John Mikel Obi: The Boy that Never Became a Man

All these attempts to pass off Mikel as a legend is just laughable. Mikel is neither a legend at club level or at national team level. At club and national level, he could be missing and the show would still go on. Whatever legendary status he almost had perished with his performance as one of Siasia's young talents. After that, his career never really picked up.
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When he joined Chelsea, we all had high hopes for him. But he never grew up. He became that benchwarmer who was only used when a player was injured or when a new signing was taking too long to adapt to the style of play. That's not a legend.

Ahmed Musa Completes Leicester Move, Set To Depart CSKA Tuesday

Super Eagles vice-captain, Ahmed Musa has completed his dream move to Premier League champions, Leicester City, as he departs Russian club CSKA Moscow for England on Tuesday.

CSKA Moscow coach Leonid Slutsky confirmed Musa is leaving the club to move to England.

Leicester has reportedly agreed terms with both Musa and the Russian club, and the English champions has listed him among players to feature in the colours of The Foxes in the Premier League for the upcoming season.

Leicester were linked with a move for the speedy Nigeria winger in January but he has since also been rumoured to be on his way to West Ham and Southampton.

Comparing Messi and Ronaldo, Stop it!

All these people comparing Messi and Ronaldo. Stop it! E ma fi iku we arun. Ronaldo is nobody's mate. It is very easy to thrive under love and praises, but a man that can thrive under hate and criticism is king.
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Messi has been loved all his life. Ronaldo has been hated all his life. Why? Because, according to his haters," the guy too proud".
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Do you know what it means to play in a stadium with the fans of the opposing team chanting against you? Now imagine the fans of your own club chanting against you. When Fergie signed Ronaldo, the whole of England hated him cos of his world cup clash with Rooney. Ronaldo played in front of Manchester United fans and they booed him. Imagine the whole stadium booing you. The day he won the Old Trafford fans to his side was a match against Portsmouth. They were booing him until he sent in the shot. Old Trafford went quiet that day, then erupted in jubilation. He silenced his haters, one shot at a time.

Euro 2016 wrap: Overnight Actions - France beats Albania, Switzerland draw Romania, Slovakia down Russia

LATE goals from Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet booked hosts France’s place in the last 16 of Euro 2016 after overcoming stiff resistance from European Championship debutants Albania.

Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann came off the bench in Marseille to head the opener in the 90th minute before West Ham United’s Payet strengthened his reputation by smashing home a second deep into stoppage time.

“We needed a win to qualify, and it’s done,” Griezmann told French television. “The coach had told me that I would be a substitute. I knew it and I wanted to do what I had to do once I got on.” Payet also struck a late winner as France opened the tournament with a nervy 2-1 win over Romania

Euro 2016 state of play: results, tables, schedule and TV times

THE FIRST round of the Euro 2016 group stages is over but the tournament is just heating up.

Each team still has two more matches to play before the two teams with the most points and the four best third-placed teams in each group progress to the Round of 16. That means a country could make the knockout stages after earning just three points in the group stage.

While the heavyweight nations and their world-class stars have produced moments of brilliance in the first round, will they replicate similar form in the matches to come?

To make sure you’re on top of each group’s results, table, next fixtures and TV times in AEST, here is your current state of play!

Marseille Violence: City 'Like A Battlefield'

Witnesses describe gangs looking for English fans to attack, with tear gas fired and bottles thrown as violence flares once more.

The scene in the French city of Marseille has been

described as being "like a battlefield", after England fans were attacked by a group of suspected Russian supporters.

French police have fired tear gas and used water cannon on fans on a third day of unrest in the lead up to the Three Lions' first game of Euro 2016.

BREAKING: José Mourinho Appointed as Manchester United manager

• Portuguese coach has won 22 trophies since 2003

We are delighted to announce Jose Mourinho is our new manager! Full statement: https://t.co/PDiHMIWnpd #WelcomeJose pic.twitter.com/eZ8NBSz2up

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 27, 2016

José Mourinho will take over as manager of Manchester United from the 2016/17 season, signing a three-year contract with an option to stay at the club until at least 2020.

José, 53, has managed at the top level of European football for over a decade and in that time has won league titles and cups in four countries (Portugal, England, Italy and Spain), as well as winning the UEFA Champions League twice – in 2004 with FC Porto and in 2010 with Inter Milan.

Announcing the appointment, Ed Woodward said: "José is quite simply the best manager in the game today. He has won trophies and inspired players in countries across Europe and, of course, he knows the Premier League very well, having won three titles here.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome him to Manchester United. His track record of success is ideal to take the club forward."

Premier League : Manchester United Sink Aston Villa To Relegation 1 - 0

The Champions of Europe in 1982,  Aston Villa, have been relegated from England’s top flight for the first time in 29 years. 

Canada 2014: Falconets beat England, land in q/finals

Nigerian Falconets came from a goal down to beat England 2-1 to advance with 7 points as Group C leaders into quarter-finals at FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard should carry on as England skipper, says David Beckham

David Beckham has urged Steven Gerrard to lead England into their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.The Liverpool FC midfielder, who is just two appearances short of breaking Beckham’s outfield record of 115 caps for England, has yet to decide whether to carry on playing international career following the nation’s dismal World cup outing.
Beckham believes Gerrard should retain the armband and help Roy Hodgson’s side recover from the crushing disappointment in Brazil.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TUESDAY 8 JULY 2014 - THEME: CURSED BLESSING BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

RCCG OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TUESDAY 8 JULY 2014 - THEME: CURSED BLESSING BY PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

MEMORY VERSE: Hosea 4:17

Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 

READ: HOSEA 5:8-15

8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

MESSAGE

World Cup: Costa Rica advances with win over Italy, knocks England out

Switzerland 2 (Dzemaili 81′ Xhaka 86') France 5 (Giroud 17' Matuidi 18', Valbuena 40', Benzema 66', Sissoko 72') - FT
France lay down their World Cup credentials with an impressive victory
Switzerland get two stunning late consolation goals from Dzemaili and Xhaka
Italy 0 Costa Rica 1 (Ruiz) FT

Costa Rica continued its startling run through the World Cup Friday defeating heavy favourites Italy 1-0 in Recife. The win assures Costa Rica of a trip to the second round. It also took away any chance England had of advancing. Italy needed to beat both Costa Rica and Uruguay for England to have a chance to advance.

Now Italy will be forced to play for its own life. They take on Uruguay in their final group match. Both have three points but because of a better goal differential Italy only have to tie Uruguay.

The way the Italians played against Costa Rica, that’s hardly a given. While Italy was dreadful, full marks for Costa Rica. They’ve spent days listening to how their 3-1 win over Uruguay was a fluke.

England's Defeat: I dreamt this - Steven Gerrard

Suarez' 2nd goal. http://t.co/mx1AIwQMxA
— Steven Gerrard (@Gerrard8FanPage) June 19, 2014

Steven Gerrard: "I dreamt this. I'm enjoying this moment, because of all I suffered, the criticism I received. So, there you go."

England Joined Spain as Uruguay win by 2-1 ; Luis Suarez double wins it after Wayne Rooney scores first World Cup goal to equalise

The Uruguay players remain on the pitch after the final whistle to celebrate with their fans. After their calamitous opening defeat to Costa Rica, it's quite a turnaround. There's one man who can take a large portion of the credit: Luis Suarez.

For England it was all in vain. Wayne Rooney’s first goal, the mighty effort in Manaus – almost certainly it ends here. England will need to be the first team in World Cup history to lose their opening two games and go through, if they are to qualify from here.

That isn’t going to happen. It won’t happen, most likely, because there is no guarantee England can win, even against Costa Rica, with a defence that cannot be trusted, not even for five minutes.

That was how long remained when Luis Suarez struck, a second time. It was a goal of almost agricultural quality. A long kick upfield by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, perhaps glancing the header of captain Steven Gerrard, inexplicably catching Gary Cahill unaware.

ACCEPTANCE FEE in Nigerian Higher Institutions, a social malady

An acceptance fee is a social malady. Corruption of the highest order. Arrant NONSENSE. A complete social abrohaha. A gibberish. If someone has chosen a school for a choice of Academics, then the person already has interest in the institution. If need be, he or she should be tested and be offered a place on the programme he has applied for after which he would have paid unreasonable gargantuan amount for application process in our Nigeria Higher Institutions. 

Brazil World Cup: Wayne Rooney hopes partner Daniel Sturridge for England

Wayne Rooney hopes to strike up a partnership with Daniel Sturridge that emulates his England colleague’s club success with Luis Suarez.

Rooney believes Suarez and Sturridge were the best front pair in the Premier League last season(external) as they fired Liverpool into title contention. Now he wants to play the Uruguayan’s role with Sturridge for England.

“It’s easier at a club but we have had time to work on stuff. Hopefully we’ll see the benefits of that,” said Rooney. “Suarez and Sturridge have certainly been the best two front men in the Premier League this season.

Confirmed: British Spy Plane Sent In Search Of Chibok Girls Breaks Down in Senegal

It was confirmed by Britain’s Ministry of Defence that a spy plane that was sent in search of the location of the kidnapped school girls has broken down.

According to the MoD statement, “A technical fault which has delayed the Sentinel aircraft on its way to Ghana is being investigated and will be solved as soon as possible.”

It added that, “In the meantime the UK military team continues its work on the ground while other surveillance aircraft continue the search for the missing schoolgirls.”

Apparently, the Royal Air Force jet had taken off from Waddington base in east England as planned, but the crew soon noticed a fault. They decided to fly on and eventually touched down in Senegal, where the plane is now being repaired, according to the Times.

Source

No Place to Hide: NSA spying on foreign embassies helped US 'develop' strategy

The National Security Agency in 2010 provided the US ambassador to the United Nations with background information on several governments and their embassies that were undecided on the question of Iranian sanctions.

In May 2010, as the UN Security Council was attempting to win support for sanctions against Iran over its nuclear-energy program, which some say is a front for a nuclear weapons program, several members were undecided as to how they would vote. At this point, the US ambassador to the world body, Susan Rice, asked the NSA for assistance in her efforts to “develop a strategy,” leaked NSA documents reveal.

The NSA swung into action, aiming their powerful surveillance apparatus at the personal communications of diplomats from four non-permanent Security Council members — Bosnia, Gabon, Nigeria and Uganda. This gave Rice an apparent upper-hand in the course of the negotiations.

Women’s U-20 W/Cup: Nigeria draws England, Mexico

Nigeria will face England, Mexico and Korea Republic in Group C of the preliminary round of the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Goal reports.

The pairings

Group A: Canada, Ghana, Finland, Korea DPR

Group B: Germany, USA, China, Brazil

Group C: England, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria

Group D: New Zealand, Paraguay, France, Costa Rica.