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Just a day after Young Africans (Yanga SC) claimed they can hammer their rivals Simba SC 7-0 in the derby, the club has now come out to state they can also beat the same team even without a coach.

The two Tanzanian giants were due to face off for the first time this season on October 18 but the first-round match was postponed owing to the involvement of their players in national teams during the international break.

And it is the postponement which brought a lot of mixed reactions, with Simba claiming they will still beat their rivals even if the match is postponed to next year while Yanga came out to state they can hammer them 7-0.

Yanga communications officer Hassan Bumbuli has now raised the banter between the two sides by claiming they can still beat Simba without a coach as their fans are capable of handling the side to a win.

Yanga are currently without a coach after they fired Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic after only 37 matches in charge, and though they have settled on Burundian Cedric Kaze, they have not made it official.

“We as Yanga we don’t fear Simba and we can play against them any day and at any given time, even now when we don’t have a coach, we can still play against them and beat them squarely,” Bumbuli is quoted by Sokaletu.

“In Yanga we always believe in ourselves and so we don’t have to fear them [Simba], even if they want the match to be played on October 18 or even after the international break, we are ready.

“I know we don’t have a coach, that is okay but we can give the team to one of our fans and he will handle the team very well against Simba, we can beat them with our fan in charge.”

On Thursday, Bumbuli said he was confident the team can hit Simba SC for seven in the Kariakoo Derby.

“November 7 will reach and we will still play [with Simba]," Bumbuli told reporters. “[TPLB] have been forced to make changes after analysing the situation and we are in agreement.

“It will give us more time to prepare for the games planned for us. We have a game against Polisi Tanzania on October 22 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“I urge fans to come in large numbers, get their tickets early, and be in the stadium on time to cheer and motivate our players. As promised, we started scoring more goals against Coastal Union [where we won 3-0]. We will continue scoring as many goals as the days pass by.

“It is very possible that by the time November 7 reaches, we might have reached seven goals [for Simba].”

Last season, the two teams met three times in all competitions and it all started with a 2-2 draw in the league before the 27-time champions won the second round by a solitary goal scored by now Simba SC player Bernard Morrison.

The two teams were again paired in the semi-final of the FA Cup and the Tanzania Mainland League champions put in a classic performance to win the game 4-1 to advance to the finals where they eventually won by defeating Namungo FC 2-1.

Tunisia downed Sudan 3-0 in an eye-catching performance during Friday’s friendly encounters, while The Gambia saw off Congo-Brazzaville and Burkina Faso thumped the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0.

The Carthage Eagles, who meet Nigeria in another friendly bout next week, tore into a 3-0 lead in the first half against North-East Africans with a sensational 45 minutes of attacking football.

Saif-Eddine Khaoui opened the scoring in the 17th minute after an assist from Wahbi Khazri, before Ali Maaloul doubled Tunisia’s advantage eight minutes later with a diving header from close range following a superb cross from the right flank from the Saint-Etienne playmaker again.

10 minutes later, debutant Anis Ben Slimane added a third to cap off a rampant half, although Tunisia lost their momentum after the break, and were unable to add to their advantage at the Olympique Hamadi Agrebi in Rades.

Sudan, ranked 128th in the world, will be delighted to have kept their opponents at bay in the second half, but were thoroughly outclassed during the opening 45 minutes.

The North Africans meet Nigeria in Klagenfurt, Austria on October 12, while Sudan are set to meet Togo.

Also on Friday, Burkina Faso thumped the Democratic Republic of Congo following goals from Bertrand Traore, Bryan Dabo and Issoufou Dayo.

Traore’s header following an assist from Abdul Razack Traore opened the scoring in the 14th minute, before Dabo struck from the spot in the 68th minute.

Dayo added a third four minutes from time to round off a resounding win for the West Africans, who were one of the biggest names to miss out on the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

In the Algarve, Portugal, Assan Ceesay’s second-half goal was enough for The Gambia, who have enjoyed significant improvement over recent years, to defeat Congo-Brazzaville 1-0.

Also on Friday, Kenya's Harambee Stars shocked Zambia in a 2-1 win at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday in a friendly meeting.

Cliff Nyakeya's strike and an own goal by Tandi Mwape handed Francis Kimanzi’s side the victory while a late goal by Emmanuel Chabula denied the East Africans a home clean sheet.

Chabula should have added a second for Chipolopolo when the ball appeared to have definitely crossed the line, although the referees refused to give the goal to Zambia.

On Thursday, South Africa and Namibia played out a 1-1 draw, while the Ivory Coast held Belgium to the same scoreline after Franck Kessie’s effort cancelled out Michy Batshuayi’s opener.

Kwadwo Asamoah has brought an end to his two-year spell at Inter Milan with a farewell note to the Serie A club's fans on Friday.

The Ghana international is now free to join any club without any transfer fee after finding it difficult to secure a first-team spot in Antonio Conte's team.

Asamoah was restricted to just 11 appearances across all competitions in the 2019-20 season which include eight Serie A matches – and they all came in the first-half of the campaign before 2020.

Despite the sad ending to his time at the outfit, the 31-year-old appreciated the club, his teammates and the fans for the love showed to him at the San Siro Stadium.

“I want to thank all the staff, the club, my teammates and last but not least all the Nerazzurri fans, you are great! Good luck for everything,” Asamoah wrote on Instagram.

Asamoah joined Inter Milan on a free transfer from Juventus in the summer of 2018 after winning six Serie A titles with the Bianconeri.

The versatile Accra-born star started his European playing career in Switzerland with Bellinzona before moving to Italy to join Torino and Udinese in 2008.

Four years later, he moved to the Allianz Stadium to enjoy domestic success with Juventus between 2012 and 2018.

Following his Inter Milan exit, Russia and Portugal are two notable countries whose transfer windows remain open, until October 17 and 25, respectively, and Asamoah might seek greener pasture in the European countries before their deadlines.

Jack Grealish is a player in the mould of Paul Gascoigne but will struggle to dislodge the likes of Raheem Sterling from England's starting line-up, says Steve McClaren.

Aston Villa attacking midfielder Grealish made his first England start against Wales on Thursday and put on a man-of-the-match display in the 3-0 Wembley win.

One particular highlight was a gorgeous assist for debutant Dominic Calvert-Lewin to open the scoring in the 26th minute, while his general play on the ball was a real asset to England.

Grealish has also been influential for a Villa side who have won three from three in the top flight this season, scoring with each of his three shots on target, while he became the first player to have a hand in five goals in a Premier League match when his side thrashed champions Liverpool 7-2.

But still, he has struggled to make the breakthrough on the international stage under Gareth Southgate and McClaren says the 25-year-old has to keep earning the trust of the manager as he offers the team something others in the squad do not.

"What a performance, he's really matured. He's the focal point of the Aston Villa team, he needs good players around him, and what Aston Villa have bought this season is good players," the ex-England boss told Stats Perform News. 

"You saw him link up with [Ross] Barkley at the weekend against Liverpool and play two exquisite passes which no one else could play and see and we haven't got that type of midfield player, striker, creative player.

"We haven't had it for a long time, that Gazza type, he is that type. Yes, he can frustrate at times, but he produces now, he's got end product, he can score, he can assist and it showed in the goal that Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored.

"So, I think he was a major plus. He's got to gain the trust of the manager that's the most important thing, and if he does that he should be in the England team because with good players around him he becomes a better player."

However, McClaren feels Grealish will have trouble nailing down a starting spot, particularly when Manchester City forward Sterling is fit again, due to Southgate's preference for pace in attacking positions. 

"Unfortunately, no [I don't think he'll be in the team]," he added. "Because when you play as you do, 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3, Gareth has gone for speed in the wide areas. He's looking at [Jadon] Sancho, Sterling, at [Marcus] Rashford, [Mason] Greenwood – he's looking at speed. 

"Jack hasn't got speed, he's got dribbling ability, he can glide by players, he can see a pass, he doesn't give it away, he can create, he can see things, so he's a different type of player, a different type of wide player. 

"Jack will be useful in terms of being on the bench and when you're 1-0 down or we need to win a game, bring Jack on because he can cause defences havoc whether he plays eight, 10, 11 or seven. 

"He'll cause problems, so he's a tremendous asset to have on the bench or in the squad. But there's still a long way to go before Jack Grealish becomes a permanent England player, still a lot to do."

McClaren was not surprised it took Grealish so long to earn a call-up to the national team, citing a lack of positional discipline during his formative years and the fact he is a "luxury player".

He likened the situation to the one experienced with Joe Cole when assistant to Sven-Goran Eriksson.

"He was a luxury player and you can't have luxury players, at Aston Villa you can't have any luxury players," McClaren said. "Sometimes it takes a while to mature and bring great discipline into your game, a lot of people talk about Gazza and the likes of Joe Cole and Joe Cole was exactly the same. 

"We used to play Joe Cole out wide, and he'd say 'why am I playing out wide?' And we'd say 'because Sven doesn't trust you playing in the number 10 because when we lose the ball we need some discipline to that and some shape'.

"By default, he's had the opportunity and the key with everything, in the relationship between the manager and the player, is trust and obviously trust takes a long time to build up. 

"Especially in international football, you have to trust a player to do that job. Now he's started the process." 

Zambia coach Milutin Sredojevic has bemoaned the defeat to Kenya by stating they deserved to get a draw if there was VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in place.

The visiting Chipolopolo side thought they had snatched a draw in the last minutes of the match but the goal was ruled out for not 'closing the line', something the Serbian coach could not agree to.

“If you ask me, that was a goal, a clear goal, because it closed the line, it was a last-minute incidence and I think if we had the VAR, it could have helped a lot, that was a clear goal,” Sredojevic told Goal after the match,

On conceding two goals against a hard-fighting Kenyan side, Sredojevic blamed his charges for their failure to defend counter-attacks.

“Kenya are a good team, and we knew they will trouble us but we also gave them too much space and could not defend counter-attacks, it worked against us, we conceded goals we should have defended had we played as a team.”

On his part, Kenya coach Francis Kimanzi praised his charges for a spirited effort theat saw them come out winners despite most of the players playing for the first time since football was prematurely stopped in the country in mid-March owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We played a very good first half, we controlled the game well and took them head-on,” Kimanzi told Goal. “But in the second period, our performance dropped, we did not play as we did in the first half, and it really affected my players.

“But overall, it was a good display from my players, most of them have been out in the cold for a very long time but they managed to pull out a win, it is good for us and it gives us the spirit to fight again in next matches.”

Cliff Nyakeya's strike and an own goal by Tandi Mwape handed Francis Kimanzi’s side the victory while a late goal by Emmanuel Chabula denied the East Africans a home clean sheet.

Kenya surprisingly started as the hungrier and dominant side and almost got the opener in the ninth minute through Brian Mandela, whose effort went wide despite being in a good position to finish off with a goal.

Persistent pressure on the visitors earned Kenya an opener in the 23rd minute when Mwape turned the ball into his own net. The teams broke for a water break to cool down after playing for almost half an hour under the hot Nairobi weather.

Kings Kangwa and Sakala again failed to score for Zambia after they squandered their 30th and 33rd-minute chances, respectively.

Kenya doubled the lead in the 39th minute when FC Masr's forward Nyakeya fired a clinical strike that Sebastian Mwange had little chance of stopping.

Zambia came for the friendly seen as the stronger side having already engaged Malawi on Wednesday and picked up a 1-0 win. Their players were also thought to be much fitter having been in action in the previous months unlike the Kenyans, who before the match, had just trained for three days.

History also tipped Chipolopolo for victory as the Harambee Stars have mostly faltered whenever they met the Cosafa member.

The last time the two teams met – at Nyayo Stadium five years ago – they drew 1-1 in an Afcon qualifier.

Zambia will travel to South Africa for more friendlies against Bafana Bafana, Orlando Pirates, and Mamelodi Sundowns. Kenya are yet to confirm whether another encounter has been organised.

CK Akonnor’s Ghana tenure got off to a disappointing start on Friday as the Black Stars were defeated 3-0 by Mali at the Emir Hotel Sports Complex in Antalya.

Hamari Traore opened the scoring for the Eagles in the third minute with an excellent finish from close range after driving down the right flank and evading the challenge of Gideon Mensah.

Stade de Reims wonderkid and Eagles debutant El-Bilal Toure then doubled Mali’s lead early in the second half following a fine cross from Mali’s right, before Amadou Haidara added a third 15 minutes from time.

The Francophone side dominated the possession during the early stages, with a Ghana side containing debutants Tarique Fosu (Brentford) and Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg) struggling to find their rhythm.

It took 25 minutes for Ghana to have their first attempt, when the lively Bernard Mensah picked out Jordan Ayew, but the Crystal Palace striker’s effort flew over the bar.

Steadily, Ghana grew into the contest, and moments later, Jordan sent another chance wide after fine interplay from his brother Andre and Arsenal new boy Thomas Partey.

Akonnor will also rue his side’s misfortune with injuries.

Eugene Ansah was forced off for Kamaldeen Suleyman with injury at the end of the first half, while Mensah was withdrawn for Emmanuel Lomotey soon after the break.

Just after the hour mark, Ghana were also forced to replace Nicholas Opoku with Joseph Aidoo after the centre-back limped off with injury.

With 20 minutes to play, Akonnor turned to Caleb Ekuban to replace Gideon Mensah, but five minutes later, Ghana were 3-0 down after Haidara added the Eagles’ third.

Black Stars fans will be disappointed with their side's defensive display, particularly considering Ghana had only conceded 13 goals in their last 10 matches against Mali.

Similarly, they had only been defeated once by the Eagles in the previous five matches between the regional rivals.

The Black Stars will look to make amends when they meet Qatar in another international friendly on Monday, while Mali face Iran on Tuesday.

Kenyan Premier League side AFC Leopards risk losing property worth over KSh2.6 million owed to former coach Ivan Minnaert.

AFC Leopards sacked the Belgian in September 2016 after a string of poor results but the coach chose to dispute the termination of his contract through the corridors of justice.

Minnaert first went to the Football Kenya Federation Tribunal where he was awarded KSh2.6 million in 2017. AFC Leopards were to pay the money in instalments: six phases of KSh500,000 then the balance be cleared in instalments of KSh450,000 and KSh300,000. Thereafter KSh450,000 was to be offset in four phases.

“It is hereby ordered the arbitral award is hereby adopted as a decree of this court,” High Court judge Onesmus Makau ruled as reported by Daily Nation .

“That leave be and is hereby granted to the claimant to enforce the said arbitral award made on November 15, 2019.”

Minnaert, through his lawyer Francis Wasuna, has instructed auctioneers to attach the properties of AFC Leopards and raise the money owed to the coach. Wasuna appointed Softpower Auctioneers to put the property on sale and raise the said amount.

Meanwhile, former mechanic Michael Owino has explained how he got the job as the official driver of AFC Leopards.

The former KPL champions got a new bus that was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Owino was employed as the first team’s driver.

“Before I started driving the new bus, I was the mechanic for the old bus for 10 years,” Owino told Daily Nation. “When the previous driver quit his job, the management approached me to drive the bus and I gladly accepted.

“The players did not have an issue with me driving the bus because I had driven them a few trips, although they were a little bit worried because I am young and they were used to their former driver who was elderly.

“When I now get behind the wheels, they got comfortable.”

Owino opened up on how he goes around his job especially about upcountry trips that take a longer time on the road.

“I drive them at normal speeds to tournaments - no speeding here, as I have to make sure the players are safe,” the 28-year-old driver said.

“If a match is, say on a Sunday, we travel on Thursday which allows me to employ a sedate pace on the road without hurrying. A trip to Western would take the whole day.”

AFC Leopards and Nzoia Sugar are the latest KPL clubs to purchase new buses.

Chelsea's Victor Moses has agreed in principle to a season-long loan at Spartak Moscow, but he will still need to undergo a medical in the Russian capital to complete the deal.

The 29-year-old winger visited a sports clinic in Rome on Friday to conduct checks on a hip problem that he sustained while on loan at Inter last season, although that injury will not be a barrier to the move.

Indeed, Moses has already played several behind-closed-doors friendlies at Cobham to keep fit and even scored in the club's 1-1 draw with Wimbledon last month.

After Inter refused to exercise their option to buy the Nigeria international for €10 million (£9m/$12m), the Blues opted to send the winger on yet another loan with the view to sell him at a similar price next summer.

"We have a bubble at the training ground with the first-team squad, which Victor hasn’t been part of. I know Victor well and we will see how that develops over the next week," Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard said at the end of September.

Moses' current deal expires in 2021 so he will agree on a one-year extension to protect Chelsea's investment and allow the club to potentially earn a transfer fee next summer.

It will be the sixth loan move for Moses after spells with Liverpool, Stoke City, West Ham, Fenerbahce and Inter. Indeed, before his move to Turkey, Moses was a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge under Antonio Conte in a team that won a Premier League title and FA Cup.

Lampard has shown little interest in using Moses as he aims to build a vibrant young team. The Blues spent around £220m ($275m) in transfer fees this summer as they look to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

Meanwhile, Jake Clarke-Salter and Baba Rahman are expected to make Championship loan moves with a host of clubs interested in the defensive duo ahead of the EFL window closing on 16 September.

Dujon Sterling and Danny Drinkwater could join the pair on loan in the Football League, while a host of younger players at Cobham Training Centre could still make temporary moves away.

The Blues have struggled to offload certain players due to the financial impact of the coronavirus, which partly caused deals to collapse that would have seen Marcos Alonso, Emerson Palmieri and Antonio Rudiger leave the club.

West Ham showed a late interest in a loan deal for Fikayo Tomori but the move collapsed after the defender turned down the chance to join to the Blues' London rivals.

FIFA will implement new limits on loan numbers next season which will see the Blues needing to reduce their group. The loanees are overseen by a loan department involving club legends like Claude Makelele, Carlo Cudicini, Tore Andre Flo and Paulo Ferreira. 

Fifa have blocked the proposed nationality switch of former Spain international and Sevilla forward Munir El-Haddadi, who had hoped to make his international debut for Morocco during the current international window.

According to a statement issued by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the player’s nationality switch has been blocked not because of his appearance with Spain’s senior time, but because of earlier outings with the U-21s when he was already 21.

“This rejection is dictated by one of the clauses of the new [Fifa] statue concerning [Munir’s] participation in the under-21 category,” the statement began, “in particular during three matches with the Spanish U-21 selection when he was two months older.

“The decision is not motivated by the participation of El-Haddadi in the Spanish A team.”

The forward, who had hoped to make his Morocco debut in a friendly against Senegal on Friday, had previously been blocked from playing for the Atlas Lions after having made his competitive debut for Spain in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Macedonia in 2014.

Even though he only represented La Roja for quarter of an hour in that match, the previous guidelines from Fifa prevented players from switching nationality after a prior competitive outing.

That all changed with last month’s ruling by world football’s governing body, which allowed players to switch nations providing various criteria were met.

The FRMF have confirmed that they will appeal Fifa’s decision via the Arbitral Appeal Procedure at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“I am not giving up,” Munir wrote on Twitter, “and I will continue working to wear the shirt and represent the national team of Morocco.”

Conversely, Fifa have accepted the nationality switch of former Belgium U-21 international Samy Mmaee, and Aymen Barkok of Eintracht Frankfurt, who had represented Germany at various youth levels including U-21.

After representing Spain at both U-19 and U-21 level during his time with Barcelona, Munir was never again called up by the senior team, and had already approached Fifa as far back as 2017 in order to attempt to switch to Morocco.

There were hopes that the forward could have been able to represent the Atlas Lions at the 2018 World Cup—where they were coincidentally drawn alongside Spain—but despite the Court of Arbitration for Sport taking the matter into account in spring 2018, no progress was made before the tournament.

Lionel Messi had every right to speak out at Barcelona earlier this summer, but Ronald Koeman can bring him back in harmony with the rest of the squad, says Clarence Seedorf.

Messi very nearly called time on his glorious 16-year career at Camp Nou at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, which ended in abject disappointment for the Blaugrana.

Barca failed to win a trophy for the first time in over a decade, and exited the Champions League in humiliating fashion at the hands of Bayern Munich, sparking a mass squad overhaul in the summer transfer window.

Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic, Arthur, Nelson Semedo and Luis Suarez were among those to depart, but Messi was the first to try and push for an exit as he handed in a formal transfer request in August.

The Argentine sought to activate the release clause in his contract, but Barca and La Liga both insisted that his existing deal, which is due to run until 2021, remained valid following the coronavirus-enforced break in the season.

Messi could, therefore, only leave if his €700 million (£636m/$823m) buy-out clause was triggered, and in order to avoid a legal battle, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner confirmed he'd be staying put during an exclusive interview with Goal at the start of September.

The 33-year-old also admitted to having grown frustrated with the way the club has been run at boardroom level in recent years, and bemoaned the fact that the squad is no longer strong enough to compete at the highest level.

Milan legend Seedorf, who is currently the only player to have ever won the Champions League with three different clubs, thinks Messi may have decided to voice his concerns in order to reignite a lost spark within himself.

Regarding the Barca superstar's comments, the former Ajax and Real Madrid midfielder told Goal: "I don't generally judge anything when I read them, because we never know the reasons why somebody is saying certain things - what's happening behind the scenes? I've been around too long to go and judge interviews of players or anybody.

"What I do think is that Messi has earned his stripes, and I think that if he feels like expressing himself the way he did, he knows the consequences of it eventually and he's ready to take them.

"Who knows? It's a way of motivating himself as well, sometimes you speak out and then you know that you need to perform to be right, so it can be a tactic... I don't know!"

Messi has got back to what he does best at the start of the new season, scoring once in Barca's first three La Liga outings under new head coach Koeman, who replaced Quique Setien earlier this summer.

Seedorf believes the ex-Netherlands manager will help a prized asset settle back into his usual groove at Camp Nou, and that he will make the right choices for the club going forward as they bid to compete for major honours once again.

"I think they made a good choice with Koeman. He has experience and he's a legend of the club, so that'd bring some peace and some credit for him to do his job," the Dutchman added.

"I think he'd be able to reconcile with Messi and bring Messi back in harmony with everybody in the whole situation. I think he is ready to make some choices, if he needs to make some choices for players to leave or to give new opportunities and also play a different game maybe. 

"So yes, I'm confident because I'd like to see the league competitive and if Barcelona is competitive, I think for Madrid it's also better, because they’ll have more fire in themselves as well.

"We as football lovers want to see the best teams always compete, that makes the league interesting. No disrespect to Atletico Madrid, who for sure will be competitive again like they have been. Sevilla have been amazing in the last years as well - who knows?

"But it's nice to see a legend of the club like Koeman on the bench."

Clarence Seedorf is not worried about the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo equalling his record of winning the Champions League with three different teams.

Having lifted the European crown during his spells at Manchester United and Real Madrid, Portugal icon Ronaldo is aiming to win the competition once again with current side Juventus.

Seedorf is the only player in history to have won the Champions League with three sides, having done so with Ajax, Madrid and AC Milan.

Juve have not won the competition since 1996 but reached the final in 2015 and 2017, and Seedorf believes they can go all the way while five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo is leading the attack.

“It'll be a very nice pleasure to have Cristiano Ronaldo equalling my record. We could've talked about somebody different, right? So, I don't think it's a bad thing,” he told Goal.

“I will always be the first and that won't change, and records are there to be equalled and to be broken, and Juventus can definitely always be competitors for the Champions League. As I said before, Cristiano is maintaining his motivation and his performances, so yeah. Why not?”

Seedorf believes Ronaldo and Barcelona star Lionel Messi can continue to fight for FIFA’s The Best award and the Ballon d’Or despite being 35 and 33 years old respectively.

“I think if they are fit and motivated, they will continue to perform at a high level, both of them. I don't see why they wouldn't,” he said.

“The question is more: are we going to see some of the younger generation to step up their game?

“That's what I'd like to see, because Cristiano and Messi have shown for the last 12-13 years the ability to continue to do their thing.”

The 44-year-old believes there are several other players who will be in contention for the top individual accolades in the coming years.

Seedorf added: “There are enough players that could step it up. Neymar had decent season, but he's one of them who can still step it up and be there, then we have some midfielders like [Kevin] De Bruyne.

“We have [Eden] Hazard, I always said that Hazard easily can be there but it's about are you motivated to be the best? And [Romelu] Lukaku who has been amazing, he has jumped up the last season.

“Maybe I'm forgetting a few: [Robert] Lewandowski did an amazing job, [Philippe] Coutinho, all these players. There are many players: [Sadio] Mane, [Mohamed] Salah.

“So, it's about the consistency which Messi and Ronaldo have shown. Cristiano has shown all the players that they can be consistent over the years at that level and that's a mentality thing, that's a motivation and drive that champions have.

“Let's hope to see more.”

Adama Traore was like a "nine-year-old Usain Bolt" when he first emerged at Barcelona's La Masia academy, according to his former youth coach, Jordi Condom.

Condom was working with the age-group teams at Barcelona when Traore - who would go on to be a Premier League star and recently won his first cap for Spain in a friendly against Portugal - was starting his journey through the system.

The coach, now back at Belgian side Eupen, recalls he had actually gone to watch a different Barca youth team, but his eye was caught by a young Traore playing on an adjacent pitch - and it was clear immediately that he was a special talent.

Condom told Marca: "I went another day to see the older boys and behind them was a seven-a-side field. I turned to look, without actually looking for anything, and I saw a boy who picked up the ball in his own half, ran all the way to the opponent's box and shot. 

"The goalkeeper saved it and quickly restarted play. Then, before the ball even had time to bounce, the same boy was first to the goal kick. I said to myself, 'Hold on a minute, this has to be him'. It was Adama – it was like seeing a little nine-year-old Usain Bolt.

"He came to train, we put him with our older team and there was no doubt. The physical potential was tremendous. So he stayed at Barcelona."

Despite Traore's clear talent, he only made one senior appearance for Barcelona, leaving for the Premier League where he featured for Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, before moving to Wolves where he has emerged as one of the division's most exciting forwards.

When it became clear Traore was leaving Barca, Condom said he tried to persuade the winger to move to Eupen, where he was the manager at the time - but that the youngster had his heart set on a move to England.

Condom said: "He was very clear about it. He thanked me, but he was very clear that he wanted to and could play in the Premier League. I was sure he was going to achieve it. He is a boy who always goes about his business, who never gave a problem to the club or at school. He has had a very good education and structure in his family."

Until recently, Traore had been an equal source of excitement and frustration for coaches and fans, unable to combine his immense physical strengths with any end product. Condom said that was always the topic of discussion at La Masia, and he is pleased to see the player work on his weaknesses and emerge as such a talented and promising star.

Condom said: "It was the great debate. You could see if he faced resistance, there was a time in which it cost him because with closed teams he lacked space, but he has been improving everything."

Paul Pogba remains a scapegoat for any Manchester United struggles, says John Cofie, with the Frenchman singled out for criticism when “the whole team was bad”.

A World Cup-winning midfielder at Old Trafford has grown accustomed to seeing every performance he produces dissected in minute detail.

Much is expected of him, as the £89 million ($115m) club-record signing for the Red Devils and one of the most destructive players on the planet when on top of his game.

United have not seen enough of those qualities across a second spell on their books, with Pogba tipped to become a global superstar once he returned from Juventus in 2016.

That has not been the case, with uncomfortable questions of his form and future never far away, but Cofie feels the 27-year-old can be unfairly treated at times.

Pogba is far from being the only high-profile talent to have struggled for consistency at United, but a finger of blame is often pointed in his direction.

Cofie, who once played alongside the Frenchman in a star-studded academy side, told the Manchester Evening News of a man he considers to be a close friend: “He’s a normal family man, football is a job now. He goes to work, he goes home and he’s there for his family.

“As the Paul that I know he’s a nice man, I’ve known him since he walked into the changing room at United. We kept in touch when he went to Juventus.”

Cofie added: “Fans think they know the game more than the players themselves, they’ll say whatever they want to say. I know the kind of player he is.

“People seem to think United were bad today, let’s look at Paul Pogba. There’s 10 other players on the pitch, it’s that simple, the whole team was bad, it’s not just him.”

While Pogba may be the subject of unwanted attention on a regular basis, he is still turning out at the highest level.

The same cannot be said of Cofie, who retired from football earlier this year, and the enigmatic talents of Ravel Morrison.

A star of United’s youth teams from the past is currently with ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands after being released by Sheffield United and has failed to fulfil his potential across a nomadic career.

Morrison is held up by many as the poster boy for wasted talent, with Cofie among those to have billed the former England U21 international as the finest player he ever worked with.

“Any time I get asked who is the best player you’ve played with, it’s always him,” said Cofie.

“Naturally, what he can do with a ball, it’s rare, he could tell you he was going to do something and he’d go and do it right foot or left foot, it didn’t matter.

“His talent was God-given, you couldn’t teach what he had. He’s still in the game but he could be so much higher than he is, I don’t know what’s going wrong, but he’s the best player I’ve laid eyes on.”

Liverpool legend and former England international Robbie Fowler joins East Bengal as their head coach on a two-year deal.

Fowler, who had last managed A-League side Brisbane Roar FC had a successful season in Australia. Under the Brit’s tutelage, the club had finished fourth in the league stage with 40 points from 26 matches and had made it to the Finals Series of the competition.

Unfortunately in the Elimination finals, Brisbane Roar went down 0-1 against Western United FC and were knocked out.

Fowler’s managerial career began during the 2011-12 season with Thailand’s top division side Muangthong United where he was still playing. Fowler was appointed as the club’s player-manager in the middle of the season and he had guided the team to a third-placed finish at the end of the season.

After that season, the former English star had moved away from coaching and did not manage any club until last season.

Fowler, a youth product of Liverpool had made his senior debut for the Reds in 1993 and went to play until 2001. In 2001, he had moved to Liverpool’s arch-rivals Leeds United where he had spent two seasons before joining Manchester City.

He had once again returned to his childhood club in 2006 and had spent two more seasons at the club. Fowler is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 183 goals. He is also Premier League’s all-time seventh highest goal scorer with 163 to his name.

It will be interesting to see how a high profile name like Robbie Fowler can lead East Bengal as they make the step up to the ISL.

East Bengal confirmed the appointment of Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler as their head coach on a two-year deal ahead of the upcoming 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season.

Fowler will be accompanied by a team of coaches to assist him at the Red and Golds. Here is a lif of his backroom staff.

Anthony Grant (Assistant Coach)

Tony Grant, a former Manchester City midfielder and had formerly assisted Fowler at Brisbane Roar last season.

Renedy Singh (Assistant Coach)

Former India international footballer Renedy Singh joins Fowler's backroom staff as the Indian assistant coach.

Terence McPhillips (Set Piece Coach)

McPhillips, a former Liverpool youth product, has experience of managing English third-tier club Blackpool FC during the 2018-19 season.

Robert Mimms (Goalkeeper Coach)

The former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper has prior experience of working in India. Mimms had worked at Jamshedpur FC (2017-18) and ATK (2018-19) under coach Steve Coppell.

Jack Inman (Sports Scientist)

Jack Inman has the prior experience of working as a sports scientist and English clubs Macclesfield Town FC and Bury FC.

Michael Harding (Physio)

Joseph Walmsley (Analyst)

Matteo Guendouzi has claimed that his Arsenal career is not over, despite having slipped down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium leading to a loan for the 2020-21 campaign.

The France Under-21 international fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta at Emirates Stadium, playing just two matches in all competitions following the resumption of the coronavirus-hit 2019-20 season back in June.

Although the 21-year-old decided to make the move to Hertha Berlin in the summer transfer window, he has denied suggestions that he is finished at Arsenal.

Guendouzi, who is under contract with the Gunners until 2022, told Canal+ when asked if it was no longer possible to continue at Arsenal: "It is not that, I just really needed to play this year, a new challenge.

"That was the most important thing for me. I am still young, I am only 21, so playing time was the top priority for me. So Hertha Berlin, I know that I will be able to express myself in a magnificent league."

On his decision to head to Bundesliga side Hertha, Guendouzi added: "They are a very good club with big ambitions. So, I have left to go on loan there for a year, so I will give everything I can for this club. I needed playing time, I need to play, I needed to enjoy myself on the pitch and that is what I am going to do this year."

Arteta was asked about Guendouzi back in July and revealed what he expected from his players if they wanted to play more regularly under him.

The Spaniard said: "[I want] players that respect the values we want to implement, that they are 100 per cent committed to our culture, and players that are accountable every day for what we demand from them.

"Players that are ready to help each other, fight for each other and enjoy playing together. That is what I mean by being in the boat. If you behave like this every day, you are very, very welcome here and we want to get the best out of you and help you to enjoy your profession with us."

He continued: "We all have moments when you have doubts about your future, you have difficult times and that is why the conversations have to be open. You have to create an environment for the players so they can trust you, to express those feelings. Even with me.

"If you do that you are always willing to help them, to try to guide them, to give them clarity, direction and support when they need it to feel comfortable. Make them feel they are at the right place."

Cameroon and Japan played out to a goalless draw in Friday’s friendly meeting in Utrecht, Netherlands, as the Indomitable Lions returned to action following an 11-month absence.

In light of international football’s suspension during the coronavirus pandemic, this was the Central Africans’ first fixture in 11 months, and represented a big opportunity for new coach Toni Conceicao to assess his options against seasoned opposition.

He had to contend with a number of absentees, with Racing Club de Lens forward Ignatius Ganago and Young Boys Bern forward Jean-Pierre Nsame both pulling out of the squad late on due to a thigh problem and an ankle sprain respectively.

Similarly, the Portuguese coach was without Nicolas Nkoulou and Vincent Aboubakar after they were initially included in the 32-man long list, while Andre Onana, Kunde Malong and Jerome Onguene were unable to participate in the match due to Covid-19-related restrictions.

Belgium-based Mouscron winger Serge Tabekou made his debut on the right side for the Lions, with he and Moumi Ngamaleu charged with offering support for central striker, Olympique Lyonnais’ Karl Toko Ekambi.

There was no place for Bayern Munich new boy Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, but wonderkid Franck Evina—formerly of the reigning European champions—made his Lions debut off the bench.

Samuel Oum took his place in a three-man midfield alongside Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissi and Brice Yan Eteki, while there was a more familiar look to the backline which included Africa Cup of Nations 2017 winners Collins Fai, Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui and Ambroise Oyongo.

Harold Moukoudi completed the back four, and credit must go to goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa, who was an impenetrable presence between the sticks.

Moukoudi was making his first start for the Lions, having featured in 2019 against Tunisia.

Cameroon, who were absent for the 2018 World Cup, have been pitted against the Ivory Coast, Mozambique and Malawi in Group D of Caf’s qualification for the 2022 event.

The 10 group winners will be paired off in double-header playoffs to decide which five teams represent the continent in Qatar.

As hosts of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations—now rescheduled to January and February 2022—Cameroon do not need to qualify for the event, although they will take part in the qualifying campaign in Group F alongside Mozambique, Cape Verde and Rwanda.

The Lions have kept clean sheets in both of their matches to date; a 0-0 home draw with Cape Verde and a 1-0 victory against Rwanda in Kigali, both in November 2019.

Orlando Pirates are reportedly set to conclude the signing of Maritzburg United goalkeeper Richard Ofori.

The Ghana international has been on the radar of Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns for a while.

Sundowns' interest in Ofori has reportedly cooled off in recent months after the PSL champions signed two goalkeepers, Jody February and Ricardo Goss.

Pirates are said to have tabled an offer for Ofori, who established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the PSL in the recent 2019/20 season.

The two teams have agreed on a swap deal that will include Tebogo Tlolane according to widespread reports which emerged on Friday.

Tlolane spent the second round of the recent campaign on loan at Maritzburg from Pirates and he excelled under coach Eric Tinkler.

Maritzburg chairman Farouk Kadodia has confirmed that the club has opened talks with Pirates regarding the left-sided player's services. 

The Team of Choice are looking to retain Tlolane with the Johannesburg-born player having scored twice and registered four assists in 15 league appearances for Tinkler's side.

Pirates are known to be in the market for a quality goalkeeper, who will offer stiff competition for their current number one Wayne Sandilands.

The Soweto giants have been linked with several shot-stoppers including Ofori, Rwanda international Emery Mvuyekure and AmaZulu captain Siyabonga Mbatha.

Ghana Soccer Net's Nuhu Adams also indicated that Ofori is close to joining the four-time PSL champions. 

"Richard Ofori to Orlando Pirates is almost done," Adams wrote on his official Twitter account.

"Maritzburg United accept Orlando Pirates offer for the Ghana number one. Personal terms negotiations are far advanced (90% through)."

Ofori, who was recently appointed Ghana's second vice-captain, is set to miss the Black Stars' friendly matches against Mali and Qatar.

He has been ruled out of the games because his work permit has expired and would require at least two weeks for it to be renewed.