The man whose picture is shown above is missing. His Name is Paul Eteke,
39yrs of age, hails from Otakeme in Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State. He
is deaf and dumb.
On the 4th January 2016, Paul attended CHOSEN
CHARISMATIC REVIVAL MOVEMENT CRUSADE AT MGBIDI TOWN ORU LGA IMO STATE in
the company of three guides.
Unfortunately, he lost contact of those
who went with him in the midst of the crowd, and all efforts to find
him has proven abortive. Paul cannot read and write, hence he will not
be able to explain his his predicament to even those who might be
willing to assist him.
His family is appealing to good Nigerians living in Imo State and
it's environs to contact Mr. Allison Oguru on 08025155793 if they find
him or report to the nearest police station.
We may not always understand why we go through certain events in our
lives,events that will upset us. At times, you may think you cannot get
over it but let me tell you, YOU CAN and YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT!
The weak will fall but the strong will never EVER go under.
I hope that in your life you will never have to endure severe hardship,
but unfortunately, most of us will face hardship in our lives. Many of
us will have people in our circle that will push us into a deep mine of
despair,and we will ask ourselves and question,
"How much can we take?"
You may find yourself feeling hopeless and you ask yourself “Is this ever going to be over?How long will I go through this?"
This is the very moment you must realise the brightest light is within
you.The light that resides in you is so bright, its a light like the
shooting star.
YOU are the one who can save YOU and YOU are your very own rescue mission.
YOU may never ever get over it, but YOU will get through it.
There is this power that lies in you and it burns so bright that no one
will be able put that light out even if they try. You are very strong
and the courage lies within you. Do not ever under estimate yourself.
You may not have all the answers, and may need help and support along
the way, but ultimately, when your feeling stuck, you're the one that
needs to hold on, push through, and make your way to the other side and
YOU CAN AND YOU WILL.
We will always face challenges in life, but the best way to combat the
challenges is to to realise that YOU are strong, YOU will survive, and
know that YOU will become ever so resilient because of the hardship you
have experienced.
Warmest Love,
Fear of failure has killed and buried so many destinies.Not failure but a
low aim is a crime,failure is no disgrace. Play it safe. People never
wins the applause and respect of others, they never do anything to merit
congratulations. Failure can be fruitful, it can teach you
value, patience, compassion and humilty.
Failure may be the greatest thing
that can happen to you and also used as base for a new
beginning. Spectators don't wear medals. Put away what people will say;and
pursue your dreams!!
This funny but expository topic came into my mind after I saw my
neighbour spending fortunes with friends on drinks, I muffled to myself
that this man eats without saving; few minutes later I heard his wife
saying " Honey you eat the worth of today and tomorrow without thinking
of the next day"
Then I smiled and applauded myself for being a careful observer. The
fact is that most families run into debts simply because they don't know
how to control their spending. They often spend before they reason
instead of doing the latter first. Some spend or buy things because they
saw their neighbour(s) bought a particular thing.
Some shop without premeditation/ proper planning prior to. Some have
even failed to control child birth because its free to an extent.
Well inorder not to make this piece an elaborate one, please kindly
learn to plan properly before you spend. Plan with your partner before
you buy or spend a penny; that's why you are married for crying out
loud. You shouldn't be doing things in an isolation like a single.
It counts when you learn to draw out budget each month in relation to
your daily/monthly earnings. Uncontrolled child bearing is one of the
easiest way of running your family into debts. Please learn to have self
control so you don't run into debts such that wishing to fake your
death becomes your next option.
A word is enough for the wise. Be wise because there is global economic melt-down.
Its very easy to think along the plain that the children of poor parents
get poor or sometimes poorer owing to the fact that they have nothing
to inherit order than old iron/wooden bed, moulded house most times
single room. Old and outdated stereo.
Well, careful study have made me reasoned outside the plain the possible
causes of poverty aside those imposed on us by our selfish leaders. I
have come to terms with fact that the mentality of poor people is simply
the reason why they are poor.
If you hear some nonsense coming out from the mouth of some people, you
will agree with me that they can't grow or manage big things.
Do you know that your philosophy, belief and attitude to life is the
main determinant of your financial status? Clear example is
1) someone believing that having plenty children he can't take care of
is the secret key to wealth, because they often believe that the senior
will en slave his/her life for others to succeed.
2) some poor parents donot believe in child spacing, they often believe
that its wiser to have all the kids they want as soon as possible as if
its a competition to bear kids. Then after which they start training
them. Contrary, a wise man will ponder on having a kid now, space the
next one, to allow him and his wife save enough to take care of the
first one before having the second one.
3) Poor people often rely on help from their fellow men, forgetting that
everybody has his/her own cross. They often believe that God will use
one messiah to elevate them, because of this singular fact, they fail to
start small.
One thing is real, once you are diligent with the small, you shall be able to manage a bigger biz.
4) some poor people are scared to fail. They often fear failing to the extent that they remain failures.
The fact is, if you are scared of failing it simply means that you are scared of succeeding.
Learn to plan, failing to plan simply means planning to fail. Plan the
number of kids you want to have in relation to your basic income. Don't
exceed your plan. Don't be cadjored into living another man's life.
When I was 16 and homeless, I look back and reflect about how I felt.
I had a few friends around me, till today, I call them my best friends
and if they are reading this article today, they know EXACTLY who they
are. My best friends couldn't be with me at all hours of the night,so
the fact is, no matter how much they tried to be there,
almost most nights I felt very alone.
However, the truth is,
I wasn't alone.This is because I believed in the Devine Power whom I
call God. I understand that everyone has their own set of beliefs and I
respect that we all believe what ever feels right in our hearts.
If it comes from a place of pure light and love, then believe in what feels right for you.
Although I was alone, I felt an energy that was always protecting me.
I continuously stumbled into hardship. It didn't matter what happened to
me, I somehow was numb to the pain especially when perpetrators would
hurt me. Professionals will call that numbness trauma and it most likely
is, but I would call it a gift from God, for helping me get through my
hardship, whilst feeling somewhat numb.
I was able to contact
24 hour counselling help lines for free in Australia, any time of the
day or night and till today, I will be ever so grateful for having their
support in being able to talk to someone in the late hours of the
night.
I write many articles
with so much passion in this area of hurt and homelessness because I
believe that no matter what, we are all not alone. There is always
someone in your life that loves you dearly and appreciates you, and
maybe, it is you who hasn't told that one person how much you
appreciate them.
Even when you think there is no one there to stand by you, understand
that you are still never alone, as there is a Higher Source and Devine
power that is always guiding you and watching over you.
There is always something for you to be grateful for..
As Lao Tzu,
Philosopher and poet from Ancient China wrote “ Be content with what you
have, rejoice in the way things are, when you realize nothing is
lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
I could have become Manchester United manager, reveals Klopp
The German has confirmed he was once in the frame to
take charge at Old Trafford - likely as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor -
but did not want to leave Borussia Dortmund
Jurgen Klopp has revealed he was once approached to become Manchester United's new manager but did not want to leave Borussia Dortmund.
The 48-year-old will coach Liverpool against their fierce rivals for
the first time on Sunday after replacing Brendan Rodgers at the helm in
October.
Klopp received multiple offers after leaving Germany but was also in
demand while still in charge at Dortmund, and admitted that United were
one of the clubs who had expressed an interest "in April" - likely of
2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was due to retire.
“We spoke," he told reporters. "We spoke not a lot but, for me, it was a lot. It was a big honour, the whole talk, to be honest.
"There was a time [when United were interested] but I could not leave
Dortmund. That is it. You are in April and you are in the middle of the
planning for next season.
"You have this player and this player and this player who is coming
in but then you are not there any more? That doesn’t work. Not in my
life anyway.
“I did not hear about a real offer but, if there was, I could not
have done it. I first had to finish the job with Dortmund and then think
about other things.
"Maybe that is not the smart way but that is my way. Of course I was loyal to Dortmund. It was the same at Mainz.”
Klopp admitted he sympathises with the scrutiny being placed
on his ex-Bayern Munich counterpart Louis van Gaal amid United's run of
one win in eight matches.
“The pressure [Van Gaal is under] has an effect on your whole life
but, in my case, not on how I handle my team or anything like this," he
stated.
"It is always the case if things don’t run the way you want – you
have to think about whether to change things or not to change. Both
decisions are really important.
"Life is not that nice. I know the whole world is watching football
managers and thinking: ‘They are really well paid’, so no one cares
about a manager’s feelings.
“I didn’t watch too much of these things at United but I heard about
it. I know Louis is not too happy with the media at the moment but I
think in life it is important sometimes to switch and think about how it
would be on the other side.
"You would have all this money but also all this pressure so it is
not nice. If you want to change things in football it is not okay that
you think: ‘Bad, bad, bad – go.’
"That is not a change. If that was the solution I think Man United
would have done it. But it is not a solution so they have to carry on.
It is not our problem, but it is a manager’s problem. It’s not the case
that the sun is shining every day as a football manager.
"It’s like with you [the media] with me when I came here. First it’s
‘yeah!’ Then it’s ‘erm’, then it might be ‘ooh’, so then I am alone on
the side and we might have the same situation here."
Giroud backs 'complete' Elneny to succeed at Arsenal
The striker Olivier Giroud believes his new team-mate
will prove to be a shrewd signing for the Premier League leaders, and
feels the midfielder is suited to English football
Olivier Giroud is confident new signing Mohamed Elneny has what it takes to succeed at Arsenal. The Egypt midfielder completed his move from Basel to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday and could make his debut for the Premier League leaders in this weekend's trip to Stoke City.
Elneny has trained with his new team-mates ahead of Sunday's game
at the Britannia Stadium, and in-form striker Giroud has been impressed
with the 23-year-old.
"I've trained with him and he's a good player, very talented. But
first of all he is a good guy, I think he will settle well into the
team," Giroud told Arsenal Player.
"I think he's basically a box-to-box midfielder, so he can attack and
defend, run a lot and has good power and technique. He is quite a
complete player.
"It always takes time to adapt to English football because there is a
lot of intensity, it is very physical and even tactically you must get
used to it.
The new head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu made the
switch from Juventus to the Spanish capital himself in 2001 and now
wants his fellow Frenchman to follow in his footsteps.
However, it will not be a straight forward deal, as Barcelona are also keen on the midfielder.
Ariedo Braida and Albert Soler fronted a delegation from
the Catalan club which travelled to Turin last summer to talk with Juve
about Pogba.
At the time they were under a transfer ban, so were unable
to push the deal through, while the club are also struggling to pay
what the Serie A side want for the 22-year-old.
Zidane has always spoken highly of Pogba, who in return
has always admired the man who won the World Cup and European
Championships with France.
Madrid’s problem is that their relationship with the
player’s agent, Mino Raiola, broke down when Carlo Ancelotti ruled out a
move for Pogba last summer.
AS add, though, that Los Blancos would be happy
to make up with Raiola in order to fulfil Zidane’s request and get one
over on Barca.
Pogba, who was named in the FIFPro Team of the Year
earlier this week at the Ballon d’Or gala, has a contract with Juventus
until 2019.
The
former Chelsea boss is being lined up to take over from Louis van Gaal
at Old Trafford, amid serious doubts over the Dutchman's future at Old
Trafford.
And Valencia midfielder Gomes has now emerged as a
target for the Old Trafford club, though he has also been linked with
Italian club Juventus.
Valencia, however, maintain that they have no desire to offload the 22-year-old in January.
Barcelona activate Bundesliga star's €37m release clause
The Spanish champions have agreed to pay the clause
for one of the brightest prospects in German football, who has also
committed to a six-year contract
Barcelona have decided to pay the €37 million release clause required to sign Leroy Sane from Schalke, according to reports.
L’Equipe
claim that the 20-year-old midfielder, who is also wanted by Manchester
City and Real Madrid, has also agreed a six-year contract with the
Spanish champions and will join them in July.
Earlier in January,
Goal revealed that Schalke were using City’s interest in order to
trigger a bidding war for one of the Bundesliga’s brightest prospects.
Meanwhile,
despite the latest report from France, Schalke’s general manager Horst
Heldt insisted on Tuesday that Sane does not have a release clause.
The Reds boss became animated after a decision in the
second-half of the 3-3 thriller and Wenger had some advice for his
counterpart
Arsene Wenger has revealed he had to tell Jurgen Klopp to calm down during Arsenal's thrilling draw with Liverpool.
The two sides shared six goals at Anfield as Joe Allen volleyed home a dramatic equaliser for Klopp's men.
Earlier in the second-half, Wenger and Klopp appeared to be in a lengthy debate as they went in search of three points.
And the Arsenal boss has revealed the details of their discussion - and his advice for the German.
"I told him 'calm down because they will send you into the stands here'", said Wenger with a grin.
"At Liverpool, it is very tight - you are very close to each other.
"He had a little problem with the fourth official that he will explain much better than I can because I don't know why.
"It was alright, there was no bad feelings at all."
Bosses: Klopp and Wenger look on at Anfield
After the game, Wenger also confirmed Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Mohamed Elneny from Basel.
"Elneny will of course join us. He has joined us," said Wenger.
"We will see if he can qualify for Sunday.
Liverpool have
reportedly struck a pre-contract agreement with Schalke centre-back Joel
Matip, meaning the Cameroon international defender will join the Reds
for free at the end of the season.
According to David Maddock and Alex Richards of the Daily Mirror,
the Reds’ loan acquisition of Steven Caulker is only a short-term
measure given the club’s current injury crisis, and he’ll return to
Queens Park Rangers at the end of the season. But the duo suggested
Matip has "agreed" to sign with the Reds and is very much in the
long-term plans of Jurgen Klopp. “Jurgen Klopp has been an admirer since his time as
Borussia Dortmund boss, and will add the 6'3" defender to his back line
at the end of the season,” continued the piece. Maddock and Richards
also claimed Schalke were hoping the 24-year-old would pen a new deal
with the club, but he’s clearly determined his future lies elsewhere. On a free transfer, this is a savvy deal for the Reds. Here’s a look at the kind of quality Matip will add to the back four:
Caulker’s acquisition raised plenty of eyebrows among supporters given his displays for Southampton this term. Indeed, his last outing was against Liverpool in the
League Cup, when Klopp’s side ran out impressive 6-1 winners. They were
aided by some woeful defending from the Saints, however.
Caulker was run ragged by Liverpool earlier in the season.
It’s a transfer that certainly hasn’t impressed
Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones and Sam Tighe, who feel as though the Reds
could do much better:
But if Matip’s acquisition is confirmed, then the
club’s supporters will feel a lot more contented. After all, he has
performed at the highest level and is a different type of centre-back to
what the Reds currently have on their books. At 24, he’s a player who
could be around at Anfield for a while yet, too. Keith Costigan on FOX Sports commented recently that
Matip seems to be better suited to Klopp’s style of football than any
of the current centre-back options:
Covered Matip extensively this year in Bundesliga. Loves to take the ball out of the back. Comfortable playing a high line.
Matip is definitely a very capable defender. His positioning is sound, he’s strong in the tackle and he has plenty of pace. Having played at the base of midfield at times too,
he’s also a player who can distribute the ball well, something that was
crucial to Klopp’s brilliant Borussia Dortmund team moving quickly
through phases.
Matip seems a strong fit for the way Klopp wants his Liverpool team to play.
As is evident by this statistic from WhoScored.com
earlier in the campaign, the Cameroonian is a player who also reads the
game very well:
Joel Matip: No player has made more interceptions in a Bundesliga match this season than Matip did vs Borussia Dortmund (10) #S04
Would Matip be a good signing for Liverpool?
Of course, there are some areas of concern. There
have been times during his stint in the Bundesliga when Matip has been
bossed by burly centre-forwards and struggled to assert his authority
aerially; that’s a type of striker he’ll come across much more
frequently in the Premier League. But, as is the case with any defender, he’ll better
learn how to cope with that kind of challenge should he face it much
more regularly. Either way, for no fee, this is a risk-free transfer
for the Reds should it come off, and credit must be given for some
shrewd work in Klopp’s first window in charge.
It seems that buying Serbian wonderkids is all the rage at Liverpool these days. Who knew?!
French publication L’Equipe
reports that we are lining up Partizan Belgrade attacker Andrija
Zivkovic to follow Marko Grujic to Anfield, and that we could get him
for a fee of around £3.75m.
The
19-year-old can play as a striker or winger – we could do with each of
those, although ideally of more concrete pedigree – and has banged in an
impressive 12 goals for Partizan this season.
L’Equipe warns that
the Reds face competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City,
as well as Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain for the talented
teenager’s signature.
But
our signing of Grujic earlier this month could play to our advantage.
Should a bidding war erupt, Zivkovic may be swayed by the fact that we
already have one of his Serbian pals on our books.
Grujic, also
19, returned to Red Star Belgrade on loan for the rest of this season
after completing his £5.1m move – fee reported by The Express – but Zivkovic might be closer to first-team ready.
He
holds the record as the youngest player to make his debut for the
Serbian senior team – against Japan aged 17 in 2013 – and is also the
youngest player to have captained Partizan
Former Real Madird defender Roberto Carlos believes he could be key to taking Barcelona's Neymar to the Santiago Bernabeu.
A strong message from Roberto Carlos. Credit: PA
The 42-year-old former Brazil international confirmed he was
currently involved in talks to join new Real manager Zinedine Zidane's
backroom staff at the Primera Division club.
The World Cup winner is confident he could persuade compatriot
Neymar, who came third at Monday night's Ballon d'Or ceremony, to join
Los Blancos from rivals Barca.
He told marca.com: "I had a meeting with Real Madrid about my future with the club.
"Soon I will know how I can collaborate with Zidane's Madrid."
While, regarding Barca striker Neymar, he added: "I can take him to
Real Madrid. He's very young. I am sure next year he will finish even
higher in the Ballon d'Or."
Liverpool supporting punters here inside the Football Transfer Tavern are looking at the news filtering in from HLN (via the Express)
– with the media outlet suggesting that the Reds are plotting a
‘monster’ bid to sign £22.3m-rated Anderlecht midfielder Dennis Praet.
The 5ft 9 attacking midfielder is one of Belgium’s rising
stars, and has already made one appearance for the national team at the
age of just 21.
Our landlord here in the Transfer Tavern admits he has watched the
Leuven-born midfielder several times for Anderlecht on the flatscreen TV
in the Tavern, and feels he could add a different dimension to
Liverpool’s midfield.
Our resident Liverpool fans admit they don’t know too much about the
promising Belgian star, but all think that it is impressive he has
amassed 118 appearances for Anderlecht at the age of just 21!
The Reds have endured an inconsistent season, with them one week
looking like they are worthy of winning the Premier League, and the next
week, looking like a side who don’t belong in the top-flight of English
football.
The Catalan wants to move to the Premier League, but he's revealed he may not make the switch for two years yet
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola says it could be two years until he moves to the Premier League.
Guardiola last month confirmed he would leave Bayern when his
contract expires at the end of this season and he subsequently announced
that his desire to work in England's top flight is behind the decision.
Several leading club have been tipped to move for Guardiola, with
Manchester City viewed as the front-runners to have the 44-year-old in
place for the start of the 2016-17 season, due in part to his close
relationship with City director of football Txiki Begiristain.
But the former Barcelona boss told a news conference that his move to
the Premier League does not necessarily have to come next season.
"When I sign a contract I will announce it immediately," he said.
"Maybe it will be two years until I will coach a team in England."
"I am very happy about my experience in Munich. I am working until my last second here.
"After that I will go home and wait to see if it is possible to move to England or not. If it's not, then I won't."
Following his celebrated tenure at Barcelona, Guardiola enjoyed a
one-year sabbatical from football before taking up the reins at Bayern
for the 2013-14 season.
The Barcelona boss is able to field the most gifted
forward line in world football, but he remains on the lookout for new
attacking options
Luis Enrique would like to bolster Barcelona's attacking options - even though he boasts the most prolific trio in world football in Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
The famed MSN forward line contributed 122 goals last season as Barca
claimed a Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey treble in a
goal-laden campaign.
The threesome have also played a key role this term as Barca clinched
the FIFA Club World Cup title in Japan, while also maintaining their
Liga challenge and easing through to the knockout stages of the
Champions League.
Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan have been added to the squad following the
ending of the club's transfer ban but Luis Enrique is still on the
look-out.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Wednesday's Copa del Rey
return against city rivals Espanyol - Barca lead 4-1 after the Camp Nou
opener - he was asked which area he thought needed strengthening. He
replied: "I don't know how to answer but it's a very good question.
"Right now, probably in attack, if we were to bring someone in -
that's probably the key area. But it would be nice to add more to all
areas."
The former Real Madrid and Barca midfielder conceded, however, that
January was not always the best time to get the right players in.
He added: "It's harder in winter, nobody wants to lose important players.
"It's not an easy market but we do want to improve our squad and we're looking at opportunities."
Messi claimed the fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or of his career in Zurich on
Monday night with Neymar coming in third behind Cristiano Ronaldo
The 23-year-old Barcelona forward views his team-mate
and fellow Ballon d'Or finalist as an idol and also spoke highly of
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo
Neymar has hailed Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, insisting that he fell "completely in love" with the Argentine after joining the club from Santos in 2013.
The
Barca duo are Ballon d'Or finalists, alongside Real Madrid forward
Cristiano Ronaldo, and were both in sensational form throughout 2015 as
they helped Barca claim five trophies over the calendar year.
Speaking
at the Ballon d'Or award ceremony in Zurich, Neymar told reporters: "I
fell completely in love [with Messi]. He has really become an idol. "I think they are absolutely the best, that's why they're here. I think they've made history. Both Lionel and Cristiano.
"I'm
pleased with the things I have achieved and the goals I have scored. I
thank my team-mates for that. Each player has his own aims. We have to
be ourselves."
When asked if Brazil forward Neymar would be his eventual successor, Messi responded: "Neymar isn't the successor of anyone, just like I wasn't. He is who he is and he has everything to be whatever he wants to be.
Sane turns 20 today but has already been capped by Germany and linked with a move to the Premier League.
Liverpool
and Manchester City have both expressed an interest in signing the
attacking midfielder, with Jurgen Klopp hinting that he would be looking
to the Bundesliga for players to improve the Anfield squad.
However, with Real Madrid also said to be interested in the player, reports in Spain are suggesting that Barcelona are taking closer interest in the player.
His
ability to play anywhere across the frontline is particularly
interesting to La Liga’s reigning champions because he could slot in to
replace any one of Lionel Messi, Neymar or Luis Suarez.
Sane has had a spectacular start to his career in Germany.
After
leaving Schalke at the age of 12, he returned three years later and
made his first team debut just a month after signing his first
professional contract aged 18.
Luis Enrique is said to be keen to make an offer for the teenager
Sane
burst onto the European scene in 2015 when he scored one and set up the
winner as Schalke beat Real Madrid 4-3 at the Bernabeu in the Champions
League last 16.
And after that
breakthrough moment, Sane has hardly looked back, providing four goals
and four assists in 17 Bundesliga appearances this season, a record
which has seen the club slap a £40million price tag on their most prized
asset.
Ronaldo reveals the ONE quality he would take from Messi
Both the Real Madrid star and the Barcelona forward
were asked which quality they would take from each other - and Ronaldo
gave an honest response...
EXTRA TIMECristiano Ronaldo has been asked to pick one quality he’d like from Lionel Messi - and he’s given an honest answer.
The
Real Madrid star, along with his Barcelona rivals Messi and Neymar, was
speaking at the Ballon d’Or pre-award show press conference on Monday
where the Argentine is heavily expected to win the trophy for the fifth
time in his career.
Both Messi and Ronaldo were asked which
quality they would take from each other, and the Portugal international
admitted: “Yes, his left foot his really good, I would like to have
that!”
Messi, meanwhile, was a bit more vague.
“What Cristiano has is lots of quality, lots of good things that every player would like as well,” said the Barcelona forward.
“But
I am the way I am, and he is the way he is. We each have individual
personalities and we have both very good things that everybody should
have as footballers.”
The making of Lionel Messi - how it all started for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner
After he claimed the prestigious individual honour
for the fifth time on Monday, Goal examines the forward's journey from
anonymity in Argentina to greatness with Barcelona
SPECIAL REPORT
Argentina
were World Cup holders back in 1987 and Diego Maradona was the planet's
finest footballer but, in a poor part of the country's third-largest
city, Rosario, something very significant also took place: Lionel Andres
Messi was born.
The third son to Jorge, a steel worker, and
Celia, a cleaner, young Lionel weighed in at just three kilos and was a
mere 47 centimetres in height. But he grew to become the greatest of his
generation and perhaps of all time, a peerless player - and the only
one to win the Ballon d'Or on five separate occasions.
Football
was part of Leo's life from day one. Rosario Central were crowned
champions of Argentina two weeks before Messi's birth, but little Lionel
would inherit his father's passion for the city's other club: Newell's
Old Boys.
"When
his mother sent him off to run errands, Leo always took his football
with him," his brother Matias once said. "And if he didn't have one, he
would make one out of plastic bags or socks."
Even from the age of three, Leo and the ball were best
friends. "I got given my first football when I was very young: three,
maybe, or four," Messi said a few years ago. "It was a present and from
then on it was the only present I ever wanted, Christmas, birthday or
whatever: a ball."
Young Leo went along to watch his brothers
play at local club Grandoli, a modest team with no money and a dirt
pitch in the south of the city. Their youth coach back then was Salvador
Aparicio - and one night he found himself a player short.
"I looked up to the stands and saw him playing with a ball," he told Goal in a recording for partofthegametv before
his death in 2008. "But he was so small, so we decided to wait for the
other player to turn up. But he didn't, so I asked Lionel's mother if I
could borrow him.
"She didn't like the idea. She said he had
never played [in a match] before. His grandmother was there too and she
said: 'Come on, let him play'! So they let me borrow him.
"The
first time the ball came to him he just looked at it and let it pass. He
didn't even move. But the next time the ball came to him, it virtually
hit him on the left leg. Then, he controlled it and started running
across the pitch. He dribbled past everyone crossing his path. I was
screaming for him to shoot, but he was too small. Ever since that day,
he was always in my team."
That was at the age of five and, before long, Messi was not only dribbling, but shooting and scoring too.
Later, in the youth teams, he scored six or seven goals in every match,"
Aparicio added. "Instead of waiting for the goalkeeper to kick the
ball, he would take the ball off him and start dribbling all over the
pitch. He was supernatural."
At the age of nine, Messi joined the
club he still supports even today, Newell's, and was part of an
exciting generation which lost just one match in four years. Little Leo,
however, was the shining star of the Maquina de la '87 (the '87 Machine) - so named because all of its players had been born in 1987.
By
the age of 11, however, it emerged that Messi was suffering from a
growth hormone deficiency. Without the necessary treatment, his dreams
of a career in football would be dashed.
Contrary to popular
belief, Newell's did try and pay for treatment for their promising
player, but with the club in crisis and few funds available, Messi's
father grew frustrated. Social security saw to some of the medical
bills, but the family were struggling to make ends meet.
Jorge
Messi considered moving the whole family to Australia, but believed his
son's football skills could help them to overcome their financial
problems. He offered Lionel to River Plate and the young forward
impressed as a 13-year-old against boys three years his senior in a
trial alongside future international team-mate Gonzalo Higuain.
But
Messi's father asked River for a job and a house in Buenos Aires and
River took exception, while Newell's were also playing hard ball. So the
move never materialised.
Instead,
Jorge met with representatives of a scouting firm who called Argentine
lawyer Juan Mateo, and a video of Messi kicking an orange (113 times in a
row) and a tennis ball (120 times) was sent to Barcelona scout Josep
Minguella.
Remarkably, that was enough to secure a trial at Barca
and Messi travelled to the Catalan capital along with his father and
one of the intermediaries, Fabian Soldini.
The forward's first
contract was signed on a napkin by his father, Minguella and former
Barca midfielder Carles Rexach, but his future remained uncertain for
three years. Jorge was out of work and the club went back on several
promises until a €4,000 per month contract allowed the family to breathe
easily in 2004.
Later that year, a much taller and stronger
Messi made his debut for the first team at the age of 17 and also scored
his first Barca goal - with a beautiful lob - against Albacete that
same season. Just over a decade on, he has now not only gone on to
become the greatest goalscorer in the history of Barca and La Liga, but
he has also amassed an amazing 26 team trophies with the Blaugrana and,
after his success in Zurich on Monday, an unprecedented five Ballons
d'Or.
Mother told me to try and marry a woman she love so much; a lady she will always see and take as her own daughter; a woman she will happily correct whenever she flaws; a woman she will joyfully teach motherly ways; a woman she will flaunt and be proud of. A lady she will love even before I marry her. A lady that will accept and love her prior to coming in. As Africans, we all know the jibes and jeers that ensues between mothers in-law and daughters in-law. It's never easy for the both at times. We have heard about the quarrels, agonies, fights and hatreds that occurs. To some ladies, they would prefer to marry a man whose mother has died, to avoid facing what her own mother faced, or, what she heard or saw other women experience. No woman would want to find herself in a lifetime burning furnace. Every woman wants to settle down in a family that promotes peace; where love reigns; where her mother in-law will love her and treat her like her own daughter, not where there will be regrets and face-offs. As a woman, prior to accepting his marriage proposal, you must be able to have read the minds and body languages or attitudes of his people towards you. Not only that of his mother, because, in Africa, a woman is not married to and by her husband alone, but also to and by his relations. Through their attitudes whenever you pay them premarital-visits, you should be able to ascertain whether you're loved and accepted or not. You do not need a soothsayer to reveal this to you. The happenings as you near his family members, will convince or discourage you. Do not knowingly fetch ants infested firewood by yourself. Do not be blindfolded by only the love professed by your man, because as African tenets demands, he's not alone in that journey. Do not force yourself into a family you're not welcomed from the onset/ first day of seeing you. Be bold to ask your man certain questions, especially when you hear some movements and arguments behind the scene. This is to ensure that you're not the reason for their quarrels. Definitely, your man wont tell you immediately. He will pretend. But use your woman 'power' to get the true answer from him, even if not immediately. Possibly when you leave there. Don't assume that all is well, because you could be the reason for their arguments. Nobody should ignorantly or naïvely enter into a hellfire. Marriage should be a peaceful and a joyful ground, not a war front. Not a scene for the display of hatred and immaturity. Do not just jump into marrying him because he is rich, kind, generous, handsome, or, because he is from a rich family. Think about his family too. It's a lifetime engagement, unless you wish to rush out soon. Unless you can endure the fumes forever. The love of a mother in-law is very sweet and important, because it will (amongst all) guarantee your happiness, as well as motherly protection upon any eventuality. The love of a mother in-law to her daughter in-law is almost the same with the love of a mother to her daughter, if it thrives from the onset and lightens the entire family subsequently. The lack of it, is the lack of lots. Many wives are in this bondage because they did not notice this timely, or, because they were blindfolded by only their man's love. Or, because they wanted to 'gold-dig'. In Africa, we appreciate the Doctrine of Extended Family, thus, you can't totally exempt them from your husband's family chart. Therefore, you can't marry only your man, you marry both his family members. It is true that you must face one or two rancour, no matter what. But you have to try your best too, by being able to timely identify the kind of people you're about to dine and wine with forever, so that you will know how to follow them. Do not buy a lawsuit with your beauty, or out of your unwise decision. Be careful, cautious, conscious, discerning and prayerful to avoid dining with beasts. To avoid selling your happiness forever. Charles C. Dennis
Manuel Neuer has been voted Goalkeeper of the Year by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
The Bayern and Germany sweeper-keeper receives the award for the
third straight year, confirming once again that he remains the very best
in the world in his position.
The IFFHS produces its awards based on pure and cold stats, meaning
no emotion is involved, unlike with the Ballon D’Or, where voters are
often swayed by their bias towards particular players.
And given that only one goalkeeper (Lev Yahsin) has ever won the
Ballon D’Or, an award like this is a big deal for a keeper, and is one
of the few that recognizes the most undervalued position in the game.
Of course, given how Neuer has revolutionized the position with his
sweeper play, cleaning up balls over the top by dashing out of his box
like a renegade, it is probably only logical that he wins the award, as
he covers so much more of the game than his conventional rivals.
For the second day running stories exist over Mario Gotze’s possible move to Liverpool.
The transfer rumour was first tabled on Friday by German daily Bild, as they splashed the story on their front page.
The basis of the story relates to the well known positive working relationship between Gotze and Jurgen Klopp.
The German World Cup winner burst onto the scene at Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund, before he moved to the Allianz Arena in 2013.
So could the two be reunited at Anfield? Yes, it’s possible, claim Bild.
Gotze is under contract at Bayern until 2017, and Bild are unclear
whether the Bavarians will look to extend the deal. If they chose to
offload the attacking midfielder, Liverpool could sign him for around 50
million euros.
Bild have since spoken to the footballer directly to get his take on
the whole story, and the big takeaway is that Gotze has refused to deny
the transfer out of hand. Instead he told Bild: Everything is still open. We will see how things go at
the end of the season. I have a contract until June 2017. But of course,
it is important how the new coach feels about me. The coach’s plans are
decisive in the end. So we will just have to wait and see how things pan out. I
have not really given my future much thought recently because of my
injury, but everything is open as things stand. It all depends on the
plans of the club and the new coach.
Some important notes.
Liverpool are unlikely to sign Gotze in January, regardless of the
credibility of the Bild story. The player is currently on the comeback
trail from a groin injury, and it’s hugely doubtful any deal will be
executed this transfer window.
And yet it’s easy to buy into a narrative that claims Gotze may be interested in leaving Bayern.
Since joining Gotze has failed to lock down a starting place in the
Munich XI, and during his recent injury the German international seems
to have fallen down the pecking order once more. Douglas Costa, Arjen
Robben and Arturo Vidal all seem ahead of him in the midfield slots.
Liverpool currently have 12 first team players out with injury.
Oscar has cooled claims that he and Diego Costa were involved in a heated argument in training this weekGetty
Chelsea
playmaker Oscar has sought to play down speculation that he was
involved in a heated dispute with teammate Diego Costa. Both players
featured on the scoresheet for Guus Hiddink's side during their
comfortable 3-0 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace on 3 January,
yet any notion that the general harmony around Stamford Bridge had
improved since the departure of Jose Mourinho was seemingly challenged
by suggestions of a training ground bust-up.
According to reports from The Telegraph,
Oscar and Costa had to be dragged apart by teammates after producing
reckless knee-high challenges on one another on 8 7 January. It is
claimed the pair were separated before any physical altercation could
ensue but they are believed to have exchanged angry views before
eventually making up.
Oscar
has now taken to social media to deny those rumours, tweeting: "For
those who are talking to me and @diegocosta struggle today in training
he's lying, he's one of my best friends and never fight."
The
English translation of that message, which ended with a winking emoji,
has since disappeared from the Brazil international's Twitter page but
the Portuguese version remains at the time of writing.
Although
Oscar tends to avoid the limelight, Costa has cut something of a
controversial figure since arriving in English football from Atletico
Madrid in July 2014. In addition to several on-pitch controversies, the
27-year-old also attracted negative headlines in
late November 2015 when he appeared to throw his substitutes' bib in
the direction of former manager Mourinho during the latter stages of a
goalless draw at Tottenham Hotspur.
Hiddink, who achieved the
first win of his second spell in charge of the club at Selhurst Park, is
sure to be questioned over the alleged incident between his two players
later on 8 January, as he holds a press conference prior to Chelsea's
FA Cup third-round tie against League One outfit Scunthorpe United at Stamford Bridge on 10 January.
You probably already know that a diet rich in vegetables is good for
your health and your waistline, but did you know certain veggies can
support better sexual health?
Fresh organic vegetables are filled with phytonutrients and high
levels of compounds that work to fight inflammation, like polyphenols
and a host of vitamins – and, these particular veggies can even work to
rev up your sex life.
Arugula
Arugula has long been used as an aid for sexual arousal, dating as
far back as the 1st century. It contains trace minerals and antioxidants
that block absorption of environmental contaminants which are believed
to negatively impact the libido. Asparagus
The French used to practice a time honored tradition of eating
asparagus three times a day just before their wedding night in order to
increase their libido, and research has shown there’s a reason why it
just might work.
This tasty vegetable contains potassium, which can provide a burst of
energy, in addition to cleansing the kidneys and urinary tract. Its
aspartic acid content is said to neutralize ammonia in the body, which
can lead to a lack of sexual desire as well as fatigue. Avocados
As avocados are rich in heart-healthy fats, they can help keep the
heart beating strong, which means the blood is flowing to all the right
places. Heart health is essential for a good sex life – men with
underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile
dysfunction (ED). Peppers
Peppers are packed with capsaicin, which is known to trigger the
release of feel-good endorphins that act like natural painkillers. They
also increase the heartbeat along with the flow of blood and oxygen,
helping to make things hotter in the sack. Beets
Beets
are rich in nitrates, and the bacteria on your tongue helps to convert
them to nitrites, which are then converted to nitric oxide in the
stomach. ED medications work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which
increases blood flow to the penis by dilating blood vessels. Studies
have also found that consuming beets can improve endurance levels in
athletes – it’s not a far stretch to think they might help improve
endurance in the bedroom.
Beets may be one of the best veggies for revving up your sex life, and improving your health.
Manchester
United and Chelsea target Douglas Costa has dismissed a move away from
Bayern Munich at the end of the season. The Brazilian attacker joined
the Bavarian giants at the start of the current season and has since
been a revelation for the club.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder was subject to interest
from the Premier League big guns in the summer, but chose to move to
the Bundesliga to play under Pep Guardiola, but with the former
Barcelona manager leaving the club at the end of the season, it was suggested that Costa could follow suit and jump ship. The Spanish manager has indicated
that his preferred destination for his next managerial position is
England and it is widely believed that he will have his pick of clubs in
the English top-flight next season. Manchester City and Chelsea are
being touted as the most possible destinations. The Brazil
international, however, has made it clear that he does not wish to
follow his manager out of the club despite joining them specifically to
play under the guidance of Guardiola.
"[On leaving Bayern] No chance, I have a lot of goals here," Costa said,
"It's
true, I joined Bayern because of Pep. The first six months with him
have been outstanding; the next sixth months will certainly be
outstanding too. I have learned a lot from Pep," the Brazilian added.
The
25-year-old, who regularly plays on the left wing for Bayern, is
contracted to the club until at least the summer of 2020 and they will
be reluctant to let the player leave after just one season. Moreover,
his tally of 12 assists and two goals in just 12 league appearances is
likely to make him a key member of the squad for the foreseeable future.
Sadio Mane has been linked with a move to Manchester United since last summerGetty
Southampton
manager Ronald Koeman has warned Sadio Mane and Victor Wanyama that he
will sit them "in the stands" if they force a January move away from the
club. The duo were linked with exits during the summer transfer window
and the reaction of the Dutch boss comes after reports claimed both
Chelsea and Manchester United are trying to lure Mane away from the
Saints again.
Reports during the summer of 2015 claimed
United launched a £20m ($29m) bid to secure his services after seeing
Pedro Rodriguez move to Chelsea. The Daily Mirror
claimed earlier in January that the Premier League giants made a new
attempt to secure the 23-year-old Senegal international with the hopes
of getting a £30m deal done but Southampton immediately rejected it,
insisting the player is not for sale.
Koeman
appeared to increase speculation after he dropped the forward for the
Premier League defeat at Norwich City on 2 January, after he arrived
late to a team meeting. But the manager said this has not changed the
situation, insisting the player is not for sale while warning him and
Wanyama against trying to force a move away.
"The players
know their position in the club and what we think of the players, I
don't have doubt about that," Koeman said,
"If there is any player who thinks if his behaviour is not good that
makes it easier for him, then I will put the player in the stands until
the end of the contract because that's the not the way you do your job
as a footballer.
"What happened last week, it gave the
press something to write about. Sadio's situation is no different to
last week. He is a Southampton player, he likes to play for Southampton,
he is not for sale."
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The
manager claimed Mane had already apologised over his behaviour and
therefore will regain his place in the line-up for the FA Cup tie
against Crystal Palace on 9 January.
He said: "We spoke to him. I
punished him because we have rules in the team and he was late, it was a
big mistake. He said sorry to everybody and that's now behind us. The
rest is just internal discussions about how we handle this kind of
situation. He will start Saturday no problem. It's too easy to mention
after the mistake of Sadio or Victor to say they want to move. That's
too easy. It's not like that."
Klopp was forced to field an inexperienced team for the visit to Exeter - and it almost backfired.Getty Images
Liverpool
manager Jurgen Klopp has blamed the St James Park pitch for his side's
struggling in the draw with League two Exeter City in the third round of
the FA Cup. Brad Smith struck a 73rd equaliser to secure a replay after the Grecians had twice taken the lead in the first half.
Tom
Nichols poked home early on before Jerome Sinclair equalised but Paul
Tisdale's side led at the break when Lee Holmes' corner beat an
uncertain Adam Bogdan. Both sides pressed for further goals in the
second half but it was the Reds who grabbed a crucial leveller as Smith slammed home.
Amid
a Liverpool injury list which sees 11 first team players out injured,
seven of whom have hamstring complaints; Klopp was forced to draw on his
youth and reserve sides for the trip to Devon. Tiago Ilori, Ryan Kent
and Kevin Stewart made their full debuts for the Merseyside club but
they were unable to take their opportunity.
Christian Benteke
started as Liverpool captain but failed to make a worthwhile
contributing as Sinclair and later Smth grabbed the crucial goals. The
upcoming replay will be the club's ninth fixture in the month of January
and Klopp has bemoaned his side's fortunes.
"They tried everything but it is obvious what we have to learn in the future," he told BBC Sport.
"We have to be more robust. It was really difficult on the pitch but
Exeter did really well and they had a fee parts where they played
football; maybe they know on which parts of the pitch it is possible to
play football and which parts you can only play long balls.
"We
had a few good moments but it was really difficult for us today. You saw
the players of Exeter and that is surprising that in a few one-on-one
situations they were more robust than our guys so we have to work on
that. There were too many easy flick ons but it is always difficult and
you have to play long and the pitch doesn't get better.
"Both
goals were unlucky for us, the first goal was the first offensive
situation and it woke us up and the second one [shrugs]. We made the
draw but now we have to play again, I can't believe again but if you
want it like this we will be there.
The Liverpool boss added on
his young guns: "How can I mix the team together and then say it is time
to show the future. They can be the future but if I judge after this
game ...it doesn't work like this. They helped us in our situation and
we've got another game."
The newly-appointed French coach does not plan to
allow any players to leave or to make any new signings at Los Blancos
this month
New Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane says he is not planning for any transfer business during the January window.
Spain international Isco has been heavily linked with a move to
Manchester City, although the departure of Rafael Benitez has prompted
talk that the attacking midfielder will opt to remain at the Santiago
Bernabeu.
Speculation has also mounted over the future of Gareth Bale, who has
been touted for a return to the Premier League despite Zidane's
assurances that he is firmly in his plans.
Madrid have also been linked with a bid for Wolfsburg defender
Ricardo Rodriguez, with the Switzerland international forced to deny any
approach from the club earlier this week.
But Zidane says he has no plans to allow anyone to leave this month and is not looking to bolster his squad with new additions.
"I don't want anyone to leave or to come in. I have a great squad," he said on Friday.
"With players like James [Rodriguez] and Isco, you have to give them
affection. That's what I'm going to do, but the most important thing is
the group. It's always the group that wins.
"The team is very focused, they want to do things well.
"We had intensity during training. The players have been great. I hope to have the same intensity for tomorrow's game."
Zidane also dismissed criticism from former France boss Raymond
Domenech this week, who claimed the World Cup-winner was "not a nice
guy".
Liverpool supporting punters here inside the Football Transfer Tavern are looking at the news filtering in from 
![Bayern Munich star Mario Gotze refuses to rule out Liverpool move [Bild]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYNoBKbUwAApP5Z.jpg:large "Bayern Munich star Mario Gotze refuses to rule out Liverpool move [Bild]")
Beets
are rich in nitrates, and the bacteria on your tongue helps to convert
them to nitrites, which are then converted to nitric oxide in the
stomach. ED medications work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which
increases blood flow to the penis by dilating blood vessels. Studies
have also found that consuming beets can improve endurance levels in
athletes – it’s not a far stretch to think they might help improve
endurance in the bedroom.
