Chelsea Confirm Frank Lampard's Injury But Hope He Will Be Available Against Bolton
Calf knock only minor for midfielder
By Adithya Ananth
Jan 20, 2011 3:08:00 PM
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Chelsea have confirmed that midfielder Frank Lampard sustained a minor calf injury during training, but expect to have him back for the trip to Bolton Wanderers on Monday.

The former West Ham United man has already missed a significant part of the campaign owing to a persistent groin problem, and only made his comeback against Tottenham Hotspur in December.

The 32-year-old even bagged a brace during the recent 7-0 rout against Ipswich Town in the third round of the FA Cup.

"Frank Lampard is suffering from a minor calf problem which will be monitored over the next few days," read a statement on the club's official website.

"The midfielder, who has played every minute of our last six matches since Christmas, is expected to be available for Bolton on Monday night."

Adriano - Flamengo to Roma

The capital club's financial tribulations have been well documented over the past two years or so and it came as a considerable surprise that they took a punt on Adriano last summer. The Brazil international's Inter career disintegrated amid personal problems but he had rejuvenated his career back in his homeland. However, there was widespread scepticism that Roma's €5m-per-season gamble would pay off with the Emperor earning his coin so far from the trappings of home. Not even a year into this most uncomfortable of marriages, the deal looks like becoming one of the most ill-judged of the Italian season.


Laurent Blanc - Inter to Manchester United

Widely derided as Sir Alex Ferguson's worst ever signing for Manchester United, 'le President' was well past his best when he signed for the Red Devils in 2001. Already 35, Blanc was drafted in as a replacement for the Lazio-bound Jaap Stam but possessed few of the qualities which marked him out as one of Europe's best defenders in the previous decade.

Julian Faubert - West Ham United to Real Madrid

Even Faubert's agent must have checked the date to ensure it did not read April 1 when the call came from the Bernabeu. The French right-sider cost los Blancos a loan fee in the region of €2m when moving from Upton Park and will go down in lore as one of the club's most ill-suited players of recent times. For that award, he must surely vie with Thomas Gravesen. Among the Frenchman's highlights: missing training as he presumed he had a day off and falling asleep on the bench during a league game. At the end of his brief, calamitous sojourn at the Bernabeu a sign from the stands sarcastically read 'Gracias per todos - Faubert'.


Dymtro Chygrynskiy - Shakhtar Donetsk to Barcelona

Shakhtar made a handsome profit of around €10m on the Ukraine international, selling him to Barca for a bloated €25m before re-signing him a year later for €15m. His time in Catalunya was nightmarish as he was proven to be bereft of the technique, guile and ability to cut it at Camp Nou. His exit was not only a welcome one for Barca from a playing perspective as his transfer fee probably went a long way towards paying his team-mates their due salaries. A reminder, like Zlatan, of the fallacy of signing expensive talent from abroad.


Ricardo Quaresma - Porto to Inter

The Inter squad built by Jose Mourinho was selfless to the extreme and a self-indulgant individualist like Quaresma was always going to have difficulty slotting in. He was criticised by his compatriot trainer for being too fond of kicking the ball with the outside of his foot and earned a reputation in Italy as someone who could showboat but not do much else. At around €19m he did little but earn a tidy sum of commission for his agent, Jorge Mendes.


Emmanuel Adebayor - Arsenal to Manchester City

There exists an adage in the football world, 'never buy a player from Arsene Wenger'. The Arsenal manager has a habit of casting off his performers immediately before they become duds and a €30m sale of a tempestuous forward who cost around €4m must rank alongside some of the Frenchman's best pieces of business. Adebayor was criticised at the Emirates for his lack of work ethic and his avarice; two vices which have not been quelled since arriving at Eastlands. He does not seem to have the drive to break into the side and looks like a player who would rather be elsewhere. His considerable scoring record belies his actual contribution and he has become another forgotten man among the galaxy of stars under Roberto Mancini.


Andriy Shevchenko - Milan to Chelsea

It is no secret that Sheva was a political signing made by the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, and not the then-coach, Jose Mourinho. The Ukrainian arrived for a fee in the region of €40m and the Special One was lumbered with an ageing striker who could not fit his tactical blueprint. Relations deteriorated between dug-out and boardroom and it was no surprise that Mourinho departed roughly a year later. Avram Grant, a man brought in to maximise Sheva's output and another close friend of the owner, was his replacement.


Robinho - Real Madrid to Manchester City

The football world sat up and took notice when the new owners of Manchester City, ADUG, paid a British record amount for Robinho minutes from the end of the 2008 summer transfer window. Unfortunately for City, their player had been casting admirous glances at Chelsea and it was the London club he had hoped to join. Robinho flickered intermittently for the Citizens but rarely looked anything but apathetic to his lavish surroundings. The Robi experiment was quickly brought to a halt with a loan move to Santos and a permanent switch to Milan.


Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano - Corinthians to West Ham United

There was more than a hint of something fishy about the transfer of two of Argentina's most promising young players to one of England's clubs of lesser stature in the closing hours of the 2006 summer transfer window. The move cost Alan Pardew his job, the club a record amount in fines and exposed the perfidious nature of third party ownership. A toxic deal from beginning to end.


Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Inter to Barcelona

A move as divisive as the player himself. For every Ibra admirer declaring that he was the missing piece in the Barca jigsaw was a detractor who believed Pep Guardiola to be out of his mind for signing the Swede for a reported €45m and allowing Samuel Eto'o to move in the opposite direction. Of course, Eto'o's Inter usurped Zlatan's Barca in the Champions League and went on to claim a treble. Ibra fell out spectacularly with Pep and never once looked like fitting in with the ethic at Camp Nou. A blot on Guardiola's managerial copybook.

10 High Profile Transfers That Seemed Doomed From The Start
Some players and clubs always seemed an uncomfortable fit...
By Peter Staunton
Jan 20, 2011 3:30:00 PM
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Players

    * Javier Mascherano
    * Laurent Blanc
    * Zlatan Ibrahimovic
    * Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor
    * Quaresma
    * Andriy Shevchenko
    * Carlos Tevez
    * Robinho
    * Julien Faubert
    * Adriano
    * Dmytro Chygrynskiy


Adriano - Flamengo to Roma

The capital club's financial tribulations have been well documented over the past two years or so and it came as a considerable surprise that they took a punt on Adriano last summer. The Brazil international's Inter career disintegrated amid personal problems but he had rejuvenated his career back in his homeland. However, there was widespread scepticism that Roma's €5m-per-season gamble would pay off with the Emperor earning his coin so far from the trappings of home. Not even a year into this most uncomfortable of marriages, the deal looks like becoming one of the most ill-judged of the Italian season.


Laurent Blanc - Inter to Manchester United

Widely derided as Sir Alex Ferguson's worst ever signing for Manchester United, 'le President' was well past his best when he signed for the Red Devils in 2001. Already 35, Blanc was drafted in as a replacement for the Lazio-bound Jaap Stam but possessed few of the qualities which marked him out as one of Europe's best defenders in the previous decade.

Julian Faubert - West Ham United to Real Madrid

Even Faubert's agent must have checked the date to ensure it did not read April 1 when the call came from the Bernabeu. The French right-sider cost los Blancos a loan fee in the region of €2m when moving from Upton Park and will go down in lore as one of the club's most ill-suited players of recent times. For that award, he must surely vie with Thomas Gravesen. Among the Frenchman's highlights: missing training as he presumed he had a day off and falling asleep on the bench during a league game. At the end of his brief, calamitous sojourn at the Bernabeu a sign from the stands sarcastically read 'Gracias per todos - Faubert'.


Dymtro Chygrynskiy - Shakhtar Donetsk to Barcelona

Shakhtar made a handsome profit of around €10m on the Ukraine international, selling him to Barca for a bloated €25m before re-signing him a year later for €15m. His time in Catalunya was nightmarish as he was proven to be bereft of the technique, guile and ability to cut it at Camp Nou. His exit was not only a welcome one for Barca from a playing perspective as his transfer fee probably went a long way towards paying his team-mates their due salaries. A reminder, like Zlatan, of the fallacy of signing expensive talent from abroad.


Ricardo Quaresma - Porto to Inter

The Inter squad built by Jose Mourinho was selfless to the extreme and a self-indulgant individualist like Quaresma was always going to have difficulty slotting in. He was criticised by his compatriot trainer for being too fond of kicking the ball with the outside of his foot and earned a reputation in Italy as someone who could showboat but not do much else. At around €19m he did little but earn a tidy sum of commission for his agent, Jorge Mendes.


Emmanuel Adebayor - Arsenal to Manchester City

There exists an adage in the football world, 'never buy a player from Arsene Wenger'. The Arsenal manager has a habit of casting off his performers immediately before they become duds and a €30m sale of a tempestuous forward who cost around €4m must rank alongside some of the Frenchman's best pieces of business. Adebayor was criticised at the Emirates for his lack of work ethic and his avarice; two vices which have not been quelled since arriving at Eastlands. He does not seem to have the drive to break into the side and looks like a player who would rather be elsewhere. His considerable scoring record belies his actual contribution and he has become another forgotten man among the galaxy of stars under Roberto Mancini.


Andriy Shevchenko - Milan to Chelsea

It is no secret that Sheva was a political signing made by the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, and not the then-coach, Jose Mourinho. The Ukrainian arrived for a fee in the region of €40m and the Special One was lumbered with an ageing striker who could not fit his tactical blueprint. Relations deteriorated between dug-out and boardroom and it was no surprise that Mourinho departed roughly a year later. Avram Grant, a man brought in to maximise Sheva's output and another close friend of the owner, was his replacement.


Robinho - Real Madrid to Manchester City

The football world sat up and took notice when the new owners of Manchester City, ADUG, paid a British record amount for Robinho minutes from the end of the 2008 summer transfer window. Unfortunately for City, their player had been casting admirous glances at Chelsea and it was the London club he had hoped to join. Robinho flickered intermittently for the Citizens but rarely looked anything but apathetic to his lavish surroundings. The Robi experiment was quickly brought to a halt with a loan move to Santos and a permanent switch to Milan.


Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano - Corinthians to West Ham United

There was more than a hint of something fishy about the transfer of two of Argentina's most promising young players to one of England's clubs of lesser stature in the closing hours of the 2006 summer transfer window. The move cost Alan Pardew his job, the club a record amount in fines and exposed the perfidious nature of third party ownership. A toxic deal from beginning to end.


Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Inter to Barcelona

A move as divisive as the player himself. For every Ibra admirer declaring that he was the missing piece in the Barca jigsaw was a detractor who believed Pep Guardiola to be out of his mind for signing the Swede for a reported €45m and allowing Samuel Eto'o to move in the opposite direction. Of course, Eto'o's Inter usurped Zlatan's Barca in the Champions League and went on to claim a treble. Ibra fell out spectacularly with Pep and never once looked like fitting in with the ethic at Camp Nou. A blot on Guardiola's managerial copybook. 

 

I foresaw the comprehensive defeat of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the PDP presidential primary. You don’t need to possess any special talent to know that there are certain dynamics that define our politics. The problem with many of us is that we have mindsets that are defined more by perceptions than reality. For instance, we perceive that a Southerner would always want a Southerner to be president, even when the facts of history do not support such a presumption. It is even worse for foreigners who habitually define Nigeria as “Muslim North” and “Christian South” and analyse every issue from that prism. Nigeria is certainly more complex than that!

There are dynamics and undercurrents that define us as a people which can hardly be taught in a classroom. One of such, I admit, is ethno-religious sentiment. But, in this same country, I have seen voters rubbish such without blinking. A ready example was in 1999 when Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, as the presidential candidate of the PDP, did not win a single state in his own geo-political zone, among his own kith and kin. He didn’t win his ward or his local government, much less his state. In the June 12, 1993 election, Bashorun MKO Abiola defeated Bashir Tofa in his backyard in Kano. In the cancelled presidential primary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992, Chief Olu Falae defeated Maj. Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua in Kaduna State. Yar’Adua himself defeated Alhaji Lateef Jakande in Lagos. I will never deny the factor of ethnic sentiment in our politics, but it does not define us 100 per cent.

Unfortunately for Atiku, that was what he played up in his quest for the presidential ticket of the PDP. I know Atiku a bit: he is not a bigoted person. He is not a sectionalist. He is one of the most broad-minded politicians Nigeria has ever had. In fact, you can accuse him of being too liberal. I can say this without hesitation. Yet, because he desperately wanted to be president, he adopted the ethnic strategy. This was very unusual of Atiku—but he chose to play the game that way because he saw this as the last opportunity for him to be president. It never worked out. Why? I suggest these 10 reasons, to start with.

Incumbency Factor: I did say last week that I had never seen an incumbent president lose his party’s nomination for re-election. A sitting president has an unusual advantage. He has access to unlimited resources, both financial and material, at no personal cost. He can influence the rules, regulations and laws to his own advantage. He is the ultimate dispenser of favour. He controls the state machinery. And, maybe culturally, we tend to give allegiance to the man on the throne. There is always this fear of not wanting to work against the man in power because if he wins again, you are bound for the wilderness in a country where most politicians and business people look up to government for survival. Atiku was up against this giant factor.

Governors’ Power: Closely related to the incumbency factor is the power of governors in Nigeria. They are the most powerful bloc, I have said time and again. It is not a surprise that some states turned 100 per cent of their delegates to President Goodluck Jonathan. They decided who would be delegates in the first place! The moment they met with the president last month and issued a communiqué backing Jonathan for the party’s ticket, I knew the game was over for Atiku, although he did say a governor had only one vote and that the delegates would still have a mind of their own. He was dead wrong.

Northern Governors: Were you amazed that Northern governors overwhelmingly supported Jonathan? Well, this is my guess: if Atiku gets the ticket and becomes president, he could be in power till 2019! (Forget Atiku’s one-term-only promise—only President Nelson Mandela ever turned down the opportunity to go for a second term. The lure of power is too strong to resist). With Atiku out of the way now, every Northern governor is a potential president when power returns to the North, hopefully in 2015. Supporting Atiku now would have sealed their fate forever.

“One North”: Atiku was quoted to have said he could become PDP candidate without Southern votes because the North had 60 per cent of the delegates which would be enough to win the ticket (51 per cent is the minimum requirement). This concept of “one North”—that Northern states would all go in the same direction—is one of the biggest myths of Nigerian politics. Just as there is nothing like “one South”, there is also nothing like “one North”. I have done extensive work on this in the past. At no time in the history of this country has any of the two regions delivered 100 per cent of the votes to a “son of the soil”. In the two regions, there are internal issues and factors that define the voting pattern. That is why it is very difficult to define us along religion and ethnicity sometimes. A Muslim Northerner can decide to support a Christian Southerner and vice-versa. It has happened a million times before and it will continue to be so.

Adamu Ciroma: How on earth could Atiku choose Ciroma as the arrowhead of his ambition? He raised Ciroma from the dead and commissioned him to preach the gospel of zoning to the ends of the earth. I don’t know the thinking behind this. Ciroma has never delivered politically before. When he was in the National Republican Convention (NRC), it was SDP that always won election in his state, Yobe. As a member of PDP, he has never delivered the state to his party. ANPP always calls the shot there, up till today. Any surprise that Jonathan defeated Atiku even in Yobe State?

Consensus Crisis: Since Atiku emerged the consensus candidate of the Adamu Ciroma group, there had been disquiet among the people he defeated—Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau and Dr. Bukola Saraki. Even though they openly claimed to be committed to the arrangement, they were seething with rage that Atiku had played a fast one on them. The arrangement was Atiku’s idea and the others believed he adopted unfair means and tactics to edge them out. In fact, they believed he outsmarted them. They kicked themselves for falling for the trick. So they really did not work for him wholeheartedly despite the public posturing.

Niger Delta: There was the Niger Delta sentiment which was played up and which might have played a role, no matter how little. One, the people of the region have never produced a president despite owning the oil and gas resources that feed the nation. Two, the restiveness and militancy may worsen if a Niger Delta son is edged out. Three, the people of the South-south have always supported the core North politically and this was a chance to keep faith with them. Four, an Atiku presidency would effectively send the South-south packing from Aso Rock as the VP would come from the South-east. You cannot discount the Niger Delta factor.

“Violent Change”: The public statement by Atiku about “violent change” did not win him many admirers, especially as bombs started going off here and there. There is no evidence to link him to the blasts and riots, but he definitely “misjived”. It was an overkill that got many people angry.

Excessive Politicking: The perception of many neutrals was that Atiku was too desperate to be president and this did not help his cause. The “violent change” mentioned above was one evidence. But beyond that, the orchestration of court cases, the stage-managing of many “opinion polls” that gave him the ticket and the persistent attacks on the person of the president, even at the convention venue, were seen by many as desperate measures. Even when the bombs were going off, he refused to play the statesman. Instead, he politicised his response, lampooning Jonathan and advertising his credentials. Not a few asked: is there more to this ambition?

Divine Destiny: Despite all the reasons I have suggested, if God had said Atiku would be president, he would still have won (he can still win on another platform in any case). No human being would have been able to stop him. But “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,” as the Preacher said. “It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy,” according to Apostle Paul. All his life, Chief Obafemi Awolowo wanted to be president. He never got there. Obasanjo and Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua did not as much as dream of it, yet God put them there. Atiku has been wanting to be president in the last 18 years. He was so, so close to getting it under Obasanjo, yet it eluded him. Is God telling him something?
 
AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

 

Ribadu vs Buhari

The emergence of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was not unexpected, but in the light of the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as the PDP flag bearer, the opposition is now in a quandary over an alliance. ACN is billed to go into an alliance with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). That is not the issue. The issue is that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is CPC’s candidate. To forge a common front against the PDP, either Ribadu or Buhari will have to step down for the alliance to work. Buhari was being wooed to fly ACN’s flag up till the last minute. Ribadu would not have emerged. But Buhari prefers an alliance in which both parties will field a joint candidate, preferably the retired general. Who will step down now? Ribadu or Buhari? Deadlock!

 

Opposition’s Position

The best way to allow an easy ride for President Goodluck Jonathan in the April 9 poll is for the opposition to remain divided. Even with a united front, it is still going to be a hectic task. But imagine the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), CPC and ACN all fielding different candidates? Going by current realities, CPC would probably win some states in the North without any in the South. ACN could do same in the South-west plus Edo without any presence elsewhere. ANPP would probably pick two or three states. APGA and Labour Party—the other parties that control states—are not fielding any presidential candidate, with APGA indicating that it would back Jonathan. In other words, it is not looking good for the opposition. But April is still a long time. In politics, they say, 24 hours is a long time.

 




 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded arrangements to deploy two technicians to each of the 774 local governments in the country.

Also, the three companies that supplied the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines have begun arrangements to deploy engineers to all states.

The companies are Zinox Technologies Ltd, which was contracted to supply 80,000 units at $1, 771. 73 per unit; Messrs Haier Electrical Appliances Corp Ltd, 30,000 units at $1, 699. 60 per unit; and Avante International Technology Inc., 22,000 units at $1, 699. 60 per unit.

In INEC’ s internal bulletin issued on yesterday, it was reported that INEC chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega has endorsed arrangements for the deployment of technicians to various local governmens. He also said that batteries supplied with the DDC machines are excellent products.

"To fast track the voter registration which began on a sluggish note, INEC has deployed two Information Communication Technology (ICT) technicians per local government, to troubleshoot at registration centres that might be running into hitches.

"Also, the three manufacturers of the DDC machines are deploying two engineers per state, to solve whatever difficulties the ad hoc staff conducting the exercise may face."

A youth smoking cigarette near two fuel tankers dispensing petrol in Abonnema Wharf, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, caused the burning of the tankers yesterday.

Residents of the area, who envisaged that the fire could spread, evacuated some of their property and family members.

The state fire service battled to contain the inferno. One of the tankers was completely burnt.

A resident, who pleaded for anonymity, said some youths in the area are always extorting money from the tanker drivers, or force them to part with some fuel.

Two persons, who sustained injury, were rushed to the hospital.

Riot policemen and security agents were deployed in the area, to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

The Public Relations Officer of Pathfinder, Lt. Cmdr. Edward Yeibo, described the incident as unfortunate

thats all a strategy,another format,wake up n face the music u lov to hate

read in tuilding in calabar the papers yesterday that a 17year old girl confessed to being a witch,she crashlanded on top of a building around 3am,the dumbfounded occupants woke up by 5am when they noticed strange sounds on the rooftop,apparently she could'nt take off due to lack of fuel or logistics,lol trust naija she was definately given the worst beating of her life enough to exorcise the witch craft 

in abuja we ended d year on a sad note lots of people lost their lives while celebrating & ushering the new year at mogadishu mammy barracks,this bombs are alien to us ,bombs are plantedin churches,market squares,hang outs e.tc no 1really is safe anymore,the question im askin is what there to gain in all this whats the point of these pointless killing and maiming of innocent souls
 

most definately goodluck,atiku's a proven crook

inec imported faulty sub standard equipments n instead of blamin themselves they blame d poor youth corpers 4faults not of theirs,they played politricks with the whole exercise d trained corp members were not picked

dts d kind of spirit d naija security n efcc agents need 2imbibe,uv got 2go bad 2go good,bsides who else can catch a crook other than a crook ?