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Niko Kovac has outlined his blueprint for success at Monaco, insisting "defences win titles".

Kovac replaced Robert Moreno in the Stade Louis II hot seat on July 19, committing to a three-year deal with the Ligue 1 outfit.

The 48-year-old had been out of work since being sacked by Bayern Munich in November 2019 following a poor start to the season. Kovac's reign at Allianz Arena only lasted 16 months, despite the fact he led the club to a domestic treble during his first full campaign at the helm.

Questions were asked over his predictable tactical setup and selection policy at Bayern, but he has been given the chance to rebuild his reputation at Monaco.

The French outfit finished ninth in Ligue 1 after the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak in April. Monaco have fallen way off the pace in the top-flight since winning the title in 2016-17, and Kovac has identified a number of changes that will be necessary for a turnaround in fortunes.

"I believe in a rule: the scorers win the matches, the defences win the titles", the former Bayern boss told L'Equipe. "I saw that Monaco conceded 44 goals last season, not in 38 matches but in 28 matches. Reims [who finished sixth] allowed only 21. This is a key point that depends on all the players.

"We also want to play offensively, with aggression and speed."

Kovac added on his managerial approach on and off the pitch: "I am not a coach who stays off the field and observes, always looking upset.

"The game is my passion, and without passion, we do not achieve anything. I try to be close, I don't want the players to be afraid of me. We're not friends but we have to have a good relationship."

The Croatian admitted that it will take time for him to implement his philosophy at Monaco, but he is confident that the board have brought into his long-term vision.

"I signed a contract for three years, Paul Mitchell [the sporting director] for four, it shows that a process is taking place," said Kovac.

"You can't do everything overnight. I know that in football, you have no time, but in our case, we have it and we will show that it was the right way to do it."

With the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) taking a recess of more than three months, South African Football Association (Safa) chief medical doctor Thulani Ngwenya says he will breathe a sigh of relief once the first match gets underway next weekend.

The current campaign was forcefully halted because of the coronavirus pandemic in March but the games are finally set to resume next weekend with the Nedbank Cup, while the league will get underway a few days later.

Ngwenya also credited officials from the National Soccer League (NSL), such as Michael Murphy and Lee Pillay, describing the process to resume the games as strenuous.

“I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when the first match kicks off. It will not just be any sigh, but a sigh of great relief,” Ngwenya told NewFrame. 

“The whole process has been strenuous. It has been a roller-coaster ride of emotions and this process took a toll on my family and colleagues.”

Ngwenya recently revealed that he received messages threatening his life, where many believed he was the stumbling block regarding the resumption of the season.

“There has been a lot of misrepresentation, with people looking at me like I was the stumbling block. But everything we did, we did to ensure the safety of the players and everyone involved,” he added.

“It also must be understood that we were venturing into the unknown because this hasn’t happened before, there was not much to reference it with.

“I and my brother Lee Pillay from the NSL [National Soccer League] worked closely on this. It wasn’t just me working on this – it’s just that I might have been the ‘face’ of it.

“There were other people, including Lee Pillay and Michael Murphy.” 

Meanwhile, Bloemfontein Celtic is set to face Baroka in the first semi-final of the Nedbank Cup followed by Mamelodi Sundowns against Bidvest Wits, and the clashes will be staged at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Masandawana will, therefore, resume their league campaign against Orlando Pirates on August 11 while Kaizer Chiefs face off against the Clever Boys a day later.

Namungo FC coach Thierry Hitimana has revealed they will not fear Simba SC when they come face-to-face in the final of the FA Cup on Sunday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will be keen to seal a treble this season, having won the Mainland Premier League title and the Charity Shield Cup - as they come up against a Namungo side who finished fourth on the league table, at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Sumbawanga, Rukwa.

Hitimana now says as much as they have respect for Simba, they will not fear them and will deploy the same tactics he used last season when they beat the giants 1-0 in a league match played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“We have beaten Simba before and so there is nothing to fear about,” Hitimana told reporters ahead of the clash.

“We respect Simba, they are a big club but that does not make us change our usual format of play and we will use the same approach used in the league last season.

“What I want is to keep everyone in the squad fit because we will play in a final match and who knows, maybe the game will go all the way into the extra time.

“In games like this, it becomes difficult to stimulate players since they know themselves what to do especially considering the fact that most of my players are facing their debut match in the finals.”

His sentiments come just a day after Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck admitted it will not be easy against Namungo, and he will select his best team for the match.

“It will be our final match of the season and we will, therefore, field our best squad to finish the job,” Vandenbroeck told Goal on Saturday.

“I will not underrate [Namungo], they are not a team to look down upon and therefore, I have told my players what to do and what to expect in such a final, it will be difficult because they can also spring a surprise, so we must be ready to deal with them.

“I am happy we have been training for the last few days since we ended the league and all the players are fit to play, I will go for my best squad, to finish the job and give us another trophy.”

Simba defeated Yanga SC 4-1 in the semi-final to advance to the final, while Namungo narrowly defeated minnows Sahare All-Stars by a solitary goal.

Mbao FC have been relegated from the Tanzania Mainland League despite their 4-2 win over Ihefu FC in the promotion/relegation play-offs, losing the two-legged tie on away goals.

In the first leg, Ihefu managed to claim a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Steven Mwaijala, who scored from the penalty spot after just four minutes, and Mridi Tangai, who struck with six minutes to go.

On Saturday, the Mwanza based side needed a convincing win to turn the tables and stay in the top tier.

Striker Waziri Junior, who finished as the league's second-best goal scorer with 13 goals, opened the scoring in the eighth minute after heading in a Paul Peter cross to give his team hopes of getting a needed scoreline to play in top-flight football beyond this season.

However, in the 40th minute, Mbao conceded a free-kick which was taken by Sudi Mlindwa, Joseph Kinyozi managed to flick it past the defenders and into the back of the net to level the scores and break the hearts of home team supporters.

With seconds to the break, Babilas Chitembe managed to head the ball on the path of the dangerous Waziri, and the forward unleashed a one-time rocket to ensure Mbao went to the break with a slim advantage.

Two minutes after the break, Mbao gave their fans something to smile about when Michael Masinda turned the ball into his net under pressure from Waziri to make it 3-1.

Ihefu were not going to let this chance of dining with the big boys pass them and they continued pushing for another goal.

Their efforts paid dividends in the 88th minute. Willy Mgaya was fed the ball in a promising position, and he unleashed a fierce strike past the goalkeeper to make it 3-2 on the day.

An Ihefu player handled the ball in the 18-yard area leaving the referee with no option but give the Mwanza side a penalty. Datius Peter converted to make it 4-2 in injury time.

It was too little too late as Ihefu held on to get promoted to Tanzania's top-flight football.

In another play-offs match, Mbeya City guaranteed their stay in the top tier with a narrow 1-0 win against Geita Gold.

The two teams had played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg. The hosts needed an 11th minute Geoffrey Manyasi's own goal to down the second-tier side. 

Ihefu joins Gwambina and Dodoma Jiji in the Tanzania Mainland League while Mbao FC have been relegated alongside Alliance FC, Lipuli FC, Ndanda FC and Singida United. 

New Chippa United head coach Lehlohonolo Seema has expressed pleasure at the commitment of the players as they look to avoid relegation from the PSL.

The Lesotho-born tactician surprisingly joined the Chilli Boys last month after dumping PSL top eight hopefuls Bloemfontein Celtic.

Seema had also guided Phunya Sele Sele to this season's Nedbank Cup semi-finals where they will face Baroka FC on August 8.

The 40-year-old has now been tasked with ensuring that Chippa retain their status in the elite league and he explained that he is happy with a change of scenery at the Port Elizabeth-based side.

“It’s a group [team] that is willing to work and that is the first positive thing. We need to work hard as a group,” Seema said on Daily Sun.

“We don’t have anyone that thinks he stands out more than other players. So, it’s a good group of players and we can work hard and ensure we do well for the club.”

Seema is the Chilli Boys' fourth head coach this season after the club fired Clinton Larsen and Norman Mapeza, before parting ways with Rhulani Mokwena at the end of June 2020.

Chippa are placed 12th on the league standings - three points above the relegation zone and Seema is hopeful that his side will get positive results when their league campaign resumes later this month.

“The guys are willing to learn what we are implementing, The confidence is there," Seema, who is a retired central defender, continued. 

"As it is said, when a new coach is appointed, every player breaths some fresh air and wants to show the coach what they are capable of. They are responding very well. Hopefully, we will get the results that we want.”

Seema revealed that he is enjoying working with his assistant Mbuyiselo Sambu, who has served as the club's caretaker coach in the past.  

“I have been welcomed with open arms. Sambu and I are working well," the former Orlando Pirates captain added. 

"I know him well as we did some courses together and we played at the same time. It’s easy for us to work together." 

The Chilli Boys are set to take on Cape Town City in a league clash at Orlando Stadium on August 14 and they could be without experienced winger William Twala, who is currently nursing an injury.

“Other than that, it’s a clean bill of health,” Seema concluded.

Twala was one of Chippa's top performers before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

The former Kaizer Chiefs player has netted four goals in 21 appearances in the league this term. 

Wayne Rooney has compared Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne with Man United and Liverpool legends Steven Gerrard and Ryan Giggs.

De Bruyne returned to the Premier League in 2015 after an ill-fated spell with Chelsea earlier in his career with a point to prove.

City paid £55 million (€60m/$72m) to bring him to Etihad Stadium from Wolfsburg, and he has since proved to be worth every penny, scoring 56 goals and laying on 89 assists in 220 appearances.

The Belgian has been the driving force behind the club's latest bid for silverware across multiple fronts, with many now calling for him to pick up the PFA Player of the Year award for 2019-20.

Pep Guardiola's men have already won a third successive Carabao Cup with De Bruyne orchestrating proceedings from the middle of the park , and an elusive Champions League crown could also be secured when the competition resumes later this month.

United's all-time record goalscorer Rooney has recalled being at the mercy of the 29-year-old's technical ability while playing for Everton, and drew similarities between the playmaker's game and ex-Liverpool captain Gerrard.

"There’s no doubt Man City’s biggest weapon is De Bruyne, arguably one of the top three players in the world right now," the Derby midfielder wrote in his latest column for The Times .

"Playing against him was never, ever, easy and I’ll always remember Everton using me and Morgan Schneiderlin, in a 4-4-2, against a City midfield of De Bruyne, David Silva and Fernandinho, with Sterling dropping in.

"They absolutely outnumbered us. Me and Schneiderlin were in the middle of the pitch saying, 'What’s going on here?!' We were 3-0 down after 37 minutes and had 18 per cent possession in the game.

"De Bruyne reminds me a bit of Steven Gerrard. He drifts out to that right-hand side and plays some brilliant balls whipped in, like Stevie used to. What I like most is he takes chances, he takes risks, he doesn’t go for the easy ball - he plays the hard pass."

The former United striker added: "You watch, when he’s in possession in space other players start running and that’s the biggest compliment you can pay a midfielder.

"When I played with Ryan Giggs and Giggsy got the ball, I made runs because I knew he’d try and find me, and if it came off he’d get me through on goal. De Bruyne is like that. Teams think they can force him to play it to the side but he can squeeze those passes through the smallest gaps."

Onduparaka FC chairman Benjamin Nyakuni has explained why the club has seen key players leave en masse previously.

The Ugandan Premier League side lost Gaddafi Wahab, Vitalis Tabu, Geriga Atendele, Ramathan Dudu, Faizul Anini and Abdul Lukwata in the middle of last season as well as coach Livingstone Mbabazi.

In the ongoing transfer window, Hassan Muhamood has already joined Police FC and Ezra Bida is reportedly on his way Kyetume FC.

Shaban Mohammad, Rashid Toha and Gaddafi Gadinho are also key players who left the club previously after being part of the starting team on a regular basis.

“We had played well in the first round of last season but the exodus happened during the half-season,” Nyakuni said as was quoted by Sports Nation.

“These players also have their own ambitions, and when you don’t give them want they want, they have to go, they have families and at times they want to experience other environments elsewhere.

“But the main challenge has been finances mostly.”

The chair also linked their struggle that almost saw them engaged in the relegation fight to the exodus that happened mid-season.

“Players and coach [Livingston] Mbabazi leaving at half-season demoralised us so much,” he added.

“It became so hard to assemble a strong side at that moment. It was very tough. Our target was at least to come second but the good thing is that we managed to remain in the league.”

Nyakuni further admitted they are still far from competing with the league bigwigs and their weakness is also contributed by their comparatively younger age.

“Our hands are also tied, we can’t go where we can’t reach. We are competing with the big guns but we can’t afford some things they have done,” he continued.

“This has been a learning process, we are also learning, people are judging us like a club that has been here for 30 years.

“We are our own source of learning. We never had any team in our region to learn from during the time we came into existence, but we have plans and we will get there sometime.”

Onduparaka, just like Busoga United and SC Villa, suffered financial constraints and attempted to pressure the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) to allocate them part of the relief money they received from Fifa.

“Our agenda was that Covid-19 affected each and every team. We felt that if Fufa is supported by Caf and Fifa, we also needed to be supported," he revealed.

“We may not have achieved from that campaign as per now but maybe Fufa is thinking for some solutions.”

Nyakuni also feels their location has drained them financially, unlike other teams in the league.

“We travel most and it’s a disadvantage, the cost of running an upcountry club is higher than in central region,” he concluded.

“Football is very expensive and so clubs have to revise ways of doing things. You cannot promise the players that you will not deliver, it's affecting each and every club.

“But as clubs, it is time we swallow what we can chew. We have to understand our finances.”

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has challenged Arsenal to aim for “bigger things” after beating Chelsea 2-1 to lift the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Arsenal's talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the star as he worked his Wembley magic once again to produce the two goals and earn the Gunners the trophy for a record 14th time.

Chelsea had taken the lead inside five minutes through Christian Pulisic's smart finish but then fell victim to the brilliance of Aubameyang, who was also Arsenal's hero when he scored twice in the semi-final win over Manchester City.

The Gabon forward drew Arsenal level from the penalty spot before the break after he was fouled by Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, then produced a moment of world-class finishing midway through the second half to make the defining contribution to the first behind-closed-doors FA Cup final.

Chelsea were hampered by a first-half injury to Azpilicueta and were struggling even further when they lost the outstanding Pulisic to a hamstring problem after the break. To make matters worse, Mateo Kovacic was sent off for a second bookable offence shortly after Auba's second goal.

Kagame, who is an ardent Arsenal fan, has congratulated the team for the latest achievement but was quick to point out the club should now focus on winning “bigger things” in the future.

"Bravo, congrats Arsenal for a well-deserved and needed FA Cup win,” the President of the East African nation wrote on his Twitter handle. “We, fans, and supporters kept faith in you...going forward let's aim at much bigger things and yes we can.”

Malawi's new President, Lazarus Chakwera, also took to his Twitter handle to send a message to his beloved Arsenal after winning the trophy.

“It feels great to see the Arsenal winning, a sweet victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, my favourite kind,” Chakwera wrote.

Rwanda and Arsenal have a good relationship since the country moved to sponsor the Premier League giants, whose players display a ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo on their sleeves.

The three-year deal which became Arsenal’s first-ever sleeve sponsorship was signed on May 23, 2018, with the Rwanda Development Board, through their subsidiary, the Rwandan Convention Bureau, aiming for the country to become a leading global tourist destination.

The ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo features on the left sleeve for all first team, U-23, and women’s matches.

Andy Lonergan has revealed the "little magician" he dreaded facing in Liverpool training, while opening up on a memorable season at Anfield.

Liverpool brought in journeyman goalkeeper Lonergan last August as Jurgen Klopp looked to bolster his options between the sticks, with ex-West Ham star Adrian also arriving at the club on a free transfer.

Despite not making a single senior appearance in 2019-20, the 36-year-old has been part of the Premier League-title winning squad, while also benefitting from the chance to work alongside a plethora of world-class talent at Melwood day in, day out.

Lonergan is now a free agent following the expiration of his contract, but is open to penning a new deal at Anfield if the opportunity presents itself.

Although the quality within Liverpool's squad didn't come as a shock to the English shot-stopper, he has singled out one player as the most deadly with the ball at his feet in the final third.

Lonergan has admitted that he feared coming up against Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss winger who has built a solid reputation over the course of his career for being a dead ball expert with superb technical ability.

“No-one’s surprised me because they’re all unreal,” the Reds' keeper told the Liverpool Echo. “The one I really don’t like facing is Shaqiri. When he’s shooting, he can do whatever he wants with that left foot. I’m always thinking when we’re doing five-a-side, 'Please be on my team,' because if he’s against you, he’s a little magician with his finishing.”

Shaqiri has struggled for regular playing time throughout his two-year spell at Anfield, mainly due to the form of first-choice front three Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Lonergan says a talismanic trio's devastating impact on the pitch is a result of their hard graft in training, and that not even No 1 keeper Alisson is able to keep them out when they are in full flow.

He added on the challenge of facing Liverpool's fearsome attacking triumvirate: “It’s brilliant facing them but it’s tough. I remember the first few shooting sessions before Alisson came back and I thought, 'I’d love to see how Alisson gets on in this shooting.'

“I remember speaking to him about it. Sometimes it doesn’t matter who’s in goal, you can’t stop them. When they’re 12-yards out with a free shot at goal, more often than not it’s going top corner or in off the post.

“To make a save, you have to make a worldie. They’re brilliant. Three great guys as well. They never stop working in the gym. It’s not luck, how they perform, it’s all preparation and how they look after themselves.”

New Azam FC signing Ally Niyonzima has revealed he is itching to get started after joining the Mainland Premier League giants on Saturday.

The Rwanda international midfielder was unveiled by the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ after arriving from Rayon Sports of Rwanda.

“My first target, I want to play, I want to be used, because I am a fighter, I play to win and my head now is on playing for Azam, and I want to repay them for signing me, I want everyone to be happy here, and I want to get the chance to show what I can do,” Niyonzima told reporters after signing the deal.

“I am ready to give out what I can give, and help them win trophies, I want to leave everything to God and wait for the season to start, I know Azam fans will be happy when they see me play, I will not disappoint them, it is a new challenge I am taking with both hands and will be ready to play.”

On signing for the Chamazi-based club, Niyonzima explained: “I thank God for the great chance he has given me to play for Azam because he has allowed me to continue with my work and I also want to thank Azam officials for the chance they have given me to play for this great team.

“I also want to thank the coach for having the belief in me, and giving me the chance and come play in Tanzania, I also thank my manager who played a key role to have the deal sealed.

“I have come here to play, I have come here to do my work, and I know with God, I will repay the faith the coach has in me and will help them to win trophies.”

Asked whether he knows anything about Azam, Niyonzima responded: “I don’t know them very well, but I remember I watched them when I was very young but for now, I was not following them because I was involved elsewhere but I think I am in great shape to come in and do well with the players who are here.”

On what he knows about the Tanzania league, Niyonzima said: “I have not been keen to follow Tanzania league, I only watched it on TV, and mostly we follow the derby in Tanzania, I know more about the Tanzania league and I have many people here who have been telling me what to expect so it will not be difficult for me to settle in.

“I have talked to only one player in Azam, [Mvuyekure], he has told me good things about Azam, he is a good friend, he has told me Azam is a great team, and if I do my job well, then I will always be happy.”

Niyonzima becomes the second signing for Azam, who have already brought on board winger Awesu Awesu from Kagera Sugar.

Andy Lonergan has hailed "flawless" Liverpool No 1 Alisson as "by far the best goalkeeper in the world".

Following Loris Karius' horror show in a 2018 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, Liverpool forked out £67 million (€75m/$88m) to bring Alisson to Anfield from Roma.

The 27-year-old didn't take long to repay that investment, winning the Premier League's Golden Glove award in his debut season while also playing a key role in the run to a second successive European showpiece.

Liverpool won their first trophy of Jurgen Klopp's reign by beating Tottenham in an all English final, which turned out to be a springboard towards even greater success.

The Premier League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup have all been added to the Anfield trophy cabinet in 2019-20, with Alisson once again proving to be a vital presence between the sticks.

The Brazil international overcame early-season injury problems to record 13 clean sheets in 29 top-flight outings, and Lonergan has now offered an insight into what makes him such a special keeper.

Klopp drafted Lonergan in last summer amid a shortage of back-up options between the sticks, which gave him the chance to work closely with Alisson on the training ground over the past 12 months.

The 36-year-old told the Liverpool Echo of his Anfield experience: “We’ve not had everyone fit all season, it’s only recently we’ve had all four goalkeepers, first-team goalkeepers, training together.

“It’s been brilliant, it’s the best group I’ve been part of. Obviously talent-wise but as guys as well.

“It’s common for people to say, 'The goalie had nothing to do,' but Alisson makes it that way. The way he controls his defence.

“The hardest thing for a goalkeeper is having nothing to do because your lesser goalkeepers will start looking for stuff, coming out for balls aren’t theirs, trying to make an impact on the game, but Ali is flawless. He is by far the best goalkeeper in the world and I won’t have anyone ever tell me any differently.”

Spanish shot-stopper Adrian joined Liverpool on a free transfer just before Lonergan, and filled in for Alisson for much of the first half of the season.

Lonergan went on to praise the 33-year-old for making an immediate impact at Anfield, adding: “The way Adrian came in and played for nine or ten league games on the bounce at the beginning of the season, he was fantastic.

“He was absolutely outstanding with the saves he made and his general play. I don’t think you could have got a better replacement. How he performed, I don’t think anyone else could have come in and done that. It’s a credit to him.

“He’s a top man and an absolute legend of character. He trains every day and works his socks off and I’m so pleased that it’s happened for him. They’re fantastic people and the two goalkeeper coaches are the best goalie coaches I’ve worked with. They work great together.”

Kenya international Michael Olunga has revealed why he did not celebrate scoring against Nagoya Campus as Kashiwa Reysol maintained their winning run in the J1-League with a 1-0 victory on Saturday.

Olunga found the back of the net in the 71st minute with an assist from Ataru Esaka as Kashiwa Reysol picked up their fourth win in the last five matches.

However, the former Gor Mahia striker could not celebrate his latest success since he had collided with Nagoya custodian Mitch Langerak before he bundled the ball to an empty net to score his ninth goal of the season.

“It was great to be on the scoresheet again,” Olunga told reporters after the match. “But I could not celebrate because I feared a concussion for my friend and great keeper [Langerak], I am glad he was okay.”

On how he scored the goal, Olunga explained: “It was a good scene, because it was a good ball from Ataru [Esaka], and we knew we will get some space behind and of course it was a difficult ball because when the ball was travelling I saw the goalkeeper was coming so I knew I had no time and either way I had to connect the ball with one touch.

“It was going to bounce so I tried and connected with a plant of my foot and it was unfortunate with a collision the goalkeeper and I tried to see first if he was okay because health is more important than the goal and at the end of the day it gave us three points.”

On the game, which gave them a fourth straight win in the league, Olunga explained: “The game basically was a difficult one, [Nagoya] is a very good team and they were playing at home and they had not lost at home, and we knew it was going to be a difficult game, full of contact but honestly it was a good result to us, taking a 1-0 win here, we have a lot of positives and negatives to take back but the most important thing is to try and improve.

“At the end of the day when I score it is teamwork, of course, I scored the winning goal but it was teamwork and especially we have to give credit to our defence, they were really solid at the back, they absorbed pressure from the first minute and wish to thank all the players for sacrificing and making us win four matches in a row.”

Saturday's win enabled Olunga and his teammates to rise on the log and are now fourth on the log with 15 points from eight games.

Olunga will have another opportunity to try and add more goals when Kashiwa Reysol face Shonan Bellmare on August 5.

Stanton Fredericks has broken his silence about the sale of Bidvest Wits, who were purchased by Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivandila (TTM) boss Masala Mulaudzi and will relocate to Limpopo ahead of the 2020-21 PSL season. 

The Students were going to celebrate 100 years of existence in 2021, and this, coupled with how the management handled the sale, is what makes it very difficult for Fredericks to accept that the club will not exist beyond the current campaign. 

Reports that Mulaudzi was close to buying Wits surfaced in early June but the management dismissed it as a rumour until the middle of the month when everyone working for the club was called to an urgent meeting, including coach Gavin Hunt. 

Subsequently, the club released an official statement confirming the news and Fredericks believes the club's hierarchy handled it badly.  

"A very difficult decision [to accept], especially for myself because I grew up with Bidvest Wits... it was Wits University back then. I played for the junior team, I made it my debut there and I eventually came full circle and I retired there," Fredericks told Goal.

"The difficult part is that this is a team that's going to be 100 years old... I think just the way the sale was announced, it's difficult to accept because it has downplayed Wits as a football institution.

"You know the history of development... look at world football, you have Ajax Amsterdam that would feed the world with quality," he said.  

Fredericks, who had two stints with Wits during his playing days, feels the club didn't only sell its PSL status but a rich history where generations of players were produced. 

And he questioned the seriousness of those in charge of clubs in preserving the history of football in South Africa.   

"If you look at South Africa, that's Wits University and eventually it became Ajax Cape Town. The institution of football in this country that has been sold for next to nothing and it's really difficult to accept and how serious is football being take in our country," continued Fredericks.  

"Tomorrow, we'd find out that the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are sold, it's generations that are being erased.

"So, for me, I might come across a bit emotional but it's certainly impacting me personally. I am not happy, it's not sitting well with me."

Former Nigeria and Enyimba striker Victor Ezeji has urged FA Cup winners Arsenal to prioritise signing a defender before Atletico Madrid Thomas Partey, and sees Leicester City's Caglar Soyuncu as the ideal man to improve the Gunners' backline.

The Ghana international is regarded as one of the best in his position in Europe and has been constantly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium with his buyout clause set at €50 million. There has been confirmation of talks between both parties but no deal has yet been struck.

Ezeji acknowledges the importance of having a player of Partey’s quality in the Arsenal team, but believes a defender needs to be top of the list to solve some of the club’s long-existing woes.

“The problem of Arsenal has been in defence," the two-time Caf Champions League winner told Goal. "It’s very difficult for you to predict that Arsenal will not concede a goal because of the way their set-up has been.

“Going forward they can score goals with the likes of [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Alexandre] Lacazette and [Nicolas] Pepe," he added. "They can score as many goals as they wish to in any game but their problem has been defensive and I think if they can bring Partey there will stability in midfield and he will also shield the backline.

The Gunners conceded 48 goals in the Premier League last season with the defence exposed on many occasions, although Ezeji also believes that Partey would contribute to their overall defensive work.

“Partey is a good buy no doubt, but Arsenal must do something to their defensive line," he added. “If I’m to suggest they should go for a defender because their defence is very porous at the moment, [then] going for a player like Soyuncu is not a bad idea but that is if Leicester City are ready to let him go.

"David Luiz is not that bad, but his mistakes are very costly so they need someone that can put him on his toes. Sometimes players relax and don’t really have that motivation, but once they see competition they know if they flop, somebody else will take over from them, so they will put in their best.

“He will complement Luiz," the ex-forward added. "He has proven over time that he’s a very good defender. If Arsenal can go for him, he will definitely step up his game even more.”

A bad start to the season under Unai Emery meant the north Londoners were far off the top four and even though things improved under new boss and former player Mikel Arteta who lifted the FA Cup as a player with the Gunners, and repeated the feat as a coach on Saturday. 

There has been a lack of stability that saw them crash out of the Europa League on away goals to Olympiacos and finish outside the European places in the Premier League in eighth position, although their cup success over Chelsea ensures continental competition next term.

Chancel Mbemba scored twice as Porto defeated rivals Benfica 2-1 to lift the Portuguese Cup on Saturday.

The victory at the at Estadio Cidade de Coimbra completed a domestic double for Sergio Conceicao's men after they secured the Primeira Liga trophy in July.

After a goalless first-half and with Porto winger Luis Diaz sent off in the 38th minute following a second yellow card, Mbemba scored his two goals within 10 minutes in the second half while Carlos Vinicius reduced the deficit for Benfica with his 84th-minute strike from the penalty spot.

The DR Congo international broke the deadlock for the hosts in the 47th minute after converting a loose ball in the penalty area with his looping header, and he later doubled their lead with another header in the 57th minute, thanks to Otavio's assist.

Mbemba, who joined the Dragons from Newcastle United in 2018, was on parade from start to finish and he ended the 2019-20 season with five goals in 41 appearances across all competitions.

Mali's Moussa Marega was also in action for 90 minutes for Porto while Senegal's Mamadou Loum was introduced as an 88th-minute substitute for Mateus Uribe.

Cameroon star Vincent Aboubakar was an unused substitute as he ended what was a frustrating season in which he played just eight games for Porto with two goals to his name. He only featured in two league outings since Portuguese football restarted in June after the coronavirus hiatus.

For Benfica, Morocco's Adel Taarabt did not start the match but he was introduced for Chiquinho on the hour-mark.

Saturday's triumph was a big win for Porto who also dominated Benfica in the league title race with a five-point gap between the sides.

Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta will miss Chelsea's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich after limping off in Saturday's 2-1 FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.

Captain Azpilicueta pulled up with a hamstring injury five minutes after giving away a penalty that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converted to kickstart Arsenal's comeback.

And Pulisic, the scorer of Chelsea's early opener at Wembley, also made way four minutes into the second half with an identical issue sustained as he was charging through on goal.

Pedro then suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder late on and Frank Lampard has all but ruled the trio out of next Saturday's last-16 second leg with Bayern, which Chelsea will start trailing 3-0 on aggregate.

"I don't know the full extent of the injuries, but I know its the hamstrings with Azpi and Christian," he said at his post-match news conference.

"They have to be scanned and assessed over the next few days. They clearly won't be fit for next week."

Pedro, who was given oxygen as he was stretchered off the field, is expected to join Roma on a free transfer when his Chelsea contract expires later this month.

"I believe it could be a dislocated shoulder but don't go too soon on that," Lampard said when asked for an update on the forward's condition.

"I've not seen him yet as he was whisked away so it's a disappointing end as that's probably going to be his last game for Chelsea.

"He's been an incredible servant and I'm disappointed for him."

Chelsea got off to a flyer through Pulisic's fifth-minute strike but Aubameyang added to his penalty with an impressive second to take Arsenal's record tally of triumphs in the competition to 14.

The Blues' hopes of scoring an equaliser were dented by a controversial second yellow card shown to Mateo Kovacic for a challenge on Granit Xhaka.

Replays showed Kovacic barely made contact with his opponent and Lampard questioned referee Anthony Taylor's decision to reach into his back pocket but conceded the Gunners did deserve their spot-kick. 

"The penalty was rightly awarded, but it wasn't a sending off, that was pretty clear," he said.

The General Secretary of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Kushal Das urged East Bengal to undertake a more professional approach and evolve with time to meet the changing demands of Indian football.

He maintained that the Bengal Giants who turned 100 on Saturday are an integral part of Indian football and expressed his optimism that they will continue to add on to their legacy.

During a live event with SportStar, Kushal Das congratulated the club on reaching the historic milestone.

“I think it is a great achievement. I must congratulate the club. They are an integral part of Indian football. I hope they can continue with the history and legacy and I am sure they will go places from here.

“I want to say nothing is impossible,” he replied when asked if the Red and Gold will play in the ISL this season.

Das then spoke about how East Bengal must work on opting for a more professional approach with regards to their running the club. He stressed on the importance of the club having a dedicated department to manage the relations with any potential investors. This suggestion came after Bengaluru-based service provider Quess exited their Joint Venture with East Bengal following an acrimonious relationship.

“What steps East Bengal should take – I think it is very important that you have to change with time, you have to get professional people. You have to have different departments. You need to have a sponsor servicing department. The fact that Quess and East Bengal had to part ways was not a good thing,” he said.

Das was asked about the role AIFF will play to help East Bengal play in the ISL some day. He claimed that the federation will not do anything that is not in accordance with the roadmap, given they will then be answerable to Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

"There was roadmap which was agreed by all the stakeholders. This roadmap is approved by the AFC and we are simply following that roadmap. If we don’t follow the roadmap, AFC will question us,” he concluded.

East Bengal’s assistant general secretary Dr. Shanti Ranjan Dasgupta assured the club enthusiasts that they will do what it takes to play or compete at the highest level.

Dr. Dasgupta suggested that the officials are doing their bit to make sure East Bengal play in the Indian Super League (ISL) but he refused to give a time frame on that. It must be noted that ISL, which is the top division league, will only have 10 participating teams in the 2020-21 season which effectively rules out East Bengal participating in the ISL this season.

“Whenever it is possible, we will play in the ISL. But we cannot say when we can join ISL. It is a legacy club and it has its heritage. But we have to change ourselves a bit and we are trying to reach that point and when that happens we will join ISL. But we cannot say when it will happen,” said the Red and Golds official during a cht show with SportStar.

The club official further said that the club will undergo all the necessary changes that are required in order to establish a professional culture at the club.

“This is a demand of the day and we have to change. Just because we have a legacy, we cannot live with just that. We have to change. But it will not happen in a day. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, our plans got disrupted. But we are trying our level best to make changes. We need to abide by the rules of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). We have to discuss everything with the authorities.”

Dasgupta mentioned that the club was not pleased that their former investors Quess Corp decided to end the Joint Venture as they did not want to continue the association with the club. .

“Before we had Kingfisher as a sponsor. I don’t think we will ever have a sponsor like that. They helped us greatly during the ASEAN Cup (2003). We hoped Quess will also behave in the same way. Unfortunately, the relationship ended with them. We wanted to continue the association but they didn’t want to. In future, we will try to follow the right path. I am sure we will get a new investor soon and keep serving Indian football like in the past.”

While the club officials are willing to hand over majority stakes of the club to new investors, Dasgupta also mentioned that the club will never give up 100 per cent stake to another party in order to protect the legacy of the club.

“We can give 100 per cent stake but it is about the legacy and prestige of the club. You cannot just lose your presence. We will do what will be the right thing for the club and we will do everything for the benefit of the club.”

It must be noted that in ATK Mohun Bagan, Mohun Bagan have only 20 per cent stake while ATK have 80 per cent. East Bengal, as of now, are not willing to enter into such an agreement.

Kolkata giants East Bengal have been in the news lately with regards to their bid to participate in the Indian Super League (ISL). However, the ISL as of now, have no plans of adding more teams.

But former East Bengal star Bhaichung Bhutia is confident that the historic club will play in the ISL someday but claimed that there is still a lot of work to be done before taking the leap.

Quess Corp Limited, who had majority stakes in the club until recently parted ways with East Bengal after a protracted saga that involved the transfer of sporting rights back to the club. The Red and Golds are still searching for an investor in the midst of a pandemic.

The former skipper urged the club to learn from its past mistakes and work in such a way that they are unaffected by the ever-changing situations in the footballing world.

“I think you have to learn from the mistakes Quess and East Bengal's joint venture ended up making. It was not a happy ending and it was not a good development for either Quess or East Bengal. We have to make sure that this does not happen in the future. The club gets a very bad reputation in the corporate world and that isn’t good,” he said during a webinar on East Bengal's centenary with SportStar.

“Changes happen both on and off the field and East Bengal need to get used to it. When I played there, the situation was different and now times are different."

Bhaichung believes East Bengal inclusion in the ISL is a win-win for both parties. However, he opined that the club must ensure that they will be in a position to sustain themselves financially. With the promotion-relegation model replacing the existing structure in a few years, he believes that the Red and Golds must think long-term.

“It is very important for ISL to have East Bengal in the top tier. It is important for East Bengal as well. East Bengal is one of the biggest clubs in India. The problem is if an investor asks for majority stakes in the club, will the officials be ready to concede that?

“As a player and fan of East Bengal, I want the club to play in ISL. But will they be allowed to play in ISL this year? It is difficult.

"East Bengal will definitely pay in ISL either this year or next but the club must get organised in order to sustain themselves in the top league.

“If you are not organised and cannot sustain there, then entire idea of playing the ISL makes no sense," he said.

Renedy Singh advised his former club East Bengal to be more organised on and off the field in order to take part in the Indian Super League (ISL).

The former India international suggested that to play in an organised league like the ISL, the Red and Golds need to put their house in order.

“East Bengal badly want to get into the ISL because of their fans and their legacy. East Bengal are a great club but due to my association with Kerala Blasters and FC Pune City in the past, I know how organised ISL is," Renedy said during a webinar on the club's centenary celebrations with SportStar.

"East Bengal needs to work really hard to match that level of organisation. They need sponsors to do that. To make the players and coaches comfortable on the pitch things need to be sorted off the field and East Bengal currently are not organised. They have to have youth structure and several other things to be in the ISL. As a former captain, I would love to see them in the ISL.”

On Friday the Football Players Association of India (FPAI) had sent a letter to the AIFF and urged them to include East Bengal in the ISL, without the knowledge of Renedy who is the organisation's president. Renedy later though sent another letter to the Indian FA and suggested that it was wrong on the association’s part to back one particular cause.

The former JCT winger once again clarified the matter and said, “As a president, I have to look at all clubs and all players. Personally I want them in ISL but as the president, I cannot speak about one particular club. It is not our duty to write a letter. We are here for the players.

"If we write about East Bengal tomorrow other clubs will ask us to help. It was a mistake on one of our officials' part. It is up to the club, All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). It is a matter that only they can sort it out and not the FPAI.”