetheless, we would like to state that the Gambia national team and officials at the training camp have all undergone the mandatory Covid-19 tests; the results of which are all negative,” it continued.

“In this vein, the GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo and Executive Committee members have applauded the management of the Scorpions training camp while in Portugal as professional and exceptional.”

In their victory over the Leopards, Noah Sonko, Abdoulie Sanyang, Musa Juwara, Babucarr Gaye and Sainey Njie were handed their maiden international debuts.

Tom Saintfiet’s men who are unbeaten in their last three international outings take on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon in November’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as hope to qualify for their maiden appearance at the biennial African football showpiece.

Aidy Boothroyd has challenged Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah to push his finishing to the next level as he believes the forward is comparable to England great Alan Shearer and current captain Harry Kane.

Nketiah has two goals in seven games for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal but, at international level with England's Under-21s group, he is closing in on Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffers' goal-scoring record.

The 21-year-old forward needs just one more goal to surpass their total of 13, having already matched it with an important European Championship qualification game against Turkey to come.

Boothroyd believes the young star has a special 'aura' around him and is backing Nketiah for the top as long as he continues to get minutes for his club.

"There's no doubt about it. He’s destined for big things," Boothroyd said ahead of his side's match on Tuesday night at Wolves' Molineux Stadium. "His personality and his persona around the lads, he has an aura of responsibility and leadership about him.

"He’s a natural, all the players like and respect him. We know what he gives on the pitch but he’s good off the pitch. This is what we want our young England players to look like.

"How far can he go? He’ll have to play regular games for his club.

"He’s been getting good opportunities and he has been scoring goals and putting in good performances. I’ve worked with him for nearly three years and seen him get stronger and stronger. Hopefully we can see him take that next step to become a regular with Arsenal and then the seniors.

"He’s got work to do and he'll the first person who will tell you that. But he can do really well. There’s always comparisons with top players over generations. You look at the career that Alan had and Harry Kane who is our England captain now.

"If Eddie can get to that point where like those two players, he’s in on goal, and you know he’s going to score consistently, that’s when you make that step from young to a senior player.

"He is nearly there, not far off, but he is in the company of those players I have mentioned which shows you how much I think about him and how much we think about him in the system."

The Three Lions secured a recent win over Belgium at senior level but the sheer number of talents coming through from the youth set-up is leading to more excitement around the national team.

With Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin the latest to make an impact, Boothroyd described why Nketiah is such a dangerous striker and pointed to his relentless efforts to make runs that others won't.

"He scores goals; he creates goals. I counted from a previous game that he made 20 runs before he got the ball," he added. "Sometimes you get that in international football that you’ve got to have the patience.

"A lot of players get frustrated, particularly No.9s coming towards the ball, and it’s easier to defend against. With him, he’s forever diving between the lines, trying to find that inch to get him free to score.

"It takes a bit of doing but he's got that in his locker. His movement and every part of his game is getting better because of he puts the work in."

For England's Under-21s as a whole, a win over Turkey would ensure qualification for the 2021 Euros with two games to spare. Nketiah has played a key role and he is the joint-top scorer in the qualification stage across Europe with 10 goals.

Aidy Boothroyd believes that Jude Bellingham has handled his move to Borussia Dortmund brilliantly as the England Under-21s manager highlighted the teenager's achievement of winning the Bundesliga's Young Player of the Month award upon his arrival.

The 17-year-old chose the German giants ahead of the likes of Manchester United this summer in a £25m ($33m) move from Birmingham City after a sensational breakthrough season in the Championship.

After scoring on his debut, Bellingham also has an assist to his name in his first five appearances at Signal Iduna Park.

As he continues to break through at the highest level in the sport, Bellingham is studying to speak German while also learning to drive as he bids to fit in off the field under Lucien Favre.

"He is the oldest young player I have ever come across," Boothroyd said ahead of his side's match against Turkey. "He has settled down now, he is comfortable in his environment, he is giving stick out to the lads and he is getting a bit back.

"He has to do his education; he is learning German, he is trying to learn how to drive and he is doing his driving test in Germany. He has a lot going on and he is loving the fact that he can just go out and train and be free.

"He has made a brilliant start at Dortmund to get the young player of the month. I fully expect him to build on that and I have been really impressed with him as a person and as a player. He is really a credit to his parents, a cracking guy, he comes into the room with a massive smile.

"He is always looking at who he can dig out from more senior players. He has settled in fine and I am really pleased with how he has performed in training. He will be involved tomorrow night. As the Under-21s, we are really happy to have such a talent with us."

The Three Lions Under-21s are bidding to qualify for the European Championship in 2021 and are looking to overcome their first setback of the group stage - a 3-3 away draw with basement dwellers Andorra.

However, a win over Turkey at the Molineux Stadium on Tuesday night can confirm qualification with two games to spare for Boothroyd's side.

"A lot of the older players didn’t play; I was interested in listening to their reactions, which was good and encouraging," he added. "We’ve got some really good lads. Genuine, honest, want to get better, and certainly outstanding footballers. We can get this out of the way and make sure we’re prepared for March."

Manchester City have been given an injury scare after Kevin De Bruyne was forced to withdraw from the Belgium squad and return to the Premier League side.

The 29-year-old started for the Red Devils in their Nations League clash against England at Wembley on Sunday before being withdrawn after 73 minutes.

The midfielder did not appear to be carrying an injury, though he was seen talking animatedly with boss Roberto Martinez as he made his way off the pitch.

Speaking after the game Martinez appeared to deliver good news by confirming that De Bruyne was not injured, but he did need to be assessed.

"I would not say that Kevin is injured. He said he felt something," said the Spaniard.

"It is too early to know what he has, but he did not feel a hundred percent. It was rather a precautionary change."

However, after being assessed by the medical team it appears De Bruyne is not fit enough to feature against Iceland on Wednesday and has instead returned to Manchester.

"UPDATE: Kevin De Bruyne has returned to his club. He couldn’t be fit enough to play against Iceland,” read a statement posted on the Belgium’s Twitter account.

Though the extent of the injury is unknown, De Bruyne must now be considered a doubt for Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Arsenal on Saturday.

It is a further headache for City boss Pep Guardiola, who already has to deal with a lengthy injury list.

Raheem Sterling was forced to withdraw from the England squad last week with a thigh injury, though he is hopeful go being fit for the Arsenal clash. Sergio Aguero meanwhile has been sidelined since picking up a knee injury Manchester City’s first game of Project Restart against Burnley in June.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has yet to make an appearance for City this season because of a muscle injury, while Gabriel Jesus picked up a knock in his only appearance of the season against Wolves last month.

Ilkay Gundogan has also been on the sidelines after he was forced to self-isolate following a positive Covid-19 test, though he has since returned to training and should be available for the weekend.

AS Roma midfielder Amadou Diawara has confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus after returning from national team duty with Guinea.

On Monday, the 23-year-old was made to undergo a swab test upon his return from the Syli Nationale camp in Portugal and he becomes the fifth player in Paulo Fonseca's team to contract Covid-19 after Bruno Peres, Carles Perez, Justin Kluivert and Antonio Mirante.

He has been forced to go into isolation immediately but he assured that he is doing well to recover.

Diawara has played two Serie A matches so far this campaign and will most likely miss Sunday's match against Benevento.

“Hello everyone, this morning I carried out the return swab from the national team, unfortunately I tested positive for Covid-19," Diawara wrote on Instagram.

“I want to reassure all the people who know me, luckily I feel fine, but obviously I will have to respect the quarantine period. I hope to be back at the coach's disposal as soon as possible!"

The scheduled international friendly match between Guinea and the Gambia for Tuesday was called off after Didier Six's squad was delpeted with injuries and positive coronavirus result.

According to reports, Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita alongside Lokomotiv Moscow winger Francois Kamano, goalkeeper Ibrahima Kone, Moreirense midfielder Ibrahima Camara and Sochaux defender Florentin Pogba are the five players who tested positive for the virus in Guinea camp. 

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets says he could talk for "five or six hours" about the turbulence at the club. 

La Liga giants Barca have been engulfed in drama for much of 2020, following Lionel Messi's public declaration that he wanted to leave the club, Luis Suarez's contentious departure to Atletico Madrid and the appointment of Ronald Koeman as new head coach following Quique Setien's dismissal in the wake of an 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Messi ultimately remained at Camp Nou after it became clear he would be unable to exercise a get-out clause in his contract, while Koeman refuted Suarez's claim that he was forced out of the club.

Busquets – currently on international duty with Spain – holds strong views on the state of his club but suggested it would take a significant amount of time to discuss them all. 

"One thing is what happens outside, which is not the best moment of the club," he told a media conference ahead of Spain's Nations League clash with Ukraine. "And another what happens in the field, which was not our best year and it shows at an individual and collective level. 

"If I stopped to give my opinion carefully, it could be five or six hours. 

"On the field it was not our best year. Football is a team sport and if you are not well collectively, you will not be individually. But it has already happened and we have a new opportunity. Things have changed and we hope it will get better."

Busquets started Spain's 0-0 friendly draw with Portugal on Wednesday and their 1-0 Nations League win over Switzerland three days later to take him to 119 caps since his debut in 2008.

He is seventh on Spain's all-time most capped list but sits a whopping 55 behind record holder Sergio Ramos, who is the only player in the current squad to have played more international games than him. 

The 32-year-old has dismissed following Barca team-mate Gerard Pique into international retirement, though, and says he hopes to remain part of the Spain squad for the foreseeable future. 

"I focus on going season to season," he added. "It is clear that I am no longer 20-years-old and I cannot look much into the future. I feel fine.

"It depends on each situation of each player. A new but peculiar season has begun. I hope I can last a long time in the national team."