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New Azam FC player Ismail Aziz Kada has revealed the reason he ended up signing for the club ahead of the new season.

The attacking midfielder arrived at the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ from Polisi Tanzania on Monday after penning a two-year deal.

“I am very happy to have signed for Azam, every players’ dream is to play for such a great club, I have always wanted to play for them like all the players out there and I am happy I have finally arrived here,” Kada told reporters after sealing the move.

“I want to use this chance to play for the great club in the country as a stepping stone to great heights, it is every player’s dream to play in Europe or to be precise play for a club in a foreign country, and that is my dream, it is something I want to achieve here at Azam.

“I want to come here and make sure we play in the Caf competitions, I came here to play where the agents can see me, and we can only achieve that if we play as a team, I know Azam are building a good squad, and it is the one which will give us the ticket to Caf competition next season.”

Kada continued: “My dream still remains to play outside the country and Azam is a big team to take me there, I also want to play for the national team Taifa Stars and Azam have a good platform to help me achieve my dreams.

“I want to show my potential, I want to make sure I make sure the fans are happy, so many teams wanted me but I settled to come here, I wanted to play for them, my dream is to play hard, I am a hard worker, I will do my best, I will make sure that I don’t disappoint the fans.”

The Chamazi-based side have been strengthening for the new season and are aiming at improving every department. It is for this reason the team is moving fast to make signings that will help the technical bench achieve their objectives next season.

Aziz is the fourth player to be signed by the 2014 Tanzania Mainland League champions. Others who have joined Azam are Awesu Awesu from Kagera Sugar, Ally Niyonzima from Rwandan side Rayon Sports, and Ayoub Lyanga.

Simba SC have categorically stated their coach Sven Vandenbroeck will not leave the club and will be in charge of the new season.

The Belgian took over from countryman Patrick Aussems who was fired late in 2019 after falling out with the club’s management, and went on to clinch two titles – Mainland Premier League and FA Cup – to add the Community Shield which was already won by the fired Aussems.

After beating Namungo FC 2-1 to lift the FA Cup, Vandenbroeck cast doubt on his future, stating he was not sure whether he will be at the club for the new season.

“I don't know with me or without me,” Vandenbroeck answered reporters when asked whether he will be with the team for the new campaign or not.

“There is no meaning, everyone reads newspapers, everyone listens to rumours even me, so we will see what happens. I will go on holiday in two days with a big smile with whatever happens.”

Simba Information Officer Haji Manara has now blamed the media for writing lies about their coach, insisting the Belgian tactician will not leave the club.

“I respect everyone here in Tanzania but what hurts me is when people start spreading rumours and lies that our coach will not be here for next season, who told them that? Did the statement come from any Simba official? It is very wrong to spread rumours and I want our fans to treat the news as rumours and nothing else,” an agitated Manara told reporters in Dar es Salaam after Simba arrived back from Mbeya.

“I know amongst yourself [journalists] there are those who are looking at negative things to write about Simba because we don’t have any, we have won three titles this season and you still cannot find anything to write about, or you want to write is negative stuff about Simba, we know you.

“This is not the time to write rumours about Simba, it is the time to celebrate with the champions, it is the time to write about the truth, and anyone who will continue to write rumours about our coach, our players or even officials, I will deal with him openly, you can write about other teams about their coaches and players, who keep fighting every day but not about Simba, who are united and looking ahead to the new season.”

Simba’s journey for success began at the beginning of the season with Aussems when they defeated Azam FC 4-2 in the Community Shield which launched the 2019/20 season.

The second title for the Msimbazi-based side came in the Tanzania Mainland League. Simba went on to finish the season with 88 points after taking 27 wins, seven draws, and just four defeats.

Wakiso Giants have confirmed the signing of Tom Masiko from Vipers SC.

The midfielder, who was on loan from the Venoms and played for the Purple Sharks in the 2019-20 Ugandan Premier League (UPL) season, has now agreed to make the move permanent by penning a three-year contract that will see him stay at the club until August 2023.

Wakiso have confirmed the signing on their official website by stating: “We are delighted to announce Tom [Masiko] has joined the club on a permanent contract from Vipers.

“The midfielder featured for us last season on loan but has now completed a permanent move signing a three-year contract.”

On sealing the permanent deal, Masiko said: “I am happy to make a permanent move. I had a good time here last season and want to continue my marriage with the club as well as create history here.

“I want to thank Vipers for the great time I had at Kitende, the coaches that have handled me and all my teammates as well as management.”

Masiko played a key role to help Wakiso retain their status in the top-flight after notching four goals, and he will be remembered for scoring the team’s first goal in the last campaign of the league.

Meanwhile, Wakiso held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, June 27, 2020, at Club House, Najjanankumbi.

The meeting approved, among other items, the audited accounts for the financial year 2019/20. A budget for the forthcoming season (2020/21) was also approved and adopted by the General Meeting.

At the same meeting, the club approved the appointment of an advisory committee headed by Ahmed Ddamulira and also passed a motion to directly deal with the Wakiso District Executive Leaders with the CEO confirming meetings are already in place to streamline the partnership.

Wakiso will be gracing the top-flight for the second season in a row after they managed to keep their status, finishing 10th on the league table and were also taking part in the Uganda Cup before it was ended prematurely owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Gareth Bale should be considering a return to Tottenham if he still has the “passion” to play at the highest level, says Danny Murphy, with the Welshman continuing to endure a tough time at Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane has taken to freezing the 31-year-old forward out of his plans at Santiago Bernabeu.

A lack of game time, along with ongoing questions of his commitment to the Blancos cause, is sparking more transfer talk in the latest window.

Various landing spots have been mooted for Bale, from China to MLS, and he has no shortage of suitors in the Premier League.

Spurs would welcome the opportunity to bring a familiar face back onto their books, having sanctioned a record-breaking deal back in 2013, and Murphy believes Jose Mourinho should be enquiring as to the availability of a player he was heavily linked with during a spell as Manchester United manager.

The former Tottenham midfielder told talkSPORT of Bale: "To make a top footballer these days, the love and passion for it must be from within you from a young age to want to be a footballer.

"Now Gareth might be an exception to that... but maybe he's lost that passion for it.

"Maybe the lifestyle, the family contentment; he loves his golf, the climate and the finances are good.

"So maybe he's not like everybody else... but playing football is something you can't do forever.

"He's damn good at it. People like watching him play. He's a wonderful footballer and he's done so much in the game but he's still only 31.

"I'd be saying to him, 'go play mate. Just enjoy it. Go somewhere you enjoy it'.

"We can talk to Madrid and they might have to pay you half to get you gone but they'll do that anyway because they're saving half. There has to be a way out.

"I think the one place for Gareth is Tottenham. He's loved there already and he's got the fans on board.

"Could he find a way of going back there? That for me would be great for Tottenham.

"Even if it's for two or three years, go back to where you made yourself, enjoy yourself and help Tottenham get back to being competitive."

Bale previously spent six years on the books at Tottenham, with 55 goals recorded through 203 appearances and the PFA Player of the Year award collected on two occasions.

Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) president Moses Magogo has challenged coaches to embrace changes to ensure the game continues to develop in Uganda.

The East Africa nation has been making giant strides in football, with many players moving abroad owing to their talent. The administrator was however quick to appreciate the job done by the coaches in growing the game.

"We appreciate the role you play as coaches," Magogo said in a meeting with coaches as quoted by Fufa website.

"You make a great contribution because the careers of players who are the key pillars of the football product are in your hands.

"Football is a dynamic entity. Things are changing almost every hour. So if we want to improve and attain professionalism, coaches must as well embrace change and learn the new tactics that will help you suit the modern trends."

The 43-year-old has urged the tacticians to continue learning and increase their knowledge in the game. The courses offered will, on the long-run, help coaches to up their game and be competitive.

"Learning never stops and this is very important for coaches," Magogo continued.

"In a way of motivating those that have made self-development, FUFA will put in a place a fund to help coaches either by paying for coaching courses or funding travel for those that want to enrol for coaches abroad."

The Federation, as a result, has come up with new rules to professionalize the game in the country.

"For us to improve, we must upgrade and this means trying out to ventures which may seem strict but that is the journey we have taken.  

"All coaches in the Uganda Premier League and the FUFA Big League will be required to have a Pro-License that will come with limits and sanctions.  

"Coaches in the first and second division will not be allowed to make more than two transfers during a season."

The tacticians will also have to sign a code of conduct to ensure the image of the game is protected. They will also need to have agents to discuss contracts with teams.

Clubs will also have to submit proof of payment of coaches after every two months.  

"We believe this will help coaches to work in a conducive environment. Caf, for instance, doesn't have any club that owes coaches and players to participate in the continental-club competitions," Magogo concluded.

Lamontville Golden Arrows head coach Steve Komphela is expecting a lot of PSL teams to struggle with injuries when the 2019/20 season resumes. 

The current campaign which was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March is set to resume this weekend with the Nedbank Cup semi-finals taking place on Saturday. 

Komphela's side was eliminated from the South African FA Cup by ABC Motsepe League (Gauteng) side Vaal University of Technology (VUT) in February and they will be focusing solely on their league campaign. 

The experienced tactician believes there will be increased pressure on the medical staff at most PSL clubs with the workload expected to go up significantly as a result of back-to-back fixtures.

“We are looking forward to the challenge in the last seven remaining matches. We know the games will be coming thick and fast,” said Komphela on Daily Sun. 

“We just have to cope and hope we won’t have too many injuries. But I anticipated a lot of teams, naturally so, will be struggling with a number of injuries.

"We just hope they are not too bad so we can see the season over." 

Komphela is keeping his fingers crossed as injuries could affect their plans of securing a top-eight finish.

“The study and data collected have shown that there were lots of injuries and they’re still happening," he continued.

"I’m sure South Africa is not going to be different. We just hope they don’t become a hindrance. It is just seven matches left.

“We didn’t have many injury concerns before the suspension kicked in. We had come from a solid pre-season, had played matches and the loading of the players was sufficiently scientific," he added.

“Now there has been an issue about the restart. We have been doing training sessions via zoom and we only just got back to the training field.”

Arrows will be hoping to resume their league campaign with a win over PSL debutants Stellenbosch FC at Tuks Stadium on August 15.

Yesterday was the first time that prodigious forward Luqman Hakim has joined the preparations with the Malaysia Under-19 squad ahead of the eagerly anticipated AFC U19 Championship in Uzbekistan in October, 

This is actually the second phase of the training camp after a similar one was held by Brad Maloney and his coaching staff in July where Luqman was among several star names that were missing from the call-up list.

At that time, it was understood that Luqman was needed by Selangor II in preparations for the resumption of the Premier League at the end of August but the situation has since taken off in a different direction.

The 19-year-old could be Belgium-bound in the coming weeks and that could scupper his chances of staying for the entire 1-month duration of this Phase Two training camp, but nothing is certain as yet.

"It’s hard for me to say at this moment (whether he could stay for the full 4-week training). There could be good news coming but I can’t say anything for certain now," said Luqman before the start of the training on Monday.

But the former Mokhtar Dahari Academy prodigy will not be shirking from his duties and until he gets further information, will be putting on his best during training to impress Maloney and will not be taking his spot in the team for granted.

"What people say is their right but I’m not someone who takes things lightly. For me, as a player we have to give 100% and then it’s up to the coach to decide. 

"I’m thankful to be able to train with this U19 squad and I’m excited to get this opportunity to adapt to the team and the players. 

"I’ve only seen him (Wan Kuzri) play on Youtube and I feel that he’s is a good player. Now is a chance for me to see up close in training and hopefully he can help the team."

Head coach Maloney later confirmed a similar understanding of the situation, which prompted him to include Luqman in the August call-up list, to give the young charge an oppportunity to blend with the squad.

"He’s committed now to his club in Belgium now, I understand. I was told that he probably won’t be playing for Selangor. In that case, it makes sense for him to train with us before he goes to Belgium," explained Maloney.

Makan Winkle Chothe is a name that has cropped up regularly in the youth circuits in the recent past. The young winger made his name with the youth teams of Punjab where he was earmarked as a talent to watch out for.

Having broken into the Punjab FC first team at a very young age, he has now made the move to Indian Super League (ISL) with FC Goa. He is undaunted by the challenge and feels ready to vie for a first-team spot at FC Goa.

"It was a good opportunity for me. FC Goa is one of the best clubs in India. I have admired them ever since the ISL started and I have watched each and every game of theirs. I like how they play and I always wanted to play for them," the 20-year-old, who signed a three-year deal with FC Goa, told Goal.

After Redeem Tlang became the Gaurs' first Indian acquisition following the departure of Jackichand Singh to Jamshedpur FC, Chothe admitted to choosing Goa as his next destination despite an approach from another ISL club.

"There will be a lot of new players. So it will be hard to play (compete for a place) with them. Redeem Tlang and others are also new. Everybody will be fighting for a place and so will I," he insisted, given the likes of Brandon Fernandes, Tlang, Seiminlen Doungel as well as Romario Jesuraj who will all compete for a spot in the first team.

After his first taste of club football with Kanchenjunga FC during his time at Siliguri in West Bengal, the Manipuri lad made his senior team debut with Minerva Punjab (now Punjab FC) when the Chandigarh based outfit clinched the 2017-18 I-League, although his only appearance was as a last-minute substitute in the match against NEROCA in January 2018.

"When I got selected in the Minerva senior team, I trained well under coach Juan (Luis Perez Herrera). When Minerva would play friendly matches between junior and senior teams, the coach asked me to train with the senior team. I learned a lot and that's how I got in the senior team," Chothe recalled.

Even though the Spanish coach was shown the door before the start of the season, Minerva would go on to win the league.

"Under him (Juan), I started playing with the senior team in the Punjab league first and then I continued playing with the senior team. At the time, it was very hard for me with players like Chencho (Gyeltshen), William (Opoku) in the side who had more experience but I learnt a lot from them."

However, Chothe made a mark for himself by winning the Golden Boot with 35 goals from 13 outings that included a double hat-trick in one match as he helped Minerva Public School win the 2017-18 Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) football tournament in the senior boys' category.

Thereon, he made 11 appearances in the 2018-19 I-League and also played in an AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League play-off match. He went on to make five appearances in the AFC Cup besides winning the Hero Elite League with the U-18 side in the same season.

Chothe has 14 I-League appearances and a couple of goals to his name last season.

With FC Goa becoming the first Indian club to participate in the group stage of the AFC Champions League, Chothe is obviously excited at the opportunity. "Obviously, the AFC Champions League will be more competitive and it will be very hard but for the way FC Goa plays, I think we can be very competitive."

Francisco Bruto Da Costa, recently appointed as a coach of East Bengal, has the experience of working as an assistant manager at Indian Super League (ISL) clubs NorthEast United and Kerala Blasters. 

He has also worked with the Malaysian senior national team.

The common factor among all his aforementioned assignments is Portuguese coach Nelo Vingada who had taken him under his wing. He worked alongside Nelo Vingada for the first time at NorthEast United and then followed him to Malaysia before joining his coaching team at Kerala Blasters.

The new East Bengal coach suggested that it was an honour for him to work alongside a coach like Vingada who was associated with the Portuguese national team in the past. He had taken charge of the Seleccao between 1993 and 1994 as well.

As an assistant manager, Vingada has won the U20 World Cup with Portugal twice. He won the Asian Cup with Saudi Arabia in 1996 as the head coach apart from titles in Egypt, Jordan and South Korea,

“Working with Nelo (Vingada) was like a dream come true for me. First and foremost, he is a great human being with a great personality. God has blessed him with so much success. If you see his achievements, it is no mean feat. They are incredible. I was very fortunate to meet and work with such a person. Unfortunately, it did not work in NorthEast United. After that season, he had asked me to continue working with him as a part of his technical staff,” Da Costa told Goal.

The Goan spoke about the differences of working as a coach in a club and a national team. He also touched upon his time in Malaysia which lasted for only six months.

“It was a very good experience. There is a difference between working with a club and working with a national team. At clubs, you get to work every day. On Saturday you lose a game and fans are upset and then on Wednesday or Thursday, you win a game and fans forget the previous match’s defeat.

“But in the national team, you play matches once a month or once in two months and then you lose and then you have to wait for two more months to make the changes. It is challenging and it is a different type of work experience.”

Da Costa praised the league system in Malaysia and touched upon how ISL has improved Indian football.

“The league is very well organised in Malaysia. ISL also is very well organised. In Malaysia, all the clubs have great facilities, own grounds, training grounds. The infrastructure is very good there. India too has reached that level in recent times. I’ll say the ISL has helped Indian football in a great manner. From infrastructure to the standard of the game, everything has improved.

“It is difficult to compare the standards of Malaysia and India. Indian players are very hardworking and are willing to learn. It is nice to work with the Indian players. Malaysian players also are eager to learn, they do their best. I would say both the countries are in a similar situation. The thing is I don’t want to compare between the two countries. Each country has its pros and cons.”

Memphis Depay says Lyon will take a fearless approach when they attempt to knock Juventus out of the Champions League on Friday.

Lyon travel to Turin with a 1-0 advantage from a first leg that was staged way back in February. 

Rudi Garcia's side were beaten on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain in a Coupe de la Ligue final last Friday that was their first competitive match since March.

While the Ligue 1 season could not be finished due to the coronavirus pandemic, Juve returned to Serie A action in June and last week sealed a ninth consecutive title.

Depay knows that will be an advantage for the Italian champions, but the Lyon captain - who made his comeback against PSG after recovering from a knee injury - believes his side can defy the odds and reach the quarter-finals.

He is quoted as saying by UEFA.com: "[The first leg] was the first match I watched [after suffering a serious knee injury], and I saw a team spirit that made me so very happy.

"Juve weren't playing well. But now, months later, the situation is totally different. They have now played more matches than we have, so many aspects are now completely different to normal.

"But that has allowed me to be able to play in the Champions League. I am ready."

He added: "With the new rules [one-off games from the last eight onwards], anyone can be favourites. Because you know there are only one-off games.

"And Juventus have some very experienced players when it comes to playing finals. We, on the contrary, have a lot of young players who don't have much experience with the pressure of playing in finals and the Champions League.

"We'll just have to see. I do know that we have a very eager team and that we are definitely not afraid."

Lyon and Juventus will be squaring off for the right to face the winner of Real Madrid and Manchester City in the quarter-finals.

In the other round-of-16 matches, the victor of the Napoli and Barcelona tie will qualify for the last eight to take on the winner of Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Two quarter-final match-ups were already set before the coronavirus pandemic halted football, with Leipzig facing Atletico and Atalanta meeting PSG.

Cristiano Ronaldo would have made Real Madrid favourites to overturn a first-leg deficit in their Champions League tie against Manchester City, according to Emmanuel Adebayor. 

Los Blancos lost 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of the last-16 clash at the back end of February, with the return meeting postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Madrid were outstanding when LaLiga resumed in June, though, winning 10 and drawing their final game en route to beating Barcelona to the title, their first since the 2016-17 season. 

Former City and Madrid striker Adebayor says Zinedine Zidane's side still have the players capable of turning the tie around but the presence of Ronaldo – who won the Champions League four times with the Spanish club before departing for Juventus in 2018 – would have significantly increased their chances. 

"If you had asked me that question two years ago, I would have said yes [Madrid can turn the tie around]," Adebayor told AS.  

"Madrid would have been favourites with Cristiano. Back then, they had Cristiano, who is a goal machine. He can make the difference at any moment and he would give the team 50 goals a season.  

"They lost the first leg at home and it's going to be very difficult without the fans, against Manchester City, the city, the weather but it's not impossible. 

"Madrid have players with a lot of experience like Marcelo, [Karim] Benzema, [Thibaut] Courtois and they are used to playing in big games like this one." 

Adebayor believes Madrid did not fully appreciate how difficult it would be to replace a player such as Ronaldo, who became the club's record goalscorer during nine prolific seasons. 

"Without Cristiano, Madrid know what they have lost, but maybe not what they could have won if he was still there," he added.  

"I think maybe they thought they would get another player like Ronaldo but players like him only come along once every 200 years." 

Karim Benzema has taken on much of the scoring burden and has surpassed 20 LaLiga goals in the past two seasons. 

Adebayor says the French striker is crucial to Madrid, saying: "When Ronaldo left, he had to take up the responsibility and I think he's done really well.  

"He's scored a lot of goals, important goals so he'll be a danger, no doubt about it." 

Adebayor's stint in the Spanish capital was a short one and game time was limited under Jose Mourinho. However, he has nothing but fond memories of the Portuguese coach, describing him as the best ever. 

"I love Mourinho, we had a great relationship and he was the one who brought me to Madrid, although it wasn't easy for him to find a place for me in the side," he said.  

"The only trophy I have ever won was at Madrid with him. Now he's at Tottenham and I wish him the best of luck. He is the best coach in the history of football." 

Bloemfontein Celtic manager John Maduka has expressed concerns ahead of his side's clash against Baroka in the Nedbank Cup semi-final, saying they have to be cautious in their approach.

Phunya Sele Sele are scheduled to face Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele at Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they look to secure a spot in the final, but the Celtic legend says he is wary of the Limpopo-based outfit.

The eagerly anticipated clash will be the first for both teams since the season was forcefully halted because of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

“Our preparations have so far been good, but it’s not easy [to prepare], it has been difficult for everyone [all the clubs], we have the same challenge [lack of fitness],” Maduka told DailySun. “When we started preparing the team we didn’t know when the league will start.

"We didn’t know whether to push players or not and we kept training trying to adjust," he added. “It has been difficult because we can’t even play friendlies due to Covid-19 to see whether players are 100 percent okay or not.” 

Maduka had replaced Lehlohonolo Seema who has since left the club to join Chippa United, and the Malawi legend added that it’s been a headache to prepare for coach Dylan Kerr’s troops.

“It’s difficult to plan because we don’t know how they will come at us,” he continued. “We watched their previous matches, but it’s more than three months since they played, so it’s tricky. .

"[However] we have a plan and we will play accordingly and at the end of the day, it’s a cup game, the one we must win. We need to be cautious [on approach] as we don’t know how long players will last [on the pitch], but having five subs gives us a chance because the game has to finish that day.”

The 49-year-old manager will be without his key defender in the form of Ronald Pfumbidzai who is locked down in his home country, Zimbabwe, and will miss the remainder of the current campaign as the borders remain closed.

In the other semi-final encounter, Bidvest Wits will lock horns with reigning Telkom Knockout Cup and Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the same venue later in the day.

With coach Gavin Hunt and Pitso Mosimane have also expressed their concerns as far as fitness is concerned, but both teams will also target a place in the final.

The 2020 South African Freestyle Championship Top-8 has been revealed.

A week after announcing the Top-16, the judges - an elite mix of local and international freestyle football legends - have managed to pick out the eight standout contestants who have continued to revolutionise the simple act of juggling a ball by creating tricks no one ever knew were possible.

Former champions Rishaad Ebrahim, Sipho “Six” Busakwe are amongst those who have progressed to the Top-8 while young duo Zenande Sineke (13) 11-year-old Shane Namuhuja have been eliminated.

Shane should find consolation though as his older brother Emilio Nahamuja remains a favourite for this year's title.

The rest of the Top-8 and who they will face on the road to the semi-finals is as follow:

- Rishaad Ebrahim vs Josias Bingo

- Adian Freestyle vs Emilio Nahamuja

- Shaker Mashudu vs Sipho Busakwe

- Jabu Mdaka vs Kyle Loogi

Goal will be publishing the winners of each round, all details and selected videos in their different platforms.

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Stanton Fredericks believes the chopping and changing of coaches in South Africa should come to an end if senior national team is to be successful again, and has attributed the nation's slump to the decision to dismiss Clive Barker.

South Africa has had 26 coaching appointments since the re-admission in 1992, and this, according to 'Stiga', has been critical to Bafana's downfall. 

Fredericks feels national team coaches should be given at least five years to lay a solid foundation before a lot can be expected from them. 

"It's something of a culture in South Africa. If you just take it down to the PSL, the average lifespan of a coach is very low, and I am not even talking years, I am talking a couple of months," Fredericks told Goal . 

"It's a problem... it's something in our culture that needs to change."

Fredericks acknowledges that Bafana's decline came when Barker wasn't allowed to take the team to the 1998 Fifa World Cup in France despite winning the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in 1996. 

The 42-year-old former Kaizer Chiefs man feels the generation of players at the time didn't do enough to defend the veteran mentor. 

"If you look at the very beginning, Barker had to take Bafana to the World Cup," he explained. "The players should have stood up.

"The players knew that this was the man that allowed us to conquer Africa. He qualified for the World Cup. 

"I think the beginning of the end started when they never allowed Clive Barker to coach Bafana Bafana in France 98, and that same inconsistency in the coaches is the demise of Bafana Bafana.

"I think the incosistency of the coaches is a massive factor: choose one guy and stick with him." 

Just before the 2002 Fifa World Cup finals, Carlos Queiroz was appointed as head coach of Bafana Bafana but he was fired soon after the global showpiece, and to this day, Fredericks believes the South African Football Association made the wrong decision.  

"We had Carlos Queiroz here; second to none in the world. How do you allow Carlos Queiroz not to spend at least five years at the helm and see what he produces?" he asked. "So, it's a problem that needs to be fixed."            

Mikel Arteta needs to do more in a bid to appease Arsenal fans, according to former Enyimba and Nigeria forward Victor Ezeji, who has urged the Gunners to invest heavily this summer.

The Spaniard - who was a player for the North Londoners between 2011 and 2016, lifted his first trophy just seven months into his managerial career as Arsenal got the better of Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brace to give them their 14th cup crown, which is a record in the competition’s history.

However, Ezeji believes the Spaniard needs to step it up again if he's to return Arsenal to the top.

“He inherited players that might not be his wish, but I think we should give him another season to see what he can really bring to the table because he has done so well with the Arsenal team considering the position they were when he took over and where he has taken them to,” Ezeji told Goal.

“The problem is they were not consistent but I think overall he has done well."

“Now he has to bring in players he can really trust, that can work with him and give him the desired results," the former Enyimba star concluded. "Arteta needs to do more because Arsenal fans are yearning for more.”

Arteta’s managerial career began as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and under the former Barcelona boss, the Citizens won a total of seven titles which included two Premier League, one FA Cup and two League Cups.

Arteta then arrived as Arsenal manager after Unai Emery was sacked in late November 2019 following a string of uninspiring results.

The 38-year-old managed to steady the ship with the Gunners going on an eight-game unbeaten run shortly after his arrival which put them in contention for the top four. However, some uninspiring results after the league restarted saw them fall back and ultimately finish eighth.

Beyond Aubameyang who ended the campaign with 29 goals in 44 competitive matches, other key players for Arteta included Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe, although he's still yet to get the best out of some of the club's most high-profile players.

Saka excelled at left-back in Kieran Tierney’s absence and had a hand in 15 goals (four goals, 11 assists) while the latter is the club’s record signing following a £72 million move from Lille last summer. He played 42 times in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing 10 assists.

Celtic right-back Jeremie Frimpong is aiming to contribute more goals and assists this season after scoring in the Bhoys' 5-1 win over Hamilton Academical on Sunday.

The 19-year-old was among the goals at Celtic Park as the hosts began their quest for a 10th Scottish Premiership title in a row on a commanding note.

Sunday's strike was Frimpong's third goal for Neil Lennon's men since his permanent signing from Manchester City last September, and he hopes to continue his goalscoring form this term while not neglecting his defensive duties.

"It's not like me to score often, that's one of my targets this season, to get goals and assists, and I'm going to keep working on that,” Frimpong told the club website. "I saw the opposition defender was out of position and there was so much space so I thought if it comes let me get on the end of it.

"Hopefully, I can carry on getting forward as the season goes on," he added. "I enjoy getting forward a lot but sometimes when you make those runs they don't find you.

"It was a bit of a gamble for my goal because normally I wouldn't do that. If they don't pass it then it's a long way back.”

The victory shot Celtic to the summit of the Premiership table, and the Ghanaian youngster is pleased with the confidence level in the team ahead of their next league outing against Kilmarnock on Sunday.

“There's confidence in the team because everyone's looking forward to going out and playing and winning,” he said. “That makes you want to do it as well so the confidence comes naturally.

"I feel like the team's getting better and creating more chances which is good going forward. I feel like I'm improving too.

“The team is making me a better player," Frimpong concluded. "The team has come back strong and that makes you want to be even stronger yourself.”

Sergio Ramos is the best defender in the world and can keep on playing until he is 40, according to former Real Madrid team-mate Rafael van der Vaart. 

Ramos was very influential in helping Madrid end Barcelona's run of success in LaLiga, scoring 11 goals as Zinedine Zidane's squad were crowned champions for the first time since 2017. 

The Spaniard was signed from Sevilla as a teenager in 2005 and was still young when he was joined at the club by Van der Vaart, who stayed at the Santiago Bernabeu for two seasons before joining Tottenham in 2010. 

However, having watched on as his old club secured the title once again, the Dutchman is impressed by how Ramos has matured and, considering his physical condition, sees no reason why the 34-year-old should be thinking of retiring anytime soon. 

"For me, he is the best defender in the world," Van der Vaart told Stats Perform News as part of the UEFA Europa League Trophy Tour. 

"When I was at Real Madrid, he was 21 or 22 and bursting with energy. He wanted to be everywhere. Free kicks, corner kicks, everywhere. 

"Now it is different, he has so much focus now. A focus on winning and he uses all his talents for that purpose. He's aware of his skills, strength and conditioning and that helped him being so important for his team in winning already so many titles. His body is unbelievable, he is a machine. 

"When I was watching a game the other day, I thought, 'how old is he? 34?' I believe he can still be playing for another six years, I've so much respect for him."

With LaLiga won, Madrid will now focus on potential European success as they return to Champions League action. 

They need to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit in their last-16 tie with Manchester City if they are to progress, with the remaining knockout rounds to be staged in Portugal, though Ramos will miss the match against Pep Guardiola's team at the Etihad Stadium due to suspension. 

However, Madrid have been outstanding since the season restarted in Spain midway through June, and Van der Vaart expects a "really interesting" return clash with City, who finished second in the Premier League. 

"Real Madrid have been very, very good after the coronavirus break," he said. "They have all been very focused [on the games]. Including a 10-game winning streak. 

"Karim Benzema and Ramos have been a key part of the team for me, and Zidane for bringing calmness to the team. 

"However, I watched Manchester City against Arsenal playing the semi-final of the FA Cup, as well as other games. They have so much individual talent, so they are always dangerous, for any team, including the magnificent Real Madrid. That's what we've seen in the first leg, so it is going to be a really interesting game." 

Van der Vaart was speaking as part of a Europa League Trophy Tour that has been collecting football boots from fans for Syrian refugees based in Jordan, a cause the former Netherlands international is passionate about. 

"It's great, I remember how incredibly happy I was as a little boy with my football boots. I even put my first pair on to bed and I dreamed of playing football. I hope that all children in the world may experience that kind of childlike joy. I'm so proud that I can help a little bit," Van der Vaart said. 

"We are collecting boots, which hopefully gives a bit more hope and fun for all children. So, I'm proud that I can help a little bit and be a part of it. 

"It's really important [to be able to go out and play]. Now there are so many things, but when I was little you would just go on the street and play. 

"In lockdown it was difficult, of course. You want to meet with friends, you want to go out and play games, but when I started playing it was just me and the ball."

Former Wolfsburg manager Bruno Labbadia has lauded Napoli new boy Victor Osimhen for his work rate and effort, and is confident that the attacker can work well alongside current Partenopei frontman Dries Mertens.

The 21-year-old Nigeria international sealed a move to the San Paolo from LOSC Lille last Friday for €50 million, much to the excitement of Napoli fans and supporters in his home country.

He is expected to be the main striker for the club, with Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik anticipated to leave the Campania capital.

Osimhen comes in having scored 18 goals in 38 competitive outings for Lille. He began his senior career at Wolfsburg under the tutelage of Labbadia, after impressing for Nigeria at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile where he scored 10 goals in seven matches to finish as top scorer.

Things never went well for Osimhen at Wolfsburg, as injuries limited him to just 16 appearances in two years with no goals. He however found revival at Belgian club Charleroi where he netted 20 goals in 36 appearances.

"When he has the ball on his feet, he is formidable and in one on one he is very strong,” Labbadia was quoted saying in Il Mattino as reported by TuttoMercato, "and then he is very good in running without the ball to be found free by his companions.

"He knows how to descend in every reality, he always gives 200 percent," the German coach added. “He makes a great central striker because he is the classic number 9.

"Not only that, he played outside for me in 4-2-3-1. He was young and he's fast, but it is in front of goal that he can make the difference because he has a great flair for the goal.”

There have also been questions about how Osimhen can play alongside Napoli’s all-time top scorer Mertens and Labbadia believes both men can fit in together.

“They can coexist, they have different and complementary characteristics,” he said.

This same thought was also echoed by Andrea D'Amico, an associate of Osimhen's current agent, William D’Avila.

"It is clear that when you join an important team, there is always competition,” D'Amico told Radio Marte. "Napoli have had many champions who have been able to coexist to create healthy internal competition."