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Ugandan legend Paul Ssali has revealed how the national team almost perished in a plane crash in 1978.

In an interview with New Vision, the former Cranes goalkeeper has explained how terrified the players in the squad were after they tried to land twice at Entebbe Airport on their return from Accra, Ghana where they had taken part in the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The team was heading to Kampala after losing 2-0 in the final to the Black Stars when the Ethiopian Airways plane on which they travelled almost crashed at Entebbe due to bad weather.

“From Ghana to Cameroon, the sailing was smooth, the whole episode started moments after the captain announced that ‘soon we shall be landing at Entebbe International Airport,” Ssali is quoted as saying by New Vision. “It has been a pleasure flying with the deputy champions of Africa.

“As the plane descended it began to behave strangely; it suddenly dropped several meters and quickly gained height again. This would happen about six times, moving left and right that sent passengers in panicky mode, screaming and praying.

“Several passengers vomited due to the turbulence. When the plane gained stability, the pilot abandoned landing at Entebbe and instead headed to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya where we learned how we had survived to crash.”

Ssali continued: “We were close to landing and had actually unfastened our seat belts, and we could actually see the Airport buildings but all of a sudden the plane took an almost 90-degree ascendency to the sky.

“We circled around the Airport for about ten minutes before we were told that we could not land due to bad weather, so we headed for Nairobi where we landed and spent two hours before we returned to Entebbe.

“We were all shaken and feared for our lives, the plane having changed direction all of a sudden.”

Ssali remembers vividly that it was at JKIA in Nairobi when the squad realised they had escaped a plane crash due to bad weather (fog) and while in Nairobi, most players had requested to travel to Uganda by road, a decision that was turned down by the team manager.

“In Nairobi, most of the Cranes wanted to travel back by road but the manager refused it,” Ssali continued.

“The trip from Nairobi was tension-packed but this time the landing was more comfortable and there was some jubilation from the Cranes with others shedding tears of joy. They had anticipated the same experience.”

Young Africans (Yanga SC) are on the verge of losing their lead striker David Molinga.

The Congolese import is reportedly keen to leave the Jangwani Street-based giants and sign for Moroccan outfit Renaissance Sportive de Berkane.

Former Yanga coach Mwinyi Zahera, who is said to be behind the transfer and who signed the player for the club before he left, has confirmed the striker will ditch the club at the end of his contract this season.

“Everything in regards to the transfer is already done and now what we are waiting for is the contract with Yanga to end before he makes the move,” Zahera is quoted as saying by MwanaSpoti.

Molinga is among the key strikers for Yanga though they have been struggling to get goals, the latest being their match against Azam FC which ended in a 0-0 draw, forcing their fans to hit out at the club’s strikers for letting them down.

In a recent interview with Goal, Yanga coach Luc Eymael admitted he was lacking strikers to score goals for the club and confirmed he had recommended new names to the team’s signing committee.

“I am disappointed with all my strikers,” Eymael told Goal after the match.

“We created chances after chances, but we don’t finish the chances we create, if we don’t score that is a big problem, 30 crosses and we cannot find the back of the net? I think that is a big problem.

“Our biggest problem currently is we are not scoring, that is the biggest problem we have, it is that simple, we are not scoring goals despite creating chances and something must be done urgently before we play our next match.

“I cannot change the players [strikers] now, I can only ask them to rectify the mistakes in training like we keep doing, we must think about scoring and the strikers must stand up now and be counted, they should get their scoring boots back, I don’t need to shout at them but they should know what they are supposed to do.”

Eymael further said: “But until now we are just waiting for the decision from the stakeholders who are taking decision for signing new players, the coach can only recommend and the work of management is to sign, the only player I recommended for the club is Bernard [Morrison] and you can see the job he is doing for the club.”

Yanga are preparing to face Namungo FC in a league match on Tuesday.

Ben Chilwell and James Maddison continue to generate talk of interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, but Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers says the speculation will not be causing him sleepless nights.

The Foxes, and their experienced boss, are accustomed to seeing prized assets linked with moves elsewhere.

Recent windows have seen a steady trickle of top talent head through the exits at the King Power Stadium, with the likes of N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Harry Maguire among those to have moved on.

Rumours suggest that Chilwell and Maddison could be next to attract big-money bids, with the sights of Premier League heavyweights being locked on their potential.

Chelsea are said to have made an England international left-back their next target, in a summer of ambitious recruitment at Stamford Bridge, while a talented playmaker has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

Rodgers is fully aware of the gossip, but he continues to turn a deaf ear to it and is prepared for a fight if needs be when it comes to keeping star turns on his books.

The Leicester boss told Sky Sports when quizzed on the unwelcome exit reports: "The club have got good experience of situations where bigger the so-called bigger clubs come in.

"We're always aware that while there are good players, that will always be of interest to other teams that have more money than us.

"We don't lose sleep worrying about it. We're here to develop players and improve the standard of the team. Of course, if we're doing that then that will be taken note of by other clubs.

"We just have to continue with our work and always try to have a pipeline in place where if you lose one, you can have the next one in.

"We're certainly not actively looking to move anyone on that's for sure. We want to keep everyone together but we'll see what happens in the summer."

Asked what Leicester need to do to break into the elite level, Rodgers said: "We're looking to get ourselves into that bracket on a consistent basis and the only way we can do that is by performing well and developing year on year.

"Leicester is a wonderful club in its own right and we are trying to challenge that hierarchy.

"Players may be attracted to that level of club, such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United or going abroad, but we can't worry ourselves about that.

"We'll keep fighting to keep players here and if they're not going to be here then the club will get the best price available."

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that consultations are ongoing on how to end the 2019-20 domestic league season.

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has been suspended since March following the spread of the coronavirus to the West African country.

The chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and secretary to the federal government, Boss Mustapha, recently stated the government is not excited to reopen sporting activities as the number of confirmed cases of the virus continues to rise in the country.

The Nigerian government is gradually reopening the economy after a period of complete lockdown due to the pandemic, which has claimed 525 lives, but has limited social gathering to 20 people.

The League Management Company (LMC) had proposed four options to end the league, including a point-per-game (PPG) method, which was subjected to a vote at the weekend.

The 17 chairmen of the Club Owners Association voted in favour of the PPG method and that there should not be promotion or relegation of any clubs.

The NFF, however, stated that football stakeholders in the country should be patient until they conclude their consultations.

“The Nigeria Football Federation has declared that wide consultation is still ongoing as to the format and pattern of foreclosing the 2019/2020 Football Season, including that of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL,” read a statement from the NFF.

Plateau United currently lead the table with 49 points from 25 games while Rivers United are second with 45 points, both in the Caf Champions League spots.

Lobi Stars are third with 43 points while Nasarawa United, Jigawa Golden Stars, Kwara United and Adamawa United occupy the last four spots on the table.

The LMC have adopted the super-six format to end previous NPFL seasons and Enyimba are reigning champions.

Arsenal need to “cut their losses” on Mesut Ozil and let the World Cup winner move on, says Martin Keown, with the German no longer considered to be “part of the future” in north London.

Ozil, who joined the Gunners from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, has taken in 254 appearances during his seven seasons in England and scored 44 goals.

The 31-year-old's creativity has proved to be a useful asset at times, but questions over his form and attitude have never been far away.

That remains the case at present, with Mikel Arteta having left the experienced performer out of his plans for the Premier League restart.

A surprising snub has sparked further speculation regarding Ozil’s future, with the breaking of a lucrative contract having been mooted for some time.

Keown believes Arteta needs to be forcing that issue in the next window, with Unai Emery having ignored similar pleas and ultimately paid the price for failing to get Arsenal’s house in order.

“The Ozil situation when Emery took the job, I felt at that time the best thing he could have done is to take Ozil away and sell him at that point,” former Gunners defender Keown told talkSPORT.

“In fact, I advised him to do that at the time.

“What we have seen with Ozil – for one reason or another, and everyone feels you’re picking on him – he’s a player that isn’t part of the future at Arsenal.

“They need to cut their losses and let Ozil go, otherwise the other players see the bad habits that he may have.

“I’m assuming he hasn’t trained well enough and really given it everything, and the manager now doesn’t want to invest any more time in him.

“But when you have someone around the edges of a football club like that, with all of those impressionable young men, it’s time for change.

“Arteta is part of that change and part of that new freshness, but if you don’t make the right decisions then you are no longer a part of that, you are a part of the past.”

Arsenal, who have seen their faint top-four hopes fade even further on the back of successive defeats to Manchester City and Brighton, will be back in action on Thursday when they take in a trip to Southampton.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hailed David de Gea as the best goalkeeper in the world despite tipping Dean Henderson to become Manchester United No.1 in the future.

De Gea was heavily criticised for Tottenham’s goal against the Red Devils on Friday night, with Roy Keane describing the Spaniard as "overrated" and that he would've been "swinging punches" in the dressing room at half-time.

The high-profile error has coincided with the impressive form of Sheffield United loanee Henderson, who has been one of the league's outstanding goalkeepers this season.

The 23-year-old has excelled for the Blades and although he will not be available to play when Chris Wilder’s side visit Old Trafford on Wednesday night, there are still plenty of comparisons to be drawn between the pair.

Despite De Gea’s mistakes over the past 18 months Solskjaer does, however, still consider the Spaniard to be the best in the world.

"David is the best goalkeeper in the world," Solskjaer said in his pre-match press conference. "He's conceded two goals in the last seven he's played for us. There are [games against] City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, two goals in seven games.

"The Everton one is a freak one, this one he can't save it, he makes great saves, wins games for us and he's still the best goalkeeper in the world. David is working really hard, he isn't making errors in training. I'm pleased with his work.

"He's had some fantastic seasons and I don't think it's a bad run if you concede two goals in seven games, he's made match-winning saves.

"He saved a point for us against Tottenham with the save [from Heung-Min Son's headed effort], mentally he's a very strong keeper but I speak to him every day, that's fine."

Henderson’s loan at Sheffield United is expected to be extended on Tuesday to allow him to stay there until the end of the current campaign. The 23-year-old has made 29 league appearances this season keeping 11 clean sheets and Solskjaer has been impressed with his development.

"It's a different job to be playing for Sheffield United and for Manchester United, they are different," Solskjaer said.

"He's got different roles and for the last two years he's had fantastic development, played with and against men, played in the Championship and he plays in a team that plays exciting football. The stats show he's proved worthy of a few points.

"He's learning all the time, a passionate keeper, developing, with good coaching. One day he'll be England No.1 and United No.1 and he needs to keep developing."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) custodian Farouk Shikalo has confessed warming the bench at the club has given him the desire to work even hard in training.

The former Bandari custodian is yet to start a game in the Mainland Premier League since the top-flight restarted on June 13, with the Jangwani Street-based giants preferring Metacha Mnata in that position.

In an interview on Monday, Yanga coach Luc Eymael called on the Harambee Stars keeper to keep fighting hard in training and wait for his chance, saying he does not have any bad feelings towards the player.

“If you watched our game against Azam FC, my keeper Metacha [Mnata] played very well, and he as always been fantastic in the position, so Shikalo must wait for his time,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

"I told him last week he has to wait for his chance and when the chance comes, he has to take it with both hands, it is that simple,

“I like him [Shikalo], he is working very hard during training sessions but how can you change your goalkeeper, when he is doing very well?

“[Mnata] has shown how good he is and for a coach, you don’t change a top player just because you have another one on the bench, but always keep him in your squad.

"I am not against Shikalo playing, he is a good keeper too but must wait for his time, I know his time will come.”

Shikalo has now answered coach Eymael by stating he will not give up on his quest to win his trust and will continue to put in extra effort during training sessions to win his heart.

“To sit on the bench is giving me the burning desire to work even hard and achieve my target of playing for the club,” Shikalo is quoted by Sokaletu.

“In Yanga we have a huge squad and for every player to play, you must be on top of your game and impress the coaches and that is what I am working hard to achieve.

“Every game we play has its own style and it is the coach who knows the players to pick for specific matches and to sit on the bench does not mean I am a bad keeper…no, it is all about the coach because he knows who deserves to play and why and I will continue to fight for my starting role.”

Shikalo has missed the 1-0 win against Mwadui FC in Shinyanga, the 1-1 draw against JKT Tanzania in Dodoma, and Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Azam FC at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Arturo Vidal has bemoaned the "strange" atmosphere of behind-closed-doors fixtures, insisting it is "difficult to concentrate" without Barcelona fans being present to cheer the team on.

The 2019-20 La Liga campaign was postponed in March due to the coronavirus outbreak, along with every other major league in European football.

The green light was given for the action to get back underway earlier this month after an easing of lockdown restrictions in Spain, but supporters have been barred from entering stadiums with social distancing rules still in effect.

Clubs are now having to adapt to a new competitive set-up in empty stadiums, and Vidal admits that his motivation to even "want to go on the pitch" has been in short supply since the restart.

"It's strange and complicated, from the things we have to do before games to the fixed protocols, as they are things you couldn't imagine before," the Barca midfielder told Radio Cooperativa.

"People gave you feelings we don't have now before we even got to the stadium. Now the atmosphere has changed completely.

"You don't have the motivation of your fans and it's very difficult to concentrate or, even, to want to go on the pitch.

"Football is about the atmosphere its fans create."

Barca got straight back to winning ways by seeing off Mallorca and Levante in comfortable fashion, but relinquished top spot in La Liga after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sevilla on Friday.

Athletic Club are next up for Quique Setien's men on Tuesday night, and Vidal acknowledges the fact that the reigning Spanish champions will have to raise their game to keep pace with Real Madrid.

"It will be a very intense and very hard game and we have to improve because Athletic are very complicated," he explained.

"We have to recover as soon as possible between matchdays."

Barca also still have the Champions League to play for, with a revised format set to see the competition reach its conclusion over the space of 16 days in August.

The Blaugrana will first have to see off Napoli in a round of 16 second-leg tie before the tournament becomes a straight knockout affair, with all remaining fixtures set to be played in Lisbon.

Vidal added on the changes: "If we beat Napoli, it'll be one-legged games and I like that because you're playing for it all in 90 minutes.

"In those circumstances is when important players have to show up, I want to do that."

Young Africans coach (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has confessed he has now run out of ideas on how to help under-fire striker Gnamien Yikpe.

The towering striker was signed by the Jangwani Street-based giants in January from Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, after penning a two-year contract, but he has failed to live up to expectations and has so far scored just one goal for the team.

On Sunday, after Yanga secured a 0-0 draw against Azam FC, the club's fans stormed outside the team’s dressing room, calling for the release of Ivorian striker, whom they accused of letting down the team.

A poor performance in the 1-0 win against Mwadui - where he missed one gilt-edged chance - and another lacklustre display in the goalless draw against Azam, forced the fans to call for the management to do away with the burly striker.

The Belgian coach has now exclusively told Goal he has done all he could to help the player and does not have any remaining options.

“Now about Yikpe, it is a terrible problem, he is so good in training sessions but he is not repeating this good style in-game time, then is a big problem and I give him so many times a chance and now the fans are there, they are on his neck, and it will be worse and it is for sure for now it will be difficult to give him playing time,” Eymael told Goal on Tuesday.

“But fans have to know, I am not the one who signed Yikpe, fans should know we don’t have the real solution for a striker, if we had one top striker, one of the strikers that I recommended to the club, we should have scored more than 15 or 20 goals by now, fans should know that I have recommended top strikers but until now the situation is the same.

“But until now we are just waiting for the decision from the stakeholders who are taking decision for signing new players, the coach can only recommend and the work of management is to sign, the only player I recommended for the club is Bernard [Morrison] and you can see the job he is doing for the club.

“It will be very difficult for Yikpe, it will be very difficult for him, even going into training on Monday the fans were still on his neck again on the road [going to training and back] and to recover will be difficult for the player.

“But I think since the beginning the fans did not appreciate Yikpe and I even told the club you signed Yikpe before I came, I asked them if you know you did a mistake, what do you do?

“You need to sit down with the player and agree if whether to terminate the contract on a mutual agreement because when the coach looks at the player in training sessions, he is scoring goals but when given the chance in a really match he doesn’t.

“I think Yikpe has a psychological problem and what happens the fans don’t watch training sessions but watch the match day, and it is normal the fans are on his neck, and also it is normal for the coach to select a player who is doing very well in training sessions and not a player who is absent and doing nothing in training sessions.

“We have a big problem in the striking force, we know that we try everybody until now, but did I sign any player in the striking force? No it didn’t.

“The fans are on the neck of Yikpe, why because they are not attacking the people who signed, him, and I can tell you Yikpe is very perfect during training sessions, he is his doing very well and even scores goals, but on the pitch, he is not doing the same, because he has a psychological problem, he has an issue.”

Yanga are preparing to face Ndanda FC in a league contest on Saturday.

Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez has thrown his weight behind his teammate Phil Foden to become a top player for the club in future.

The England U21 midfielder starred along with the Algeria international in City’s 5-0 thrashing of Burnley in Monday’s Premier League game.

Foden ignited the flurry of goals in the 22nd minute and then grabbed his second moments after the hour-mark to wrap up the commanding display after Mahrez’s brace and David Silva’s strike.

The victory helped Pep Guardiola’s men maintain their second place on the league table and reduced the gap between them and leaders Liverpool to 20 points.

Mahrez is delighted with the development of the young midfielder and is confident he will become a star player for City in future.

"Since I arrived, Phil has improved a lot. He's been training with us and he's still young. He's been improving a lot,” Mahrez told CityTV.

"He has a lot of quality and he needs to keep going in a good way to improve more and more. He has a lot of time to improve and be a top player in this Club and the country."

With his two goals against Burnley, Mahrez has now scored at least ten goals across all competitions in five successive seasons.

The forward joined the Citizens in the summer of 2018 from Leicester City after impressive showings for the side, where he helped win the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season.

The £60 million paid to the Foxes saw the Algeria star became the most expensive African footballer and City's record signing.

Mahrez has played 52 Premier League games since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, helping the Citizens clinch the 2018-19 league title.

This season, the winger has enjoyed more playing time than his debut campaign, having featured in 39 games.

The 29-year-old former Le Havre forward has scored 11 goals this season and provided 15 assists across all competitions.

Mahrez has also been playing a prominent role for Algeria and in 2019, the winger inspired his side to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The forward will hope to continue his impressive performances in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for the North Africans.

He will also be expected to feature prominently when Manchester City take on Premier League rivals Chelsea on Thursday.

Phil Foden will be an integral player for Manchester City over the next decade, according to Pep Guardiola, after the midfielder enjoyed his self-proclaimed best game to date for the club.

The 20-year-old played a starring role in his side's 5-0 demolition  of Burnley at the Etihad Stadium on Monday, netting two goals and proving key in the build-up to two more with a pair of exquisite passes.

Foden is already a two-time title winner with the Premier League champions and started their Carabao Cup final triumph over Aston Villa earlier this season two years after he came on at Wembley as a late substitute, but now Guardiola has predicted that he is poised for an even greater career with the club over the coming years

"We cannot forget he is 20 years old [and that] he has to improve," the Catalan said after the match. "But he will be an important player for the next decade in this club.

"The minutes he has earned, he deserves it. Every minute he plays, it’s a joy to watch. His behaviour and his attitude [are excellent].

"It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play. When he plays, he never plays bad. I think every time he plays with us, since he was promoted, he [has] played at a high level."

Guardiola pointed to Foden's abiding love for life and the game away from matchday as key to his rise through the ranks, adding: "He loves to play football.

"You’ll see on Twitter and Instagram, when he’s on his day off, he’s with his friends, with the ball. He loves to go on the beach, and just pass [it around]. He loves to play."

When asked whether he agreed with Foden's own assessment that it was his finest performance in a City shirt, Guardiola was not drawn on the subject while admitting that it was "perfect" if the player thought so.

“I’m not going to discuss it with Phil," he added. "But I remember some games in the cup, he played quite similar.

"I’m happy for him and if he says that he feels it was his best performance, then perfect."

Talk of Declan Rice attracting admiring glances from Chelsea and Manchester United comes as no surprise to David Moyes, but the West Ham boss has no intention of sanctioning a sale.

A versatile England international is expected to generate plenty of transfer talk heading towards the next window.

A big-money move to Old Trafford has been mooted in the past for the 21-year-old, while rumours regarding a return to west London for the former Stamford Bridge academy star are now starting to gather pace.

Moyes can appreciate why a player with such potential would be of interest to leading sides across the Premier League.

With West Ham currently stuck in a relegation battle, it may be that matters are taken out of their hands.

There is, however, an understandable desire on the part of all of those at London Stadium to retain both their top-flight status and the services of prized assets heading towards 2020-21.

Moyes told talkSPORT of the speculation surrounding Rice: “I think he will be wanted anyway (if West Ham avoid relegation). I keep reading it and keep getting told it.

“He’s a West Ham player and I want him to be a West Ham player for a long time and our intention is to stay in the Premier League.

“Nothing is crossing my mind about being in another league except the Premier League. We have to win our games and perform better than we have done.”

West Ham returned to action after a coronavirus-enforced break with a 2-0 defeat at home to Wolves, with Rice asked to operate at centre-half in that contest.

He broke through in that position, but has flourished as a holding midfielder in more recent times.

Moyes considers the youngster to be the best option he has in both roles, with there no immediate desire for Rice to nail down any one position.

The Hammers boss added: “I think Declan could arguably be my best centre-half and my best midfield player so we have to try and see what we’ve got and who is fit (against Tottenham on Tuesday) and use him the best we can.

“We know he will give us something else as a midfield player but he showed he was defensively sound when he goes into the back line as well.

“It’s really good for Declan that he’s improved so much and can play both positions. Going forward for himself and for us it’s a great thing to have, the ability to use him at the back and as a midfield player.”

Ajax director of football Marc Overmars has ruled out re-signing Jan Vertonghen this summer, due to the fact the Tottenham star is "no longer a left-back".

Vertonghen began his professional career at Ajax back in 2006 after rising through the club's youth ranks, and went on to help the club win two Eredivisie titles.

His performances at Johan Cruyff ArenA attracted the attention of Spurs, who forked out a reported fee of £12 million ($15m) to lure the centre-back to north London in 2013.

The Belgium international has since featured in over 300 matches for Tottenham, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's top defenders in the process.

Vertonghen was due to become a free agent at the end of the month, and although Spurs have managed to tie him down to fresh terms until the end of the season , his future remains unclear.

The 33-year-old expressed a desire to learn a new language in May, while opening the door to a move to either Spain or Italy.

A potential return to Ajax has also been mooted for Vertonghen, and although Overmars admits that the club have been in contact with the player's representatives, he insists that a final transfer is unlikely to come to fruition.

Overmars told Ajax TV : “I did speak to his [Vertonghen's] agent, but we made other choices. Jan is no longer a left-back either.

"We have confidence in Sven Botman and Lisandro Martínez can also play there."

Vertonghen is currently preparing with the rest of the Tottenham squad for a crucial meeting with West Ham on Tuesday.

Jose Mourinho's men drew 1-1 with Manchester United in their first game back following the three-month break in the season caused by coronavirus, which came as a major blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Spurs are sitting eighth in the top-flight standings at the moment, nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, but they could still gain entry to Europe's top competition by finishing fifth if Manchester City's two-season ban is held up.

They will benefit from 10 days off after their clash with the Hammers, with their next outing against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane not scheduled to take place until July 2.

Any manager would “take 11 James Milners” in their side, says Martin O’Neill, with the former Aston Villa boss billing the Liverpool star as an “identikit pro”.

It remains to be seen whether the 34-year-old will figure again for his current club in the 2019-20 campaign, with an unfortunate injury forcing him out of the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp is hoping that Milner will not be sidelined for long, with his versatility proving to be a useful weapon in the Reds’ armoury.

That has been the case wherever a seasoned performer has gone, with Villa, Newcastle and Manchester City among the others to have benefited from the presence of a model professional.

O’Neill worked with Milner in the West Midlands and still considers the ex-England international to be one of the finest performers he had the pleasure of coaching.

He had no desire to sanction a transfer to City in 2010, but accepts that there was to be no holding back a man who is fast closing in on a third Premier League title of his career and one who is thoroughly deserving of all that he has achieved.

“Perhaps I took it too personally when he wanted to leave because we were getting a lot of money for him from Manchester City,” O’Neill told the Daily Star.

“At the end of the day he was consistently excellent for us. We were doubling our money but he was irreplaceable for me.

“James was going there to further his career and certainly further his future financially. But to me, we were trying to compete with the likes of City and Tottenham at that particular point in time. Maybe another season and we might have done it. It was disappointing.

“But I've got to say, I could not be more pleased for him for getting the career and the medals he so thoroughly deserves.”

O’Neill added on Milner, who started out as a tricky winger but is also capable of filling defensive berths when required: “He can run with the ball, score you a goal. He was terrific. He was never my teacher's pet, but he was terrific for me.

“James just covered so much ground. He is like the identikit pro. He doesn't drink. He puts everything into his training and his game. He's put football at the top of his list of priorities so it's certainly no coincidence he's still going strong.

“Klopp's played him in virtually every position at Liverpool. You'd take 11 James Milners in your side if that were possible.

“I tried to get him first and on deadline day he was less than three miles from Villa's training ground and he was told to go back. He would have been very cheap then – about £4m, if I recall. I chased him again and kept going and when things weren't working out for him at Newcastle we paid £12m for him. Not bad business.”

Stellenbosch FC have confirmed that three of their staff members have tested positive for coronavirus. 

According to a statement released by the club on Tuesday, all the players have tested negative for the deadly virus. 

"Stellenbosch FC confirms that three of our staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 while the clubs' players tested negative," reads the statement. 

The PSL rookies said the testing was arranged and conducted last week while they also educated every member of their squad about this global pandemic. 

"Last week, the club arranged the testing of all staff and players and provided additional education on the pandemic as well as what will be expected once we get the go-ahead to start training. 

"It is very unfortunate that three of our staff members tested positive," continued the statement.  

Stellenbosch have pledged support for the three unnamed staff members and confirmed they are doing well and self-isolating at home. 

"However, after obtaining this information, we can now assist the individuals to recover as safely and speedily as possible as well as mitigate the risk of exposure to other employees.

"The three members are doing well and are now self-isolating at home," concluded the statement.     

The latest developments bring the number of confirmed positive cases in the PSL to five. 

In May, Orlando Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari became the first PSL player to test positive for Covid-19 but he has since recovered after self-isolating for 14 days. 

On Monday, 

Scott McTominay has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester United to keep him at the club until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.

The midfielder, who was given his debut by Jose Mourinho in 2017, has become a key part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side and established himself as a regular starter for the club.

Indeed, McTominay has made 28 appearances in all competitions this season and has been rewarded for his consistent performances with a new deal.

The midfielder said: "Whilst I understand that we all have so many other things to think about at the moment, I’m so happy to sign this contract and play a part in the future ahead for this team.

"All I have ever known is United and I hope that my passion for the club shows every time I go onto the pitch. I’ll continue to give everything for this club whenever I pull on the shirt.

"I want to thank the manager for the faith he has shown in me and everyone at the club that has helped me to get where I am today. I’m looking forward to finishing this season on a high and hopefully achieving our aims."

Since Solskjaer was given the manager’s job following Mourinho’s sacking in December 2018 he has been determined to bring through academy talent and the Norwegian remains committed to keeping homegrown players in the squad.

"Scott has done tremendously well since I joined and has been a vital part of our midfield. He brings determination, tenacity and skill to the game and we know that Scott’s attributes will be a major asset to the squad over the coming years," Solskjaer said. 

"As we always say the academy is the bedrock of the club and having come through the system everyone knows that Scott has shown the exact mentality that you need to succeed at Manchester United.  I look forward to seeing his continued improvement in the years to come."

McTominay has made 75 appearances for the first team since making his debut against Arsenal in 2017 and has scored six goals. His last being United’s second in their derby day win against Manchester City in March.

And he will be in contention to feature for the Red Devils in their next fixture, as United face Sheffield United at Old Trafford before turning their attentions to Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Norwich City.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has hailed the return to fitness of two key defenders – Philemon Otieno and Wellington Ochieng.

Otieno injured his leg while turning out for Kenya’s Harambee Stars in the African Nations Champions (Chan) qualifying match against Tanzania, and had to undergo surgery which kept him out of action for the better part of last season.

On the other hand, Ochieng picked up an injury during the early stages of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season, against Mathare United, and despite trying to make a comeback after feeling better, he aggravated the injury and was also forced to go under the knife, thus missing most of the season.

The British coach has now told Goal the two players have recovered fully from their respective setbacks after a turbulent campaign and they will be of help when the new season kicks-off at the end of August.

“I am really very happy to see the two boys [Otieno and Ochieng] back, they have really worked hard to return from the setbacks they suffered in the early stages of last season but they have fully recovered now,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“All the two players are fit now, for Otieno he played a game for us before the coronavirus pandemic, a friendly where we gave him 45 minutes and he came out unscathed, you could see how he battled well to impress the bench in the build-up, he is very okay now.

“Let us see when we start training for the new season, and we check them again, the two will be our first signings, they will come back stronger and will fight to play for us, I think they will be our first signings as they are coming back after a very long layoff, we must be happy to be covered in their positions.”

Gor Mahia, who were crowned the league champions for the fourth season in a row after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) moved to end the season owing to the Covid-19, will represent the country in the Caf Champions League and Polack believes for the team to do well, they must keep their best players.

“I have talked to the team’s top brass and told them the importance of keeping our squad intact,” Polack continued.

“We must fight very hard to keep our best players, we need consistency to prevail in the Caf competition and it's the reason I want my key players to stay.

“I have asked the management to start talking to players whose contracts are running down, or have already run down, we need the team together, we want to build a strong team and this can only be achieved if we stick with our squad for another two or three seasons.”

Goal understands captain Kenneth Muguna and his assistant Joash Onyango are among the key players who could leave K’Ogalo in the next transfer window.

Experienced tactician Bobby Williamson believes AFC Leopards have what it takes to emulate their bitter rivals Gor Mahia's recent success.

K'Ogalo have been dominating the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) in recent years and since 2013, they have managed to win six titles. For Ingwe , it is a different story; the last time they tasted league success was back in 1998.

"I might not know much about AFC Leopards' structures, but I believe they have what it takes to emulate Gor Mahia," Williamson, who led K'Ogalo to the 2013 title for the first time in 18 years, told Goal on Tuesday.

"Leopards match Gor Mahia in some aspects. For example, they enjoy massive following in the country and their fans are passionate just like Gor fans. I believe the league needs strong AFC Leopards."

The 58-year-old former Harambee Stars coach believes the secret lies with stability on technical bench.

"There must be continuity in the coaching department; if the club can stand by a coach for 4-5 years, they can be successful," Williamson added.

"Players cannot be complacent if they know the coach is going to be around for the long term.

"The tacticians need the backing of the chairmen as well, and by doing that, the team will slowly realize its potential and hit greater heights. Then we have the winning mentality which has to be installed to the players."

In an earlier interview, the Scot revealed why K'Ogalo have been doing well consistently.

"It is all about the mentality they have; that winning mentality," Williamson told  Goal .

"Before I arrived, they were close to winning the title, they then got over the line. I said after we had won the league, that they would never wait 18 long years again and that has been proven. The recruitment is important and they have brought coaches on board that have kept that momentum going."

The experienced tactician has also revealed the influence of chairman Ambrose Rachier.

"The chairman has been important to the club's success. He said I was the catalyst back then but to date, I believe he was and still is since he has seen coaches coming and going but the winning is ongoing," Williamson added.

"It is not just the team on the park but it is also about the team off the park that is important and also the fans' hunger for more success."

Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Wade du Plessis has lauded Kaizer Chiefs as the biggest club on the African continent.

The retired shot-stopper was on the books of Amakhosi between 1990 and 1993, and he helped the team clinch two National Soccer League (NSL) titles.

Du Plessis, who was Chiefs' first-choice keeper between 1991 and 1992, explained what it meant to play for the Glamour Boys.

“Kaizer Chiefs represents success, trophies, league titles, professionalism and quality players,” Du Plessis told the club's official website.

“It’s the biggest club in Africa. Every youngster dreams about donning the Gold and Black one day.”

Du Plessis was part of the Amakhosi team which included the likes Doctor Khumalo, Neil Tovey, Lucas Radebe, Gardner Seale, Ace Khuse, Shane MacGregor and Fani Madida in the early 1990s.

The 1991 season proved to be his best season as a Chiefs player as he inspired the team to the NSL title, having conceded only 20 goals in 34 games.

As a result, the Durban-born legend scooped the Goalkeeper of the Year and Save of the Year awards that season.

“The 1991 and 1992 side was phenomenal,” Du Plessis, who had a trial stint at English side Chelsea in 1986, recalled.

The former Durban City shot-stopper proudly remembered the Amakhosi supporters and he explained their importance to the club.

“The Chiefs supporters are the soul of the game, and as with the biggest clubs in Africa, come with a massive following," he said.

In 1993, Du Plessis decided to leave Amakhosi for D’Alberton Callies having also helped Chiefs clinch two BP Top 8 Cups (MTN8) and Bob Save Super Bowl (Nedbank Cup) titles.

“I should never have left Kaizer Chiefs despite the increased financial benefit I would receive from my new club,” he reflected.

“Playing for Amakhosi is just so exceptional. One only realizes how special it is after you have left the club.”

Du Plessis went on to play for Chiefs' arch-rivals Pirates, Michau Warriors and AmaZulu FC, before retiring from professional football in 1999 due to a serious back injury.

The former Bafana Bafana keeper was proud to be part of Amakhosi's rich history as the club celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

“This moment is still history in the making. But, when I kept goal for the club in the early nineties, it represented Golden Years," he concluded.

He has two Bafana caps having played against Ivory Coast and Cameroon in 1994.