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Manchester United had a scare at their Carrington training ground on Tuesday as a friendly was cancelled at the last minute after Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill tested positive for the coronavirus.

The two clubs had arranged a behind-closed-doors friendly at Man Utd's training base as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side step up preparations ahead of the return of the Premier League, beginning with a visit to Tottenham on June 19.

Players from both teams were spotted arriving at Man Utd's training base only for the Stoke players to leave shortly after, before a ball was kicked.

It is understood Stoke were preparing for the game in the Academy Building when news filtered through from the EFL of a positive Covid test which had been taken the day before in preparation for the restart of the Championship.

The visiting players left the training ground and Solskjaer’s side continued with their preparations including an inter-squad game. It is understood Stoke players and staff had not come into contact with any Man Utd players or staff due to safety protocols that are currently in place at the training ground.

Stoke announced on Tuesday evening that it was O'Neill that had produced the positive test as the manager will now enter a period of isolation as the team continues preparation for a return to play.

"Stoke City can confirm that manager Michael O'Neill has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus following the latest round of testing on Monday (June 8)," the club said in a statement. "O'Neill had tested negative in the previous five rounds of testing.

"He will now follow the relevant guidance and undergo a period of isolation, whilst continuing to be in regular virtual contact with his coaching staff and players.

"Assistant manager Billy McKinlay will take charge of training as the Potters prepare for their game against Reading on June 20.

"The Club will be making no further comment on this matter."

Premier League players and staff have been tested six times for the virus, ahead of next week’s restart, with the latest set of results showing zero positives from 1,195 tests.

Out of the six rounds of tests there have been a total of 13 positives out of 6,274 tests carried out, and none of them have been at Manchester United.

Solskjaer’s side returned to their Carrington training base at the end of last month after the go-ahead was given for socially distanced training and preparations have been going well.

"Everyone knows that we will have to be at our best, have to be focused against Tottenham,” Solskjaer told the club website.

"We know it's a big game for everyone. We had Chelsea when we started the league this season so I'm confident that our players can go into the Tottenham game with that mentality of going there to play a very good game of football.

"Training has been about recapping what we did well, tweaking maybe one or two things and looking at some new ideas, but hopefully we can see a lot of what we saw towards the end before the lockdown."

Michaela Abam has opened up on what her experience was like in her first-ever Women's World Cup with Cameroon in France. 

Born and raised in the United States of America, Abam shot into prominence during her days at West Virginia University, scoring 42 goals in 95 games before being snapped up Sky Blue in 2018.

Having being born to Cameroonian parents, she was eligible to suit up for the Central Africans and made her debut for the country in a 7–0 win against Zambia, scoring twice in November 2018.

She made the Cameroon squad for the 2018 African Women's Cup of Nations in Ghana but could not feature due to passport issues and later went on to earn her place for the 2019 Women's World Cup.

At the global event in France, she started in three matches as the Indomitable Lionesses reached the Round of 16 and she has described her debut as one 'I will remember for the rest of my life'.

"It wasn’t a silver lining and it was really something I will remember for the rest of my life," Abam told Goal with LaLiga.

"It was an honourable thing in the fact that I am US-born you know and having through my parents to represent my root country. 

"I have this opportunity to kind of beam light to the continent a little bit more which was really inspiring and appreciative for me. 

"It was tough I won’t lie, even going into the camp beforehand, it was like a whole month or two we were preparing for the tournament. 

"I think that was the hardest part as you’re into the fire here and trying to spark the light and once you end up there, it was another whole level. 

"The team, the players, probably wouldn’t have experienced that in my life if I never started with that. 

"I am super grateful for the opportunity and being able to represent at a stage like that. It was really nice."

The former Sky Blue, Paris FC, and Real Betis striker had missed the Women's Olympic Qualifiers but she is keen to make a return to the Cameroon fold ahead of this year's Awcon.

Asante Kotoko have been barred from making any new player signings for the next year, life patron Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has instructed.

The development was revealed as the club's new board convened for the first time on Tuesday.

The Kumasi-based side is arguably Ghana's biggest club and the most successful in the history of the Premier League with 23 titles.

"Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has directed that the club should not recruit any new player for at least a season," chief of staff of the Manhyia Palace, Kofi Badu, said. The Manhyia Palace is the seat of Otumfuo.

"The reason is to temporarily stop the player attrition rate and enable us to work with the current crop of players, who the Asantehene thinks have the quality to push the club to the top."

A new nine-member Kotoko board was announced last month.

The unit is led by Kwame Kyei, who has been at the helm of affairs for the last three years.

Jude Arthur (Board Chairman for Ghana Commercial Bank), Kwadwo Boateng Gyamfi (Board Chairman Ghana EXIM Bank), Kwasi Osei Ofori (Chairman Erdmark Group/ CEO Rocksure Mining Ltd), Lawyer Kwamina Mensah (Corporate Lawyer), Alhaji Lamine (Businessman), Joseph Yaw Adu (Retired Director of Sports at Kwame Nkrumah University Science and Technology), Baffour Kwame Kusi (Otumfuo's Ankobeahene), and Evelyn Nsiah Asare (Acting Head of Sports at Sunyani Technical University) complete the board.

"His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehe, has constituted a new board of directors for Asante Kotoko Sporting Club and charged it with an ambitious task to rebuild the Asante Kotoko brand not only for its performance on the sporting field but as a viable economic entity," a statement from Manhyia Palace said in announcing the new board.

''The Board will be the highest decision-making body of the club, responsible to the sole shareholder for policy formation and active oversight over the management, development, financial control, technical direction and performance of the club.

''Against the backdrop of recent disquiet among stakeholders and without prejudice to the outcome of the ongoing Prof. Lydia Nkansah Committee, His Majesty has tasked the Board to rebuild the Asante Kotoko SC brand both for its performance on the sporting field and as a viable and self-sustaining economic entity able ultimately to reclaim its pre-eminent position among the elite clubs of Africa.''

Last month, Kotoko almost copped a transfer ban by Fifa for breaching player transfer rules in the signing of Ghana striker Emmanuel Clottey from Tunisian fold Esperance in 2015.

The offence caused the 1970 and 1983 African champions to pay $240,000 [€218,915].

Admira Wacker secured a comfortable 3-0 triumph over St. Polten in Tuesday’s Austrian Bundesliga play-offs with substitute Seth Paintsil bagging two assists.

With the visitors holding on to a slim lead at the NV Arena, the Ghanaian who was brought in with 11 minutes left to play conjured moments of magic to guarantee his team maximum points.

Wacker came into the encounter on the back of two successive defeats in the Austrian elite division and faced a tough task against the hosts who silenced Swarovski Tirol 5-0 the last time out.

Nevertheless, they took the lead in the 40th minute through Roman Kerschbaum who had been cautioned nine minutes earlier.

Even at the deficit, St. Polten pushed for an equaliser but their efforts met a strong resistance from the visitor’s backline plus impressive goalkeeping from Andreas Leitner.

In the 79th minute, manager Philip Thonhauser brought in Paintsil for Sinan Bakis – and that proved to be the tonic needed to secure a valuable away triumph.

Three minutes to full-time, the 24-year-old assisted Daniel Toth for his team’s second goal, before helping Pascal Petlach two minutes later.

Sierra Leone international George Davies was on parade from start to finish for Alexander Schmidt’s Polten while Issiaka Ouedraogo was handed a starter’s role but was substituted for Cory Burke after 64 minutes.

Ouedraogo, 31, has featured 12 times for the Burkina Faso senior national team, and eight times so far with a goal to show for his efforts for his club.

With the victory, Admira Wacker move up to fourth in the relegation-playoffs log having accrued 12 points from 25 outings, same as Polten although with an inferior goals difference.

Wacker host Swarovski Tirol in their next outing on Saturday, as St. Polten visit Rheindorf Altach on the same day.

Having featured in Tuesday’s encounter, Paintsil now boasts 15 Bundesliga games but still waits for his maiden goal.

He was promoted to the club’s senior team last season having spent four seasons in the Finnish league where he featured for FF Jaro and Jakobstads BK.

Boasting a Ghanaian passport, he is eligible to represent the Black Stars at international level.

Nigeria international Asisat Oshoala is delighted over the return to training with her teammates at the Spanish Primera Iberdrola champions this week.

The 25-year-old joined Barca in January 2019 and has been in a breathtaking form, scoring 36 goals in 36 games in all competitions to solidify her name as one of the world's best female strikers.

In the outgone season, she finished as the second Spanish top-flight highest scorer, scoring 20 goals in 19 matches to help Barcelona to the league diadem - the first title in five years without defeat.

The European country - where Oshoala has been banging the goals was one of the most hit countries by the Covid-19 disease, with 289,046 cases and 27,136 deaths recorded, as of Tuesday.

The Spanish top-flight was one of the football leagues in Europe that was cancelled, with seven matches left to go due to the coronavirus pandemic in May after a three-month-long suspension.

With lockdown eased by the Spanish government in May, Oshoala and her teammates are back at the club's training grounds on Monday following three weeks of conducting individual sessions.

Before claiming the title, the former Arsenal and Liverpool striker won the Catalunya Cup and the Super Women's Cup with Luis Cortes' team.

The return to training means Cortes' side are gearing up for the Women's Champions League semi-final showdown with Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid which was initially scheduled for May.

Uefa is set to decide on the indefinitely postponed competition this week as last season's runners-up will be eager to know their fate in their bid to claim the first continental crown this term.

The 20-year-old player has caught the eye with his versatility in his debut PSL season which has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Blom, who has been praised by coach Ernst Middendorp, revealed he will be ready to train with his teammates when Amakhosi return.

“As far as my injury from the tight thigh muscle,” Blom told the club's official website on Tuesday, “Our technical team has been supportive and giving me all the necessary treatment and encouragement I need.

"I am okay now and once we get back to the fields, I should be ready to return to playing.”

The former South Africa under-20 international also disclosed how he has been keeping fit during the current lockdown which was imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

“Nothing much in terms of training has changed except for doing it in isolation and away from the fields," he continued.

“We are working out from home. We all have a program to follow and the technical team is monitoring us online.”

Blom cannot forget the performances he produced when Chiefs beat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 in the league played in Tshwane last October.

“It was my first big match I played since I turned out for the first team. I think I did well on the day and from the feedback I received, it really made me proud," he said.

"I will always cherish that moment and most importantly use that performance as a yardstick to be repeated consistently going forward. It was a high tempo game and I am glad I helped the team to perform on the day.”

The Soweto-born player also picked Chiefs' 2-1 defeat to Maritzburg United in the Telkom Knockout Cup match which was played last November, as his worst match for the first team thus far.

“I also won’t forget to learn from the worst moments in my game. When we lost to Maritzburg United in the Telkom Knockout Cup semi-finals, we committed lots of errors, especially at the back," he added.

"I have moved on and think that experience will help me to improve in my game.”

Uchenna Kanu has revealed she is enjoying the start of her professional career as she continues to settle into life at Sevilla.

The Nigeria international is in her first season at Sevilla having joined this January after completing her four-year college studies in the USA, where she emerged as the all-time top-scorer with 157 goals.

She arrived with a reputation as one of Africa’s brightest young prospects after starring in Nigeria's triumph at the Wafu Women's Cup, scoring 10 goals before her Women's World Cup debut in 2019.

Things haven’t always gone to plan for the 22-year-old, though, as she adjusts to life in a new country with new team-mates and in a new position during the cancellation due to the global health crisis.

"I am in Sevilla right now and I am trying my best to stay safe and stay fit as well," Kanu told Goal with LaLiga.

"It’s sad that the situation is like this but I believing in God that everything will be sorted as soon as possible. 

"I’m doing well, I've my teammates and everyone is helping each other to get through this moment. To start with language, it’s not good and I’ve been struggling with it. 

"Thanks to God, I have a few people who came from America and speak English on the team, and a few of my coaches as well. They try to help me understand better. 

"Currently, I am taking Spanish language class, my club provided me with that and with everything else I think I like it here in Spain. I like my team, teammates, coaches and the training sessions have been pretty cool."

Before her move to Spain, she featured in four matches at the Women's World Cup last year, with Nigeria, having represented the country at the U17 and U20 Women's World Cup tournaments.

In her quest for a full-time professional stint, the Nigerian has left the United States after her graduation with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Management to join Cristian Toro's ladies. 

Since her debut against Barcelona, Kanu has featured in six matches in all competitions for Sevilla, helping the outfit to the Women's Cup semi-finals before the halt due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The striker, who is launching her career in Spain admits she is unhappy not scoring a goal yet but is keen to improve with time and deliver many goals in the 2020-21 Primera Iberdrola season.

"Transitioning from the US is different, obviously, playing for a college in the US is not the same as playing professionally," she continued.

"There is a lot of hard work, more professionalism, a lot of challenge and seriousness. Most of the time, players don’t take it seriously as they don’t want to play pro but just want to play in college and have fun. 

"It’s been good for me here. I feel like I’m beating myself for the fact that I haven’t scored. However, I have been having some positive comments from people about my performances and contribution to the team. 

"I am planning on making it better next season and correct all my wrongs this season and get better. Try to score goals and help my team more because I felt like I should have scored a lot of goals - like four goals in six games but that hasn’t happened. 

"I feel next season will be a lot better with all I’ve experienced and I’m up for the challenge and have high hopes that everything is going to be better and I’m ready to give it my all next season."

Hearts of Oak skipper Mohammed Fatawu has set his sights on leading the club to end their long wait for a major title.

The Phobians have not laid their hands on a trophy since winning the Ghana Premier League title eleven years ago.

The second most successful club in the history of the domestic top-flight, the Accra-based side have clinched the league title on 19 occasions.

“It has been long since we won a major trophy and as captain of this great club, I feel the pain of the fans who in diverse ways have supported us all this while," Fatawu told his club's official website.

“I challenge myself to end this drought and together with my colleagues, we are constantly working hard to put smiles on the faces of the fans.

“There is enough talent at the club to see us through and we cannot wait for football to resume in Ghana after the coronavirus pandemic.

“I look forward to the day when I will lift a trophy and dedicate it to the fans for being with us through these trying moments and, together we will all celebrate."

Hearts have also won the Ghana FA Cup 10 times, the last title coming in 2000.

The outfit has also won the Ghana Super Cup twice.

On the continental level, Hearts ruled Africa in 2000 when they beat Tunisian side Esperance to win the Caf Champions League. The following year, they lifted the Caf Super Cup.

In 2005, the Accra-based fold, the Phobians ruled one more time when they edged country rivals Asante Kotoko in a local derby to win the Caf Confederation Cup.

Having last won the Ghana Premier League in 2009, the Phobians will hope to start their trophy revival with a 20th domestic title.

This season, the Accra-based side sits ninth on the league table at Matchweek 15. There is uncertainty, however, about the completion of the championship, having been halted since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Football remains suspended in the West African nation until at least July 31 as part of the measures to curb the spread of the disease.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA), who made an unsuccessful proposal to the national government about the possible prompt return of football under tight safety protocols such as playing matches behind closed doors, has said it would not take a final decision on the championship until June 30.

Mainz have published an exchange with a fan who cancelled his membership because of the presence of black players in the team.

While protests against racism and police brutality have swept the United States and various countries across the world in response to the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, several Bundesliga players have expressed solidarity with demonstrators on the field.

As tensions remain high, Mainz received a message from a supporter complaining about the multi-racial make-up of the squad and arguing German players are being denied a chance.

"For several months now I have been unable to identify myself with this club (professional football)! I’ve since gotten the impression that I’m at the Africa Cup, instead of in the German Bundesliga. I know what’s coming, but no – I’m not racist in any way. I resent that. But, too much is enough," Mainz quoted the fan as saying.

"But when the starting line-up for the past weeks has featured nine (!!!) Black players and German talents are being given fewer and fewer chances of their own, then this is no longer the club that has been near and dear to my heart over all these years."

However, Mainz replied to inform the now former member that they are happy to cut ties with a racist and stated their conduct goes against the club's mission statement.

The response read: "While we usually regret to hear of anyone wanting to cancel their membership and fight passionately for each of our members, in this instance we cannot begin to express any regret.

"Racism is born when racist thoughts are spread, not only when someone calls themselves a racist – something which rarely happens.

"And yes, you are right: you cannot identify yourself with our club. For us, skin colour or any other characteristics simply do not play a role. All that matters to us, is that someone is human and that they share in our values.

"Those are the kinds of people we welcome in our community. In light of this, we welcome your cancellation as the reasons you’ve given clearly prove that you do not share those values that our club is based on.

"Our position is clearly defined in our statutes and in our mission statement, which was developed in partnership with our fans and members."

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) side Express FC have reached an agreement to bring back midfielder Geoffrey Lwesibawa.

Lwesibawa, who is returning to Wankulukuku for another stint from Tooro United FC, has penned a two-year deal that has delighted coach Wasswa Bbosa.

"Lwesibawa is a good player,” Bbosa is quoted by New Vision. “He is not my brother that I like moving with him but he is someone who adds something to the team.

“He started at Express but above all, every coach has players who believe in him and vice versa, and the most talented, ambitious, and creative players are on our list and are yet to join us.”

Interestingly, Lwesibawa has turned out for all teams handled by Bbosa in the Ugandan top-flight including SC Villa and Tooro United.

He becomes the first signing for coach Bbosa, who in a recent interview, revealed a daunting task had been placed on his shoulders after being confirmed as the club's permanent coach.

According to Bbosa, who joined the Red Eagles in February on an interim basis replacing fired George Ssimwogerere, the club bosses have demanded he delivers the UPL trophy in the next three years.

“My bosses want me to deliver the title in the time they have given me and I believe it is very possible. We are going to start by recruiting about 12 players, some of whom I have already identified,” Bbosa told reporters after being confirmed on a permanent basis.

“We can’t compete with Vipers SC, KCCA FC and URA FC on star players but I’ll bring competent players to make Express rise again.”

However, Bbosa believes the objectives of the club, which he helped avoid relegation this term after helping them to finish ninth on the league table, can be achieved in three years.

“The first year will be for rebuilding, the second, we will go for the title and the third will be a real business. With my favoured 4-3-3 counter-attacking formation and with right players, expect Express to be back,” Bbosa further said.

Looking at their reputation, Express are six-time champions of the league, with 10 Uganda Cup titles.

Nordsjaelland youth coach and former Ghana international Laryea Kingston has confirmed club prodigy Mohammed Kudus is on the radar of “most of the big European clubs” but he prefers a possible move to Liverpool for the 19-year-old.

The attacker has been linked to a host of ‘big boys’ including Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan, owing to his fine performances in the Danish elite division.

French fold Olympique Marseille, Italian side Sampdoria and the English duo of Everton and Newcastle United have also been mentioned in the transfer rumour mill.

“At our team FCN [FC Nordsjaelland], Kudus is one of the important players and the head coach wants to build the team around him. Most of the games that he’s played, he did very well. And now most of the big European clubs are chasing him, so it’s good for him and it’s good for the country as well,” Kingston told Goal.

“The only thing is he should consider a club where he feels he could play week in week out. He’s young, so when he goes and he’s playing, it’s going to build his confidence but when he goes and he doesn’t get playing time, that’s when his confidence goes down and his performance will drop.

“Looking at Newcastle and Everton, for me I think Everton will fit his game because they give a lot of young players chances. Even the English FA mostly pick youth players at Everton [for national teams], so they will help him develop.

“I will prefer Everton but if Liverpool comes in, they are a big club with guaranteed Champions League football, I think that [Liverpool] will help him a lot more than he will get at the other two clubs [Everton and Newcastle]. If I am in his shoes and I’m to pick between Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle, I know it’s going to be tough at Liverpool but I will choose Liverpool. Liverpool may already have a lot of good players at his position but so long as they want him, then they know what they want to do with him.”

Kudus joined Nordsjaelland from Ghanaian feeder club Right to Dream Academy.

Although traditionally a midfielder, the attacker’s knack for goals has seen him moved to advanced roles on the pitch, leading to debates about his best position.

So far this season, the Accra-born has made 21 league appearances involving 18 starts, nine goals and one assist.

“We have our style of play. Sometimes when people sitting back watch, they say he [Kudus] is playing very deep but he doesn’t play very deep,” Kingston explained.

“We play with a false-9 sometimes and always I see him at that role. Our wide players don’t usually stay on the line like you see with Mane and Salah at Liverpool. Any time you see our wide players at wide positions, then it is when we are defending and are deep in our half. In the attacking third, you see them very narrow, going close to the false-9 which is mostly Kudus.

“Kudus’ role is like a No.10 but he drops to the midfield to pick the ball and drive up. The moment the ball goes to the wide areas, you see him making runs into the 18-yard box. So I don’t see him playing very deep.

“If you are not part of the FCN or Right to Dream staff, you may not understand our style of play. It’s a little bit different, 4-3-3 but sometimes the way the players stand on the pitch is very different. But Kudus is a No.10 player.”

After representing Ghana at U17 and U20 levels, Kudus announced his arrival at senior stage in style as he netted on his debut against South Africa in November last year.

“Kudus is a very good inclusion to the Ghana national team. I have known him since he was about 12-years-old at Right to Dream and his style has not changed at all,” Kingston added.

“When he is on the pitch, he always wants to give everything. I see him putting up very good performances with the national team. When the Dede Ayews and the Jordan Ayews leave the national team, he is someone that every coach will love to build a team around.”

Cape Town City midfielder Thabo Nodada says coach Jan Olde Riekerink has done an excellent job so far, saying they were starting to do better in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) after the Christmas break.

The Citizens' nippy midfielder has credited the Dutch manager for keeping his calm despite taking over a team that was bruised, singling out his sense of humour.

Nodada looks at former coach Benni McCarthy’s axing as one of the reasons why the 57-year-old boss came to a tough environment, saying replacing a coach that was trusted by the players wasn’t going to be easy.

“He is coming into a team that is bruised, he came into a team that had lost a coach that had an understanding, the belief and trust with 90 to 100% of his players and losing a coach like that is obviously going to have certain disadvantages to the team and our results showed that,” Nodada told the South African Football Journalists Association.

“The jokes were just interesting you know, humour that you don’t normally get from someone who is in a position of fire.

“He kept a cool head and didn’t try to tweak a lot of the things that we were already doing. I think he understood that at the time he arrived we were already active there is no pre-season.”

After parting ways with the former Bafana Bafana striker in the middle of the season, the 25-year-old has added that Riekerink was smart to ensure he builds relationships with his players as soon as possible.

“And he’s going to have to try as quickly as possible to develop relationships with players and get players on his side and working for him,” added the midfielder.

“I think if you look at how we came back from December and how we started January, I think that was a team that was much different from the team that was there a couple of games after Benni [McCarthy] left.

“So, yeah, I think he’s been doing a great job so far, and if the results were different I think we would be speaking something different.”

The former MTN8 champions axed the 2003/04 Uefa Champions League winner when the club was languishing at 13th on the log table after nine games back in November.

However, they now sit 10th on the table as they look to finish in the top-eight with 27 points just before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Azam FC coach Aristica Cioba has confessed the absence of seven key players from his squad will greatly affect the team’s performances when the Mainland Premier League resumes.

The Tanzanian top-flight will resume on June 13 after it was given the green light by President John Pombe Magufuli but with three days to go, Azam are yet to get their foreign players in camp owing to lockdowns occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic in their respective countries.

While Cioba managed to navigate his way from Romania, where he had to travel via bus to Germany before connecting a flight to Tanzania via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the absence of players has left him scratching his head with three days remaining to the league's resumption.

The Azam players not in Dar es Salaam include Ghanaian trio of Razak Abalora, Dan Amoa and Yakubu Mohamed, Nicolas Wadada (of Uganda), and three players in Zimbabwe - Never Tigere, Bruce Kangwa and Donald Ngoma.

“It will be difficult for us to win matches without our key players, which includes our number one goalkeeper,” Cioba told reporters after the team’s training session on Tuesday.

“[It is] tough to get the players to Tanzania because most of the countries are still under lockdown owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, and now what I can do is promote players from our B team and sharpen them ahead of the season restart.

“I have already started planning without them [the seven players], I don’t think they will be able to make it here in time for the first matches, it is a huge headache for me, but something coaches have to go through.

“The players I have promoted from team B will need another two weeks to get rhythm but all in all we will fight with them and make sure we get a good start and win our matches.”

Meanwhile, Cioba will offer the chance to test new players when they host KMC in a friendly at Azam Complex on Wednesday.

The friendly had been cancelled after TFF suspended build-up matches but after a meeting with clubs, it has been allowed to start and will kick-off at 7 pm.

Azam, who are sitting second on the league table behind leaders Simba SC are also in the domestic cup where they have been drawn to Wekundu wa Msimbazi in the quarter-finals.

The ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ will open their league campaign with a home match against Mbao FC on June 14.

Adama Traore has been linked with a move to Liverpool but his former manager Tony Pulis thinks he should "settle down" at Wolves and aim for the Spain squad.

Barcelona youth product Traore has enjoyed a fantastic 2019-20 at Wolves, where he has scored four goals and supplied seven assists in the Premier League while playing primarily as a wing-back under Nuno Espirito Santo.

The 24-year-old, with whom Pulis retains a good relationship following their time together at Middlesbrough, is reportedly wanted by league leaders Liverpool, plus Manchester City and Manchester United.

Former Stoke City boss Pulis believes Traore should be looking to lay down roots at Molineux and focus on breaking into the Spain set-up ahead of Euro 2020, which will be held next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pulis told Stats Perform News: "I think Adama always had the ability to play. The big thing was his confidence. I think I probably caught him at the right time. He had gone and worked for a few managers who weren't enamoured enough to play him on a regular basis.

"I obviously knew him as a West Brom manager watching [Aston] Villa, watched him in the reserves a few times. His pace and balance was just extraordinary.

"Going to Middlesbrough, he wasn't in the team when I got there but I wanted to make him a focal point of the team. We did that and the biggest thing with him is that he grew in confidence and he started to believe in himself.

"I made him my best friend. He used to come in and make me a cup of coffee after lunch and we would sit down and watch videos. He became a friend and he knew he'd be first pick on the team sheet. And the team understood what we could get from him and what we couldn't. Having said that, as the season progressed, he learned the other side of the game [defensive] well as well.

"You meet people in life who are really, really good people, and Adama is a really good person. You hope and pray those people get everything out of life that they possibly can.

"He's gone to Wolves - we didn't want to get rid of him at Middlesbrough, but the only problem was the finances… He went to the right club, stepped up and has murdered it.

"I think he can only get better. His temperament and personality is first class. His next step, I speak to him now and then, his next step is to get a place in the Spanish side.

"I'll be quite content for him, and I said this to him, to settle down. He seems happy at Wolves. He's playing under a manager that's confident with him and gives the respect Adama needs.

"But Adama's big challenge is seeing if he can get a place in the Spanish team and keep it."

During his time at the Riverside, Pulis did not enjoy the same sort of relationship with striker Martin Braithwaite, whom he is surprised to see now playing at LaLiga champions Barcelona.

"He was completely different to Adama in personality. Different traits as a player. I never thought Braithwaite wanted to be at Middlesbrough although he signed a contract," said Pulis.

"He spent more time telling me that he wanted to leave than be at the club. In the end I hope and pray that the club got a good price for him because they paid a lot for him. They certainly paid him an enormous amount of money wages-wise, it was just extraordinary.

"Am I surprised he's gone to Barcelona? Yes. Is he playing every week? I don't know. Is he going to play every week? I don't know. Was he my cup of tea? Adama was. Braithwaite wasn't."

Fiorentina midfielder Alfred Duncan has taken to social media to share his thoughts on the ongoing protests on racism in the world.

The protests came about after an American, George Floyd passed away in the city of Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, before passing away in hospital.

Thousands of people in not only American cities but all over the world have gathered to call for an end to police brutality.

A host of African footballers including Duncan's countrymen Kevin-Prince Boateng, Thomas Partey and Michael Essien have all stood in solidarity for Floyd and all those who have been subject to racism.

"I have been a victim in many occasions, humiliated, insulted and ignored by even the people next to me," Duncan said in an Instagram post.

"I know and I need no reminder that I’m black and I’m more than proud of who and what I am! People tend to forget we were made from dust and so shall we all end up.

"Nobody is born racist so it’s a matter of education from parents since it starts from home. I will never feel inferior to anybody anyway nor for any reason!!! We are all human and that’s the race I know.

"Following a trending black post on social media doesn’t make you a non-racist...I won’t allow anyone to abuse me since I don’t abuse anyone so I urge my fellow brothers to be strong because anybody who tries to bring you down is already below you.

"Hate is a disease that has no cure! I’m human and I love being me."

Racism is very rife in football with players such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Boateng, Jeremie Boga, Franck Kessie all targeted, leading to calls for tougher punishment for culpable offenders.

Duncan is on loan at Fiorentina from Sassuolo.

The 27-year old Ghana international joined in January while nursing a hamstring injury, but did recover and made three starts against Sampdoria, AC Milan and Udinese, playing 90 minutes in the latter two before the Serie A was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

However, with a return to league fixtures confirmed, Duncan will hope to be part of the Viola starting XI when they welcome Brescia to the Artemio Franchi on June 22.

Cardiff City manager Neil Harris has revealed Sol Bamba is ‘fine’ and ready for the restart of the Championship.

The centre-back has been a consistent performer for the Bluebirds since joining the side in 2016 before he suffered a ligament injury in March 2019.

The injury ruled him out from action from the remaining part of the 2018-19 season as his side failed in their quest to remain in the Premier League.

Bamba returned from the problem in November but has only played four times in the Championship against Birmingham City, Sheffield Wednesday, Queens Park Rangers and West Bromwich Albion before the outbreak of Covid-19.

Ahead of the resumption of the English second-tier this June, Harris believes the Bluebirds can benefit from the experience of the 35-year-old.

"Sol is fine. He has done every session, we are really pleased. We appreciate he is not getting any younger in years,” Haris was quoted as saying by BBC Sports.

"He is doing everything the players do, but you don't expect Sol Bamba to run with a player like Dion Sanderson, for example, who is 14 or 15 years younger.

"We have to be respectful of players who are at different levels and ages. But Sol has trained every session and has been great around the pitches, as ever."

Cardiff are currently ninth in the Championship table with 54 points from 37 games, two points below the play-off spot.

Bamba is not short of experience to help the side back to the Premier League, having played for Paris Saint-Germain, Dunfermline Athletic and Scottish side Hibernian.

The defender also featured for Leicester City, Trabzonspor, Palermo and Leeds United before joining Cardiff in 2016.

On the international scene, he has made 46 appearances for Ivory Coast and was part of the team that reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012.

The centre-back played for the Elephants at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in South Africa and Brazil respectively.

He has made 104 league appearances for Cardiff since making his debut against Bristol City in October 2016 and will hope to continue to play his part for the side.

Nine Ugandan Premier League (UPL) clubs will not be part of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) consultative meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 9.

In a letter to the UPL Secretariat and signed by Fufa CEO Edgar Watson Suubi, the Federation had invited 14 clubs in the top-tier, including the promoted MYDA FC, for a meeting this week.

"Fufa wishes to invite the clubs that have sportingly qualified for the 1st Division season 2020/2021 for a consultative meeting to consider... the following; club licensing programme for the season 2020/21, competition reforms," read the Fufa letter obtained by Goal.

"The meeting will take place on Wednesday 10th June at Fufa Executive House Conference Hall starting at 10 am.

"... In order to abide by the Covid-19 guidelines of social distancing, each club shall be represented by one person who shall be the club owner or their representative, in their absence, the club chairman or their representative, in their absence the club Chief Executive Officer.

"Remember to wear a face mask!" 

However, Mbarara City FC, Busoga United FC, Express FC, Bright Stars FC, BUL FC, SC Villa, Wakiso Giants, Onduparaka FC and Kyetume FC have revealed their intention of not honouring the meeting.

In a letter dated June 9 signed by Mbarara City Chairman Mwine Mpaka, the teams have given the reasons why they will not be part of the aforementioned meeting.

"The under-listed chairmen have noted with concern the following anomalies that we would like to draw your attention to; the invitation to discuss club licensing and league reforms in one meeting is ineffective and will not deliver the desired outcome of the meeting; the notice given is rather too short for us to make the necessary preparations and consultations," read part of the letter to UPL and obtained by Goal.

"We had earlier planned for a similar meeting scheduled for 18th June 2020 as communicated by [Bernard Bainamani] on the UPL forum.

"Owing to the above, therefore, we have unanimously agreed not to attend the scheduled meeting due on June 10th, 2020. The following suggestions are also proposed for better planning going forward.

"Organize a separate meeting for CEOs to discuss club licensing; organize a separate meeting for club chairmen to discuss strategic issues affecting the future of the league.”