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Yanga SC striker David Molinga has asked coach Luc Eymael to be more careful in order to avoid a situation that saw him fired.

Eymael was sacked by the Tanzanian giants for alleged demeaning statements made about the club’s management and fans, but Molinga - Yanga’s top scorer in the 2019/20 season - has pleaded with the Belgian to exercise caution in future.

“In this photo, you are not teaching me about discrimination but I can remember what you told me about ‘next season’ but be humble and be careful enough going forward before uttering a single word,” Molinga said in a post on his Instagram page.

“Let this be a lesson to you wherever you will be. Be careful enough and ensure you are not repeating the same mistake, we are just together.

“But do not go, finish what you promised us about the Champions League.”

In the audio message that landed the former Polokwane City and AFC Leopards coach in trouble, he is heard attacking the fans for not understanding his substitution during their match against Mtibwa Sugar.

“This striker [David] Molinga did not win any ball, did not make one run and did not bring any danger,” Eymael is heard as saying.

“I had put [Gnamien] Yikpe on the wing then I put Yikpe as a striker and he gave us runs and efforts and the fans were shouting at him and wanted me to take Yikpe out.

“The time when I took one holding midfielder out to put a second striker they did not understand. There is pettiness in this country.”

Eymael also claimed that the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) is a biased body that always favours Yanga’s arch-rivals Simba SC.

Those allegations saw TFF state they would report the Belgian to Fifa and request that action is taken against him.

Eymael, despite challenges, especially with key players like Bernard Morrison who had contract issues with the management, led Yanga to second place in the league.

But a 4-1 loss to Simba in the FA Cup semi-final on July 12 which ensured Yanga will not pick a trophy this season, was a major setback.

Sheffield Wednesday have announced the signing of Fisayo Dele-Bashiru from Premier League giants Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.

The 19-year-old midfielder, who becomes the Owls’ first signing has been with the Citizens from the age of eight, rising through the club ranks alongside Phil Foden.

Nevertheless, he was unable to break into Pep Guardiola’s first team - and that necessitated his move to the Hillsborough Stadium where he is expected to continue with his growth in football.

“I’m honoured to sign for Sheffield Wednesday and I’m excited to be here,” Dele-Bashiru told swfc.co.uk.

“I’m at an age now where I want to be playing first-team football and I am confident it will fall into place for me here.

“I know there are other players in the same position but competition for places is a positive.

“My game is about power, strength and pace, I like to go box-to-box and I like taking on a shot too.

“The manager has shown a desire to bring me to the club and that means a lot. He has a good CV and I’m sure this is the right platform for me at this stage of my career.”

Fisayo’s elder brother Tom also came through the ranks of Manchester City, however, he is currently with Watford having joined the Hornets on a six-year-deal. He will continue life at Vicarage Road next season following their relegation on Saturday.

He was also part of the Nigeria U20 team at the 2019 Fifa U20 World Cup in Poland and he scored a goal in three games before the Flying Eagles’ exit in the Round of 16.

Alisson has opened up on his drive to "achieve great things" at Liverpool, and his insatiable hunger to "be the best" goalkeeper in the world.

Liverpool completed the signing of the Brazilian from Roma in the summer of 2018 for a then-world record fee for a goalkeeper of £67 million ($87m).

He has since gone on to help the Reds win trophies, serving as the reliable last line of defence in a side previously lacking a stable figure between the sticks.

The 27-year-old has already racked up 88 appearances in all competitions, winning four major trophies in the process, including the Champions League and Premier League.

Despite missing two months of the 2019-20 season through injury, Alisson was instrumental in Liverpool's run to a first top-flight crown in 30 years, as he recorded an impressive 13 shut-outs in 29 outings.

The Brazil international also picked up the highly-coveted Yachine Trophy in December, adding to the Golden Glove and the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season awards he won last season.

Alisson insists it has always been his goal to reach the very top of his profession, and he is grateful to have been given the platform to reach his full potential at Anfield.

"I believe that I didn't become the best goalkeeper in the world last season," the Reds shot-stopper told the club's official website.

"Obviously because all of my life what I did from [when I was] 10 years old, I always tried to work hard to achieve great things. I set my goals and I go for it. 

"Obviously I grew a lot here with this club with the possibility that the club gives you to win big things and to be the best you can. 

"You have to win the big things, the big championships – as the Champions League and the Premier League now. 

"So this is something that changed coming here to Liverpool, but my mentality was always to be the best. Receiving the awards or not, I always work to be the best."

Asked how it feels to be a Premier League winner, Alisson added: "At this moment it means everything.

"The biggest part of my achievements in football I achieved for this club, through this club, individual and my team-mates, so it means a lot to me and my family. 

"Since we arrived here we could feel that it's a different club, a club who treats you as a family and can give you all the support that you need to play football, to stay focused on playing football. 

"So, we are comfortable here. We love being here. We also love the warmth that we receive from the supporters, they are part of this family as well."

The league has confirmed neutral venues for all PSL and NFD clubs ahead of the return to competitive football next weekend. 

With Gauteng chosen as the biologically safe environment (BSE) for the remainder of the matches due to the coronavirus pandemic, teams that are based in the province will not be using their usual stadiums for their home fixtures.  

Kaizer Chiefs, who usually play their home matches at FNB Stadium, will be based at Orlando Stadium while their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates will use the Ellis Park Stadium for their remaining home matches.

Amakhosi's title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns were allocated the Dobsonville Stadium as their new base and they will share that with Highlands Park. 

According to the PSL, in a situation where teams are based at the same venue and have home fixtures to play on the same day, then there will be a doubleheader. 

The league opted to go for eight different stadiums for PSL teams and another eight for NFD teams. 

This means two teams will share one stadium for their home matches for the remained of the season restart.     

The league has already confirmed that the fixtures will remain the same, meaning the season will resume where it ended in mid-March. 

Meanwhile, NFD log leaders Ajax Cape Town have been allocated the Rand Stadium for their home matches, while second-placed Swallows FC will be based at Makhulong Stadium. 

Uthongathi FC, another team involved in the promotion race, will play their home matches at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus. 

Dates and kick-off times for all the matches will be released in due course now that the issue of venues has been put to rest. 

Home venues for all 16 PSL clubs are as follows: 

Baroka FC - Bidvest Stadium 

Cape Town City - Loftus Versveld Stadium 

AmaZulu - Lucas Moripe Stadium

Mamelodi Sundowns - Dobsonville Stadium 

Orlando Pirates - Ellis Park 

Bidvest Wits - FNB Stadium 

Chippa United - Orlando Stadium 

Bloemfontein Celtic - Tuks Stadium 

SuperSport United - Bidvest Stadium 

Kaizer Chiefs - Orlando Stadium 

Highlands Park - Dobsonville Stadium 

Golden Arrows - Ellis Park Stadium 

Polokwane City - Loftus Versveld Stadium 

Stellenbosch FC - Tuks Stadium 

Black Leopards - FNB Stadium. 

Maritzburg United - Lucas Moripe Stadium  

Home venues for all 16 NFD clubs are as follows: 

TS Galaxy - Wits Rugby Stadium 

JDR Stars - Rand Stadium 

Steenberg United - Makhulong Stadium 

Mbombela United - UJ Soweto Campus 

Richards Bay FC - Tuks Rugby Stadium 

AmaTuks - Joburg Stadium

Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila - Sturrock Park Stadium 

TS Sporting - Tsakane Stadium 

Real Kings - Tsakane Stadium 

Free State Stars - Sturrock Park Stadium 

Jomo Cosmos - Wits Rugby Stadium 

Ajax Cape Town - Rand Stadium 

Swallows FC - Makhulong Stadium 

Royal Eagles - Joburg Stadium 

Cape Umoya United - Tuks Rugby Stadium 

Uthongathi FC - UJ Soweto Campus

Former Bayern Munich defender Edson Braafheid has revealed what it is like to work under the guidance of Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman spent two years in charge of Bayern from 2009-11 and has enjoyed a storied managerial career that has seen him take charge of the likes of Ajax, Barcelona, Manchester United as well as the Netherlands national side, notably winning the Champions League in 1995 while in Amsterdam.

Braafheid, meanwhile, also spent two years at Bayern, with the left-back’s time at the club overlapping that of Van Gaal’s exactly.

The defender, who won 10 caps for the Netherlands, struggled to adapt to life under his countryman in Bavaria, though, with Van Gaal’s fiery temper a particular problem.

“When I went to training in the morning, I never knew what kind of person to expect there,” he told Goal and Spox.

“Van Gaal was unpredictable. Sometimes it was all funny, but then again the same things could be disrespectful and provocative. I don't want to give an example - there are things that don't belong in the media.”

Braafheid, however, gave an example of how Van Gaal completely blew up after a 3-3 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach in November 2010.

“Back then there were only three outfielders on the bench,” he remembered. “Danijel Pranjic had problems in the first half, which is why Van Gaal sent me, David Alaba and Thomas Muller to warm up.

“During the break, he told me: ‘Get ready, Pranjic won’t be able to continue'.

“So I kept warming myself up, but Pranjic stayed on the field. In the 80th minute, Van Gaal finally took him off and put Alaba on. And I thought to myself: ‘Well, I don’t need to warm up anymore'.

“I went back to the bench. Van Gaal said nothing to me, it only started in the dressing room.

“The game ended 3-3 and we lost more ground in the battle for the title with Dortmund. Van Gaal was beside himself and screaming. He came up to me and shouted: ‘Why don’t you warm up when I tell you to warm up?’

“We argued violently and I tried to make my point clear to him. He just shook his head and went to shout at someone else.

“He was a very difficult person, although in retrospect I can understand some of his actions that I could not understand at the time.”

After leaving Bayern, Braafheid turned out for Hoffenheim, Lazio, Utrecht and is currently with Austin Bold in the USL Championship.

CR Belouizdad will be declared as Ligue 1 champions after the Algerian 2019-20 season was ended by the Algerian Football Federation’s announcement that the current standings will be recognised as final.

Like most leagues across the globe, Algeria's Ligue 1 was suspended in March as part of preventive measures to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Almost four months after placing it on hiatus, the Algerian football ruling body conducted a ballot to determine the future of the uncompleted season.

96 out of 112 of its members voted to end the season as is, the remaining 16 not sending their votes. 

The Federation revealed that 90% of the votes called for the termination of the championship with the top team declared champions, but no relegation to be enforced.

With this, Franck Dumas’ Belouizdad will be lifting the Algeria topflight trophy while Mobilis, NC Magra, NA Hussein Dey and US Biskra will remain in the country’s elite league.

They will be joined by Olympique Medea, JSM Skikda, WA Tlemcen and RC Relizane who occupy the top four places in Ligue 2.

The consequence of this will see the 2020-21 season consisting of 20 clubs and 38 league days - which has not happened since the 1986-87 season.

For the second division, it will have two groups (Eastern and Western) which will be composed of 18 clubs each.

Arsenal centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos' agent has branded the exit rumours surrounding his client as "fake news".

Sokratis completed an £18 million ($23m) move to Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2018, and has since racked up 68 appearances for the club, scoring six goals.

The Greece international was a fixture in Unai Emery's starting line-up at Emirates Stadium, but has found regular playing time harder to come by under his successor Mikel Arteta.

Sokratis has only featured once for Arsenal since the Spaniard's arrival December, and was an unused substitute in the club's final eight fixtures of the 2019-20 campaign.

Arteta has reportedly deemed the 32-year-old surplus to requirements, with David Luiz and Rob Holding currently serving as his first-choice centre-back pairing.

The Gunners boss is expected to bolster his defensive ranks now that the summer transfer window is open, and it has been suggested that Sokratis will be moved on before he becomes a free agent next year.

Despite the ongoing speculation surrounding the former Dortmund star's future, his representative Konstantinos Farras has dismissed any possibility of a transfer.

The Greek agent said during an interview with British football journalist Fred Paxton: "He [Sokratis] will stay. I don’t see a reason to leave. I don’t know why everyone is writing wrong and fake news."

Sokratis admitted back in March that he would not hesitate to seek a move away from the Emirates should there ever come a time that he no longer feels wanted.

"If I’m not happy, I don’t play enough or the coach doesn’t like me, I don’t care about the contract," he told reporters.

"For me, the money is not important, it is important I feel good, I feel happy and the team is happy with me. If not, I take the road and I finish.

"I don’t think about it, I think every day to be happy and help the team and in the end, we will see but what I say is that I am not a player who sits on a contract – I don’t need it."

Arsenal wrapped up their latest Premier League campaign with a 3-2 home win over Watford on Sunday, which ensured that they finished eighth in the final standings.

Arteta is now preparing his side for a huge FA Cup final showdown against Chelsea, which will be staged behind closed doors at Wembley this weekend.

Vipers SC striker Muhammad Shaban is targeting a Ugandan Premier League (UPL) top scorers’ award as well as a good campaign in the Caf Champions League.

Shaban is yet to play for the Venoms since he signed as a knee ligament injury that he suffered in April 2019 kept him out for a considerable length of time.

As he nears a full return to action, Shaban hopes to beat his UPL rivals to the coveted award.

“I want the top scorers’ gong of the Premier League and also help my team qualify for the group stages of the Caf Champions League, InshAllah [God willing],” Shaban told the club’s portal.

The 22-year-old star spoke about his recovery journey and how he felt while he missed action in a season that saw Vipers crowned champions of the cancelled season.

“It was painful and a lonely feeling sitting at the stands for the entire season watching your teammates playing,” added Shaban.

“At times I felt like I could do something to help the team deliver victories but then again we couldn’t do much because of injury. 

“But I want to thank my teammates, the coaches and the club administration for the great work they have done, not forgetting the club doctor and the sponsors for always having our backs. 

“It was a tough season but with the help of God, we were crowned champions [May Allah’s name be praised always]. We now focus on the next stage that’s the Caf Champions League and I will not watch football from the stands.”

The forward also described his worst moment since he signed for the four-time UPL champions.

“It has got to be not being able to play when I felt I could have changed the outcome of some results,” he revealed.

“But to be honest, playing last season was always going to be a bonus for me. The injury needed to heal properly. Good thing is that the storm is almost over and I am already focused on a restart for the 2020/21 season.”

Shaban further revealed the discussions he has had with head coach Fred Kajoba.

“Yes, I have,” he answered when asked whether he has conversed with Kajoba.

“He advised me to be patient and keep working hard. His words were also full of encouragement and he told me not to drop my shoulders because I still have a full career ahead of me.

“The most important thing, to him, was my recovery and then other things would follow.”

Shaban has previously played for Onduparaka FC, KCCA FC and Raja Casablanca of Morocco.

Ghana prospect Malachi Boateng has been named Crystal Palace U23 Player of the Season.

After an impressive outing with the Eagles’ U18s last season - where he was named the U18 best player, the midfielder was drafted into Shaun Derry’s team upon signing his first professional contract with the club.

During his acceptance speech at the award ceremony, the 18-year-old Anglo-Ghanaian paid a tribute to his coaches for ‘pushing’ him and helping him be the best, disclosing the aspects of his game that he has worked as well as relishing the prospect of playing in Category 1 next term.

“I’m really grateful to have won this award, it shows that the things I’ve been doing have paid off this season,” Boateng told Palace TV as capture by club's website.

“The coaches have been pushing me and helping me be the best I could be. I'm really grateful.”

"My aggression has improved, my second ball – as Shaun was saying earlier – and I think also my shooting as well,” he continued.

"I think I’m someone who can pass the ball well, lead the group as well; I like to talk to players."

"It’s a big step for us playing the teams like the Chelseas, the Tottenhams and the Arsenals, I think it is really going to help us as a team get better and the club as a whole."

Coach Derry explained why the teenager was picked for the award while lauding his notable qualities.

“Everyday he turns up for training - in terms of he turns up as the best pro he could be,” he said.

“This young player has brought so many highs to this training group; he is a pleasure to work alongside.

“Hopefully he can develop more and more as the years go by and we can hear a lot more about him.

"[Boateng is] a midfielder who has so many strings to his bow. He shows aggression, he shows quality on the ball, he can get around the pitch – wins the second ball and can dictate play.

"He’s a fine young man and one that represents the football club in a way we want the football club represented."

Born to Ghanaian parents living in England, Boateng is eligible to represent the African country at international level.

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung says they are “not panicking” at the face of a difficult Premier Soccer League (PSL) title race that awaits them.

Football in South Africa was finally given thumbs up to resume after a coronavirus-induced break from March.

The Nedbank Cup semifinals will be the first matches of the restart on August 8 with Mamelodi Sundowns taking on Bloemfontein Celtic, before Bidvest Wits clash against Baroka FC.

Three days later, the PSL race resumes as log leaders Chiefs gun for their first league title since 2015.

But they face real threat from second-placed Sundowns who are four points behind, having played a game less than Amakhosi.

Concerns have been raised that the lengthy break might have killed most teams’ rhythm, especially the title-chasing sides and those fighting against relegation.

But Motaung is unfazed at the prospect that they might find the team's title momentum being disrupted.

“Of course we are happy that we are returning,” Motaung told Sowetan Live.

“And obviously we have been preparing since we were allowed to start training. So we are all in full swing. So we have been patient at Kaizer Chiefs, looking at the regulations, looking at the changes that have been going up and down. We have always been patient and waiting for the right direction.

“So we were not really panicking as such. The players have been focused on the preparations. So it’s not like we have been poking our nose into the whole thing.”

Tough fixtures await Chiefs who will have to face Bidvest Wits twice in their remaining eight league games.

Further making the title race interesting is that Chiefs will also play Sundowns in what promises to be a blockbuster encounter.

Sundowns also have Orlando Pirates on their itinerary as Chiefs might be unusually rooting for their Soweto rivals in that particular fixture.

It is a testing moment that lies ahead for Chiefs whose manager says they will not use the long break as an excuse for a possible drop in form.

“From where we ended up [in March] we will have to go and forge on. It’s just that obviously it might have an effect because we stood four, five months without playing,” said Motaung.

“But it’s not an excuse. We have to face what the challenge is our there. It’s the challenge that’s facing us – we have to go out and soldier on.

“Those things were there in place before we started [the lockdown], in terms of how we help the players off the field. It’s been part of the process.”

While Chiefs and Sundowns have been updating their preparations for the restart, Pirates have been secretly conducting their business away from public glare.

Hulk has revealed that he has received offers from England, Spain and Italy ahead of his Shanghai SIPG exit at the end of the year.

Shanghai lured Hulk to the Chinese Super League from Zenit St. Petersburg for an Asian record fee of £45 million ($58m) back in 2016, as the Brazilian turned his back on European football after four years in Russia.

The mercurial attacker reportedly signed a deal worth £320,000 per week at Shanghai Stadium, and he faced plenty of criticism for putting a big payday ahead of his legacy at the highest level after the transfer.

Hulk has since scored an impressive 69 goals in 126 outings for the club, while adding a league title and domestic cup to his trophy collection.

The 34-year-old's four-year spell in the far east will finally draw to a close on December 31, at which point he will become available on a free transfer.

Before he joined Zenit from Porto in 2012, Hulk was linked with a number of top clubs across Europe, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Monaco.

The former Brazil international says he will have plenty of potential suitors lining up for his signature once again in January, with a move to the Premier League still very much a possibility.

"I am listening to many proposals from Brazil and many places including in Europe," Hulk told Lance. "[I have offers from] Turkey, Portugal, England, Spain, Italy, Germany - and I also have an offer from China.

"Every day more new proposals arrive. I thank God I have a name that's very strong in the market."

The ex-Porto star went on to insist that he is not motivated by financial gain as he outlined his ambitions for the remaining years of his professional career.

"I will not put money ahead of football," said Hulk. "I am talking to God to make the best decision, be very happy and continue my career.

"Where I went, I made history. I ask God to bless me and I keep writing this beautiful story in football."

The veteran striker added on the prospect of a potential return to his homeland with Palmeiras, the club he has supported since his youth: "I have a special affection for this team, but I cannot say that, in January, I will be in Palmeiras or not.

"I don't want to fool anyone. I'm very professional, I would play in any club. If I go to Brazil, being Palmeiras or any other team, I will make sure I give my best.

"On the field, I will leave everything there and give my life to help the team, whatever it is. I do it out of passion." 

Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland says that his side have to match the ferocious consistency of Bayern Munich if they are to achieve his goal and win the Bundesliga.

The Norway international striker has proven a roaring success since joining Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in January, scoring 13 times and creating three more in just 15 Bundesliga appearances.

But if the individual performance of the 20-year-old was strong, it was not quite matched by his side, who lost four of their last 17 games to finish a distant 13 points behind champions Bayern, who won their eighth title in succession.

While that record is certainly no disgrace, it was not sufficient to offer Hansi Flick’s side a serious challenge – and Haaland recognises that is something that will need to change if the gap is to be successfully bridged.

“We have the quality to become champions but talking alone is not enough,” he told Sport Bild . “Bayern have distinguished themselves by their incredible consistency.

"We have to continue our development in the second half of the season and we want to be even more successful next year.”

Haaland’s individual displays have already earned him talk of a move to an even bigger club – Real Madrid have notably been mentioned, along with Manchester United, who previously had an interest in him – but he has reiterated that he has no interest in departing.

“I have a long-term contract here until 2024. In any case, it is my big goal to win BVB the title and to celebrate fantastic successes with our fans,” he said.

Having a mindset close to that of head coach Lucien Favre will help, he believes.

“We are similar because we are both calm guys, but fully focused on things that can make our team better,” he said.

Knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain at the last-16 stage, Dortmund are currently on their summer break, though the Bundesliga is due to get up and running again in the autumn, with fixtures in the top two tiers of German football slated to get underway from Friday, September 18.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) have stated they have done enough renovation work to the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Sumbawanga, Rukwa, which will host the final of the FA Cup between Simba SC and Namungo FC on August 2.

Simba, who were declared Mainland Premier League champions with six matches to spare, will be seeking to seal a double when they play Namungo, who finished fourth in the league table.

Simba beat rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC) 4-1 to reach the final while Namungo eliminated Division One side Sahare All-Stars after a 2-0 win.

While many Tanzanians had expected the final to be played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, TFF opted to take the final to Sumbawanga and have now confirmed they have done 89 percent work to the playing surface ahead of the final.

The venue’s Competition Director Salum Madadi has assured the match day venue will be ready for the final.

“I can see the renovation work reaching 89 percent complete because we have not yet installed goal posts and technical bench dug out but much of the work is almost over,” Madadi is quoted by Daily News.

Madadi also confirmed in the next days, experts will work on the remaining renovation work which includes trimming of the grass on the pitch before marking it.

“Our expectation is we will have another extraordinary final on the day as such, people should flock the venue to watch the match,” Madadi continued.

In a recent interview, TFF President Wallace Karia defended the move to shift the final to Rukwa from National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

“It is true we always use the National Stadium for our domestic Cup final but we should also use the other venues which are outside the City,” Karia told reporters after watching a Division One play-off battle.

“We want to take the game to the people outside there, and we have done our homework and the venue will be ready for the final, it is a final like any other and I don’t see any problem if it is played in Rukwa.”

Even if Namungo suffers defeat in the final, they have already sealed a ticket to represent the country in the Caf Confederation Cup next season.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has maintained he will only go for his transfer targets this window when the club sorts out the financial issues currently facing them.

Despite signing a five-year sponsorship deal worth Ksh50million with betting firm BetSafe, Gor Mahia are still struggling financially because one clause in the sponsorship package states the club can only receive money from their partners when the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) kicks-off.

And with uncertainty still surrounding the kick-off date for the new season, coach Polack has told Goal Gor Mahia still don’t have the financial muscle to effectively plunge into the transfer market and get their preferred targets ahead of the new season.

Asked when the club will unveil their first signing, Polack told Goal: “Woou!!!, that is a good question, you are asking about my first signing? That can only be done when we sort out our financial problems.

“I have several players who are interested to come and play for us but you can only bring them on board if you have the money to pay them, hopefully, we will have them sign soon but like I said before, we must sort out our financial predicaments first, and then think about new signings.

“We need to sort the financial side, we must make sure that all the arrears for the current playing unit and the technical bench is sorted out and make sure everybody in the squad receives what they are owed, I don’t care how long it takes, but that is the area we must rectify first.”

Polack continued: “You cannot go out there and sign new personnel when you have not paid the personnel that you already have, it will not make sense and I will not support that, first of all sort out the money issues with the people you have before you start looking for new staff members.

“First of all we need to make sure the personnel which is already here are sorted and happy and are ready for the new season, then thereafter, you can ask me about my new signing, we have spoken to players, yes they are interested to come, yes they know our situation but I am not ready to welcome them here if the ones I have are not happy.”

By virtue of being declared the 2019-20 champions when the league was ended owing to the coronavirus pandemic, Gor Mahia will carry Kenya’s flag in the Caf Champions League.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) assistant coach Boniface Mkwasa has waded into the saga surrounding the sacking of Luc Eymael stating the coach was ‘very arrogant and disrespectful’.

The 60-year-old Belgian coach was shown the exit door by the Jangwani Street-based giants after a video of him allegedly making demeaning comments about Tanzanians and especially Timu Ya Wananchi supporters leaked to the public.

Mkwasa, who worked under the former AFC Leopards coach, has now revealed his sacking was long overdue because they had endured tough times working under him as he was very abusive.

“Abusive language was part of his [Eymael] life, those things were not known outside but I think everyone has figured out what kind of a person he was,” Mkwasa is quoted by Daily News.

With three matches remaining to the end of the season, Mkwasa fell out with Eymael, a move that forced him to miss subsequent matches in the Mainland Premier League against Mtibwa Sugar in Morogoro and Lipuli FC Iringa.

Mkwasa has now admitted he indeed, had issues with the Belgian trainer because he could not listen to their advice and regularly used abusive language against them.

“For the interest of the club and to avoid causing uncertainties, I chose to step aside and let them go to honour the two matches. That is how it was,” Mkwasa continued.

Mkwasa went further to support the decision by the club to fire Eymael insisting he even used abusive language to players during training sessions but nobody could bring it out to the public domain while the coach was still in place.

“Even during games, he used to insult players as well as match officials, and on several occasions, we were preventing him to do that in order to save him from being fined,” Mkwasa explained.

“Football is always a fair game as such; There was no need for him to insult players, Yanga fans, and the whole public. My contract with Yanga is due to end next month and thereafter, I will decide which way to go but now, I cannot accept to work as an assistant coach.

“Initially, I agreed to work as an assistant because I wanted to learn other coaching tactics from him but later, I realised that I made a bad decision, otherwise, I could have just stayed at home had I known his behavior.”

In a previous interview with Goal, Eymael has, however, defended himself from the racist allegations claiming he has never been a racist and never will be.

“I am not a racist, and you know that very well,” Eymael told Goal. “I have coached in Africa for the last ten years and my record is there to speak for itself, I have never gone to the extent of being a racist because I am not a racist.

“I don’t want to dwell on what happened, because it already happened, I apologised immediately to Yanga fans and Tanzanian people because of the comments and now it is time to move on.

“You can see even some players from Yanga are supporting me, even those I worked with in Kenya are behind me, because they know I am not a racist, this issue has been too much for me now, and gone too far, it is even destroying my family and kids.

“I don’t want to talk anything about it anymore.”

Eymael has previously worked in South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia. 

Japhet Tanganga is aiming to keep improving at Tottenham Hotspur and give his best when called upon by manager Jose Mourinho.

The 21-year-old signed a new long-term contract with Spurs alongside teammates Eric Dier and Oliver Skipp - a deal that will keep him at the club until 2025.

The academy graduate made 11 appearances for the London club in the 2019-20 season after making his senior competitive debut against Colchester United in the EFL Cup last September.

Mourinho also handed the defender, who is of Congolese descent, his Premier League bow as a substitute at home to Liverpool in January and he was named man of the match in an FA Cup defeat of Middlesbrough three days later.

For the youngster, he is hoping to become a regular in Mourinho’s squad in seasons to come and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Harry Kane and Harry Winks who graduated from the academy to become mainstays of the club.

“I’ve already said to some people, this is definitely a year I’ll never forget,” Tanganga told club website.

“Credit to the Academy staff, they’ve prepared us for moments like this. They’ve helped us a lot.

“For me, a lot of it is about showing the characteristics that I knew I had before, and other stuff I’ve shown as well that I never thought I had. It’s been an experience I’ll never forget.

“I’ll work on becoming a better player each day, take it day by day and when I’m called upon by the manager to play, make sure I give good performances.”

Despite representing England at U16, U17, U18, U19 and U20 levels, Tanganga is eligible to represent Congo at the senior level having been born to Congolese parents.

With Jan Vertonghen confirming his departure from Spurs, it could be an opportunity for the defender to break into Mourinho’s first team as the London outfit aspire to improve on their sixth place finish in last season's EPL.

The 2019-20 season has been phenomenal for Mohun Bagan faithful. They won their second I-League title with four matches to spare and also ensured their participation in the top tier of Indian football, i.e. the Indian Super League (ISL), by joining hands with ATK.

Both the tasks had its fair share of challenges. As far as the sporting project is concerned, the officials chose to put their trust in a new manager in KIbu Vicuna and a host of players were signed. The start of the campaign was not great but the way the team was playing showed promise. In the Durand Cup and the Calcutta Football League (CFL), they finished as runners-up and got ousted in the semi-finals of the Sheikh Kamal Cup in Bangladesh. They even had a bumpy start to their I-League campaign with a draw and a 4-2 humiliation to Churchill Brothers at home. Yet, the management backed Vicuna and the Spaniard proved his worth at the end of the season. 

But, the Coronavirus pandemic played spoilsport and prevented the Mariners from lifting the trophy or celebrating the title with the million fans just as they did after bagging their maiden I-League championship in 2014-15. 

"Mohun Bagan winning I-League and we are not being able to celebrate with the fans with the trophy is the biggest regret. It is a huge disappointment. Some things you propose and God disposes. But we are hopeful that someday we will get the trophy and celebrate but it is too early to say," stated Srinjoy Bose, general secretary of Mohun Bagan, to Goal on the eve of Mohun Bagan day. 

Due to the pandemic, even the Mohun Bagan day celebrations will be held online, a first for the century-old club. 

"We have been adjusting to a new reality. For the past four months, we have been doing a lot of things in a way that we haven't done before. Now we are living in a virtual world. If meetings and classes can happen online then why not celebrations," said Bose, who believes that given the current circumstances the safety of the fans is of paramount importance."

Mohun Bagan is set to participate in the ISL and the official hopes that the synergy between the I-League and ISL champions will usher in an era of success.

"It is good that we will be playing the ISL (even in these difficult circumstances) for the first time as well as in the AFC Cup. These are testing times for us and for everyone. ISL is a different ball game for our supporters and the members. So hopefully, the blending of the two champions will yield a positive result. But it is really disappointing that fans will not be present in our first season in ISL. Again, this is the new normal. You have to accept it. All over the world fans are being prohibited."

Bose also shared that even though it was difficult to make a breakthrough into ISL, the management was firm to keep their promise that they made to the club members and fans. 

"The more difficult the task, the sweeter is the success. Winning the I-League with four matches to spare and in the royal manner that we won is hugely satisfying. It is the same thing with how we made our way into ISL. It was a difficult task but we did it after getting a new partner. There were sacrifices made as it was a corporate affair. You see that our rivals (East Bengal) are yet to come up (in ISL). Our President (Tutu Bose) had said that Mohun Bagan will always play in the top league of the country (although last season they played in the I-League). ISL is the top league and we are in it.

"So, to keep up with promise and the expectations was a huge task but we have done it successfully. It was a huge responsibility as it involved the emotions of millions of fans," concluded the board member of ATK Mohun Bagan FC, 

109 years ago, on 29th July 1911, Mohun Bagan was immortalised in the history books of Indian football after they defeated East Yorkshire Regiment to lift the IFA Shield. The Green and Maroon were 2-1 winners in the final as they went on to become the first Indian side to win the competition.

Tens of thousands of fans had flocked the “maidan” to cheer for Mohun Bagan who promised a good show, having gotten the better of the likes of St. Xavier’s, Rangers, Rifle Brigade and Middlesex on their path to the final.

The Immortals conceded first but scored twice in the second half to send the state into a frenzy and hence a festive mood for weeks to come. Some of the best media houses at that time – London Times, Daily Mail and Manchester Guardian – covered the tournament in great detail.

The 11 players who featured in the game were henceforth known as the “Amor Ekadosh” which translated to “The Immortal 11”. All players were posthumously awarded the prestigious Mohun Bagan Ratna.

Here is a profile of the members of the Amor Ekadosh.

Shibdas Bhaduri – The captain of the Immortals who led from the front, Shibdas Bhaduri scored the equaliser and assisted the winner in the historic match. He played on the left flank alongside elder brother Bijaydas Bhaduri and tormented the opposition with his speed and dribbling. This earned him the nickname “Pichol babu” or “Mr Slippery”.

Abhilash Ghosh – There was nothing to separate Mohun Bagan and East Yorkshire Regiment after 86 minutes of football in the finals of the IFA Shield. Centre forward Abhilash Ghosh latched on to a pass from his captain to slot home the decider and earn his side an important win. He was also the player to score their first goal of the tournament – the opener in a 3-0 win over St. Xavier’s.

Bhuti Sukul – The right-back joined the club when he was just 16. He was famous for his strong tackles and incredible ability in the air.

Bijaydas Bhaduri – The oldest of the Immortals, Bhaduri played as a left midfielder and often swapped positions with his younger brother Shibdas. He was a great dribbler of the ball, easing past oppositions with shoulder drops and body feints.

Hiralal Mukherjee – He played in multiple positions throughout his career but stood firm between the sticks in the all-important tournament. The trusty custodian saved three penalties in the opener against St. Xavier’s. Good anticipation and the ability to stay resilient against physical strikers were other quivers in his arrow.

Manmohan Mukherjee – There were very few who could pass through Mohun Bagan’s midfield with the ball still at their feet and Manmohan Mukherjee was one of the biggest reasons why. The right-half was nicknamed “Terrier” for his ability to snatch the ball in midfield.

Rajendra Sengupta – It was Rajendra Sengupta who conceded the free-kick that led to East Yorkshire Regiment’s goal in the final. But what proved to be a harmless mistake should not discount the stellar performances displayed by the youngest player in the squad. Playing in central defence in an attack-minded team was not easy but Rajendra ensured Hiralal was well-protected.

Sudhir Chatterjee – It was not hard to spot Sudhir Chatterjee in the Mohun Bagan line-up that started the final. In fact, the defender was the only Indian to wear boots in that match. Sudhir was not among the fastest on the pitch but his intelligent reading of the game made him an asset to the team.

Srishchandra ‘Habul’ Sarkar – The right inside Habul was versatile and could also play in midfield. His moment of glory arrived in the replay semi-final game against Middlesex Regiment when he scored a goal in the dying moments to ensure a place in the final.

Jatindranath ‘Kanu’ Roy – When he was not tormenting defenders with his incredible pace on the right flank, Kanu was busy scoring important goals to keep his side in the tournament. He scored a brilliant long-range goal against Middlesex Regiment in the semis to equalise and force a replay.

Nilmadhab Bhattacharya – One of the most skilful players in the team, Nilmadhab Bhattacharya operated on the left flank. He had a brilliant passing range to go with and was an absolute delight to watch.

From an average of playing around 20 matches during his three years at Sporting Clube de Goa where Pratesh Shirodkar started his senior career, it came down to merely six matches over a span of three seasons at FC Goa until 2019. In the 2017-18 and 2018-19, he played just 21 minutes in the Indian Super League (ISL) cumulatively.

The 36-year-old spoke about his recent struggles that literally left him without a club to play first team football last season before he looks to ressurect his career having agreed to sign for I-League club Real Kashmir.

"Last year, I couldn't play anywhere because I went to Hyderabad FC and was there for trials for around a month. The coach (Phil Brown) said that he will sign me. I played so many practice matches and did well also," he narrated.

"When Adil (Khan) told him (Brown) about me, he called me for trials and told me on the first day itself, 'If I like you, I will sign you in three days'. I was there for a month waiting for him to sign me and missed an offer from East Bengal also who wanted to sign me for two years because I had thought that it is better to play in the ISL than the I-League.

"Then I had to wait for the next transfer window but it did not work out and I only got to join Dempo for a training stint," Shirodkar admitted.

Pratesh had his share of good times right from the age of 13 when he joined Calangute-based Goa United Sports Academy before being selected to hone his skills as a midfielder at the Sesa Football Academy in 2007.

"I started playing for Goa United Sports Academy from U-14 till U-20 when I was at school. At that time, Goa United wanted to put all the players who played for them at St. Joseph's school but I played for them from my own school (Little Flower of Jesus High School, Calangute). From there, I played nationals for Goa and then got selected for the Sesa Football Academy."

After five years at Sesa, which included three seasons playing in the Goa Professional League, Shirodkar joined Sporting Clube de Goa in 2012 and won the local top division twice that helped him gain the favour of then Flaming Oranje coach Oscar Bruzon. The Spaniard was on his way to the Indian Super League (ISL) as Nicolas Anelka's assistant at Mumbai City FC in 2015.

"Because of Oscar, I came to Mumbai City," the Goan acknowledged. "It (the ISL) is on another level if you compare it to the I-League. I think ISL is the best platform for all the players who are coming up because you get to learn a lot of things. In I-League also you get to learn something new but in ISL, you get better facilities and even when the new coaches come, you get to learn a lot more."

After a season with the Islanders, he returned to the coastal state on-loan to Sporting Goa before being signed by FC Goa in 2016. However, after just three appearances, in the January 2017 transfer window, he was loaned out to I-League outfit Mumbai FC where he clocked nearly four times the minutes (994) he would garner with the Gaurs (256) in three seasons combined.

"The journey was good but I couldn't play much (at FC Goa) because of injuries. I didn't get much time on the pitch," Shirodkar explained.

"Even the coach (Sergio Lobera, former FC Goa coach), when we had gone for the pre-season in Spain (2018), he used to play me as a right back or some other position but never in midfield. Even the few minutes that I played, I played in the right back or right half positions. I don't have anything against the coach, he was very good and he had his own strategies.

"I think the biggest competition I faced was my own height. I think the coach didn't prefer me to play in the midfield because of my height. Otherwise, there was no other issue. That (5.1 metres height) was the problem," he felt.

Former Sporting Goa coach Oscar Bruzon was extremely complimentary when talking about Shirodkar, explaining how the midfielder provided balance to his team.

"He (Shirodkar) was a player that was always giving consistency to my defensive stage, positioning himself ahead of the center backs. [Shirodkar was] energetic and winning balls from that area and also keeps balance when full backs go high in the attack," he told Goal.

"I used him a couple of games as a right full back (at Sporting Goa) but his natural habitat is in the midfield where he is well surrounded as he gives good first passes. He is obviously not an attacking player and this is why he has to be well surrounded. I think right back is also a suitable position for him."

Now that he's signed for Real Kashmir, Shirodkar is looking forward to clocking some much-needed playing time.

"I need to play now because now if I go to any ISL club, the first thing they will ask you is 'how many minutes did you play last year?' Last year, I don't know what happened.

"Last season also actually, after Hyderabad (trials), I was supposed to go there (Real Kashmir) but that is the time they signed Robin Singh on loan (from Hyderabad FC). At the end of the season then, coach (Dave Robertson) messaged me so I said okay.

"Now I want to start from Kashmir, give my best and show that I can still play. Most of the players who signed for I-League clubs after playing in the ISL never made a come-back in the ISL. Adil made a big come-back and it was really good for him."

Mamelodi Sundowns have been busy refreshing their squad and preparing for the future amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The Brazilians have brought in some young players into their squad and also extended contracts belong to their experienced players.

This has been done to ensure that there is no mismatch of players in the squad whereby there are too many ageing players or too many young players.

Much is expected from highly-rated Mkhuma

The current season has seen coach Pitso Mosimane unleash promising right-back Nicholas Lukhubeni, 24, who netted a brilliant solo goal against Chippa United in a PSL match in February 2020.

Exciting prospects Promise Mkhuma, 20, and Malebogo Modise, 21, have also been promoted to the first team from the club's academy in the last few months.

Furthermore, Sundowns are expected to officially announce the signing of Ajax Cape Town youngsters Jody February, 24, and Grant Margeman, 22, as they build for the future.

While new signing Lesedi Kapinga has his best years ahead of him at the age of 25, having joined Masandawana from Black Leopards last week.

The Brazilians have been tying down their older players to long term deals as their experience will prove valuable in the future.

Ageless Kekana remains Sundowns' pillar of strength

Team captain Hlompho Kekana signed a new four-year deal in March 2020 despite being 35-year-old, but the club was rewarding him for his consistent displays on the pitch.

The midfielder was followed by 32-year-old Anele Ngcongca, who extended his stay with the Brazilians by another year two months ago.

This week, Sundowns announced that their first-choice penalty taker and central defender Ricardo Nascimento, 33, has signed a new three-year deal.

While Thapelo Morena and Gaston Sirino have also been tied down to long-term deals by the Tshwane giants as keeping such influential players will be key to the Sundowns' success.

Tau benefitted from Downs' perfect blend of youth & experience

Mosimane, who has proved that he is not afraid to give youngsters a chance, is blending older and youthful players in order to lead the reigning PSL champions to new heights.

The man nicknamed Jingles showed his faith in Morena, Percy Tau, Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly and they flourished at Sundowns as youngsters.

The quartet was competing and learning from experienced players such as Ngcongca, Teko Modise, Anthony Laffor, Suprise Moriri as well as Kekana.

Mosimane is looking to ensure that the 2016 Caf Champions League winners continue their habit of winning and challenging for trophies.

Having a good blend of youth and experience to add to a gifted Sundowns squad will surely continue to propel the team in the right direction.