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Former Liverpool player Steve McManaman has said that he is delighted that he is not seeing much of the club’s academy players because it is evidence that they are thriving.

Speaking ahead of the return of Premier League action for the first time in three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Academy mentor said that the players’ lack of interaction with him is evidence of their success while training with the first team.

There was further encouragement on that front for the Premier League leaders in a 6-0 friendly win against Blackburn at Anfield as Jake Cain and Leighton Clarkson both featured, with the latter netting the last goal.

McManaman reflected on his delight at not seeing such faces once they have graduated.

“When I see some of the players who are excelling at the Academy, there's nothing better than not seeing them again,” he told LFCTV’s ‘The Academy’ show.

“I mean that in the nicest way because they move up to Melwood, and I love it when I don't see them again because it means they're at Melwood and they're excelling at Melwood. 

“There's nothing better for these younger players with talent to play with better players, to play with players who are at the top of the game. 

“If you've got anything about yourself and if you want to be a first-team player in the future, you should be able to improve so much by playing with the best players in the world – and that's who Liverpool have got at the moment. 

“I love the fact that Leighton and Jake are there, Neco Williams is there and Curtis Jones has, of course, been there a while, like a number of the older ones. But whenever they disappear to Melwood and hold their own, that means they're improving, that means they're getting better.”  

Jurgen Klopp’s side, who need only six points to seal their first title of the Premier League era, could wrap the title up next Sunday at local rivals Everton if they picked up three points and Manchester City lose to Arsenal on Wednesday in their game in hand.

Call of Duty: Warzone has continued to grow since its launch in March, with more than 60 million players heading to Verdansk to fight it out in the Gulag.

Warzone offers players two different experiences. The first of these is “Battle Royale”. 150 players air-drop into the game’s Verdansk map and the squads must eliminate one another while fleeing a deadly ring of gas. The last player/squad standing at the end wins. This mode can be played in solo, duo, trio or quad modes.

Plunder mode also features 150 players in squads. However, instead of simply eliminating enemies, players must compete to loot “Cash” found scattered across Verdansk. Eliminated players drop any Cash they had, allowing you to steal it, and furthermore, you can even complete in-match Contracts in order to earn bonus Cash.

Download Call Of Duty: Warzone

The game features two main factions of the Operators: the Coalition and the Allegiance. Both factions include a variety of Operators to choose from. The Coalition is a multinational alliance that consists of operators from SAS, Warcom and Demon Dogs, while the Allegiance is made up of the remnants of the Russian Forces in Urzikstan, foreign mercenaries and rogue NATO soldiers.

And while the Operators are getting famous among the gamers, Goal.com has teamed up with Call of Duty to make the "Coalition vs Allegiance" ultimate team. The concept consists on choosing 11 characters from both the Coalition and Allegiance who are featuring in Warzone.

We'll then analyze the specific traits of each character and potential Footballers who fit the mould and resemble well with the character. The audience will be involved by voting for their favorite Operator-Footballer combo to make it feature in the Ultimate team.

For our new poll, we are going to be looking at Wyatt from the Coalition faction and Mace from the Allegiance one.

Wyatt - Benzema : Benzema is no ordinary striker and his impact on the team is much greater than scoring goals alone. He is terrific while holding up the ball and drawing the attention of the opposition in order to free up space for his team-mates. Wyatt, like the French striker, is a true team player. He makes the sacrifices required to help his team win. Not being the star of the show does not bother him, as long as his team is victorious.
 

Mace - Aubameyang : Aubameyang is famous for his explosive speed, ability to score with both feet and strong aerial presence, all of which make him one of the most lethal strikers in the world. Mace, is a quick operator who is usually in the right place at the right time. He is merciless with his opponents and, as Aubameyang often dons a mask during his celebrations, Mace will wear one during battle, never willing to give anything away.
 

Who should feature is the Coalition vs Allegiance utlimate team? vote below

Thomas Muller has clarified his controversial comments about Bayern Munich’s transfer policy, insisting that his initial words, which led to a public rebuke by sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, were taken out of context.

Muller caused a stir on Wednesday when he spoke about the “paradox” in the club’s finances amid rumours of a big-money bid for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz.

Speaking after Bayern’s 2-1 DFB-Pokal semi-final win over Eintracht Frankfurt, the 30-year-old questioned the logic of being linked with a player like Havertz, who could cost up to  €100 million (£90m/$113m), while at the same time current players are being asked to take pay cuts to help the club through the coronavirus crisis.

Salihamidzic was unimpressed with Muller’s comments, saying he “maybe chose the wrong path with his words,” though he also insisted the pair had resolved their differences in private.

Muller has now issued some further clarification to his comments, saying his words had been misinterpreted by the media as “provocative”.

"At FC Bayern there is no internal dispute over the waiver of salaries with regard to possible transfers in summer. We have waived our salary for completely different reasons, namely for our employees," the Germany forward said on Twitter.

“My statement related to the fact that I was annoyed that I was asked about transfers next season after a cup semi-final.

"It is pretended that these top transfers - which we absolutely need - can be managed with a snap of your fingers. As if 100 or 50 million euros are not (big) sums in these times we are in right now.

"Personally, I want the best possible squad for me next season. I have big goals, I want to win the Champions League . I want us to attack properly, to continue this run that we currently have.

“I (will) no longer speak publicly about transfers. Let us be relaxed about the future.”

Muller was absent through suspension on Saturday as Bayern beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 to restore their seven-point lead at the top of the table.

It means Hansi Flick’s side can clinch an eighth successive Bundesliga title with victory at Werder Bremen on Wednesday.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Presidential aspirant Herbert Mwachiro has lauded Musalia Mudavadi's financial help for AFC Leopards.

Mudavadi off-set AFC Leopards land rates debt that had proved to be a stumbling block in their dream to build a home ground. The former Deputy Prime Minister paid the outstanding KSh600, 000 debt and promised to take financial care of players during the coronavirus period.

A move that has attracted praise from Mwachiro who made his interest to vie for FKF presidency a few weeks ago.

“I take this opportunity to commend the support extended to AFC Leopards by [Musalia] Mudavadi at a time when football clubs, especially community football clubs in Kenya, are navigating a rough patch,” Mwachiro said in a statement obtained by Goal.

“Through this generous financial support, AFC Leopards will fast-track their journey towards sustainability and realise a long-held ambition of owning a home stadium.

“Football players, whose lives have been disrupted by the cessation of sports, also stand to benefit from the rescue package that has been given to the club by Mudavadi.”

The former FKF Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer further urged clubs to ensure they meet the club licensing requirements as they aim to find a stable footing on matters of finance.

“As we move into a season of recalibrating the football management in the country, it is important that clubs in Kenya start the process of adopting club licensing as recommended by Fifa and Caf,” Mwachiro added.

“Club licensing is a significant step-change that will enable community clubs to gain from professional management and commercially sustainable operations.

“My administration will assist the clubs that adhere to club licencing via financial resources and/or expert knowledge. This is a new dawn for Kenyan football.”

Mwachiro will battle for FKF's top seat against the incumbent Nick Mwendwa, former Cecafa Secretary-General Nicholas Musonye, ex-FKF Vice-President Sammy Shollei, former FKF President Sam Nyamweya, former Vihiga County Governor Moses Akaranga and Gor Mahia's Chief Executive Officer Lordvick Aduda.

There is no tentative date when the federation will hold its mandatory elections as the previous two attempts were stopped by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT).

The SDT, in its December rule, stated the electoral code discriminated against other contestants and favoured the incumbent while in its March judgement, the John Ohaga-led body said FKF's National Executive Committee's term had expired and thus were not in a position to oversee elections.

Yanga SC communication officer Hassan Bumbuli says eyes are now set on Tuesday's league match away at JKT Tanzania.

The Dodoma-based side has regularly been a difficult opponent for the 27-time league champion and in the last four meetings, they have managed two draws and as many wins.

With that in mind, the official admitted it will be a tough game but all they want are three points on the road.

"We respect [JKT Tanzania] they are a good team, and to be honest we respect all our opponents," Bumbuli told journalists.

"All teams are tough to beat especially at this time when they are chasing their objectives. However, we all know Yanga is a big, established and historic team and will do absolutely everything to win especially on the pitch.

"Like our game [on Saturday] against Mwadui, it was tough but we won; we scored two goals, we were denied one but still managed to get maximum points by the 1-0 win.

"We are one team determined to get maximum points regardless of the opponent we are playing against. For instance Prisons, they were unbeaten by the time we played them in the first round, but we defeated them.

"So regardless of how good JKT are, we just want to go there, beat them and return to Dar es Salaam with maximum points."

The Jangwani-based side is leaving for Dodoma on Sunday and their plans have been revealed.

"We will not be in a hurry for Dodoma, we have invitations from fans in our branches," he continued.

"So we will have several stop-overs at Nzega, Igunga, Manyoni, and Singida before proceeding to our destination. By 3 pm we will be in Dodoma, we rest and resume training on Monday in preparation for Tuesday's match."

Yanga won the reverse fixture 3-2 and are aiming at winning the remaining 10 league matches this season.

On Saturday, Timu ya Wananchi defeated Mwadui by a solitary goal.

The goal came in the sixth minute as a result of a quick move engineered by Haruna Niyonzima, who beat an advancing Jaffar Mohammed on the left flank.

A cross by the former was met by Ditram Nchimbi but the goalkeeper Mahmoud Amri saved Mwadui from the attack.

A second attempt by Mapinduzi, though, was too powerful for the goalkeeper to deny Yanga an opener. Deus Kaseke eventually managed to find Balama Mapinduzi who made no mistake from close range.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has put blame on the condition of the pitch for his team’s struggle to beat Mwadui by a huge margin in a Mainland Premier League match staged on Saturday.

The Tanzanian top-flight finally returned on Saturday, almost three months after it was halted owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Yanga were the first team to take to the pitch away in Shinyanga as they needed a goal from Balama Mapinduzi to win 1-0 at Kambarage Stadium, while in another match third-placed-chasing Namungo FC threw away a two-goal lead to settle to a 2-2 draw against Coastal Union.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal his team deserved to win the contest by a huge margin but they could not achieve their target as the pitch proved to be bumpy, which denied them the chance to play their passing game.

“The game was okay a well-deserved win but we played on a horrible pitch again, we could not play our passing game as the ball was bouncing all the time,” Eymael told Goal on Sunday.

“The stand out of the pitch is very bad, only in Dar es Salaam and to be specific the National Stadium and the artificial turf [Uhuru Stadium], is where you can get a good pitch, but outside Dar es Salaam the pitches are bumpy, dry, not well kept and you cannot play the same football.”

Eymael also admitted missing a huge crowd to rally behind them also played a big part in the match as only a small crowd was allowed into the stadium as a safety measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“When you are playing outside Dar es Salaam, the turnout of our fans is always fantastic but now we played with a small crowd but we understand and have nothing to do now,” Eymael continued.

Eymael also faulted the match officials for denying them what he claims was a second goal.

“They [match officials] denied us a clear goal, it was a clear goal and all these things must be worked on, we don’t want to return to the same situation that we were in before the league took a break, poor officiating should be worked on.”

On Sunday, defending champions Simba SC will entertain Ruvu Shooting at the National Stadium, while Azam FC will face off with Mbao FC at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.

When Odion Ighalo announced his retirement from international football after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, many considered it the perfect time for the forward to bow out.

Even though Nigeria hadn’t won the tournament, and had to make do with yet another third-place finish (the eighth time the nation have claimed bronze), Ighalo’s five goals made sure he finished top of the scoring charts, having scored two more than his closest challengers which included Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane.

Along with Mikel John Obi, both stalwarts announced their retirement, and it seemed to herald a new era.

“This is one of the most difficult career decisions I have had to take. It’s been an amazing five years journey, but after due consultation and extensive discussion with my family I have decided it’s time for me to retire from the national team,” Ighalo wrote on Instagram in 2019.

“It is now time to concentrate on club football and give the younger players the chance to learn and grow.”

Since the 30-year-old made the announcement, the nation, entirely appreciative of his efforts in the green jersey, have since moved on and have thrown their support behind the prodigious Victor Osimhen.

A group of observers, awed by Osimhen’s talent, believed the young frontman should’ve played at last year’s finals instead of the experienced Ighalo, on the back of a prolific 18/19 campaign at Belgian outfit Sporting Charleroi.

While Gernot Rohr didn’t bow to the pressure of dropping the Afcon qualifiers’ top marksman, the Shanghai Shenhua man’s statement after leading Nigeria to bronze in Egypt signalled the passing of the torch to the next generation.

For his part, the Lille striker has taken up the gauntlet in style too, scoring four goals in as many appearances since Ighalo bowed out, including a debut strike against Ukraine in September and an incredible performance against Lesotho in November.

In the latter, the 21-year-old set-up two goals for Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze before scoring two himself as the West African giants won 4-2 in the Southern African nation.

Since then, Rohr’s also added in-form Heracles Almelo forward Cyriel Dessers to the squad, to provide healthy competition for or play alongside the 2015 U-17 World Cup top scorer.

Clearly, a new spine is being built, and a potential return for Ighalo does nothing but create uncertainty for the incumbent while casting doubts about the team’s short-term direction.

“I am still in contact with Gernot Rohr and Amaju Pinnick, and they congratulated me on my loan deal,” Ighalo told Brila FM in early June. “I am still thinking about returning to the national team, but right now I want to concentrate on my club career.

“I left the national team because of the distance between Nigeria and China, but now that I am in Manchester and just like life and in my career, you never can tell.”

The former Watford striker’s comments seem odd given he only signed on at Manchester United till the end of January 2021 and not permanently.

If the distance between both countries was the original reason for calling time on his Nigeria career, then what happens when his time at Old Trafford eventually comes to an end early next year?

Given the affable character of the striker, some may reckon it’ll be too forthright to assume this potential return is simply motivated by self-interest. However, that’s exactly how it’ll look if Ighalo walks back on his decision to quit the Super Eagles “and give the younger players the chance to learn and grow.”

The optics in this narrative so far don’t look good, and the level of dissenting voices will grow significantly if the ex-Udinese frontman returns to the side and pushes Osimhen or other budding youngsters to the back seat.

Nigeria still have four qualifiers to play before Afcon 2021, billed to be held in Cameroon in January, but will ultimately be determined by the impact of the coronavirus in the coming months.

Ighalo was celebrated for his bravery in returning to the team after the disgraceful treatment he received following the 2018 World Cup. He seemed a man reborn following the disappointment in Russia to score a boatload of goals in the remainder of the Super Eagles’ Afcon qualifying campaign and peaked with the impressive finals showing.

He retired for a reason after his crowning glory, and a possible return only casts a shadow over the short-term prospects of Osimhen, who’s been terrific since the Man United striker’s retirement.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) forward Bernard Morrison has revealed why he did not travel to Shinyanga for the team’s Mainland Premier League match against Mwadui on Saturday.

The Ghanaian star was booked on the same flight as coach Luc Eymael for the trip to Shinyanga on Friday but he was nowhere to be seen and even went ahead to switch off his phone.

Eymael instead, travelled with Congolese striker David Molinga, who was also left behind when the team left for Shinyanga on Wednesday owing to unknown reasons.

The Belgian coach later told Goal he was very upset by the conduct of the player and did not know what happened because he was supposed to travel with him but later switched off his phone.

“Yes he [Morrison] promised to come with me on our trip to Shinyanga but he didn’t show up and he went further to switch off his phone,” Eymael told Goal on Saturday.

The player, who joined Yanga in 2019 after leaving Orlando Pirates of South Africa, has now come out to defend his decision to miss the clash.

“I was unable to link up with the rest of the squad in Shinyanga because I was still suffering from pain in my right knee and thus I felt it was not fair for me to travel and I will not be able to play,” Morrison is quoted by Sokaletu.

On Saturday, when grilled by Goal whether he will take any disciplinary action against the player, Eymael said: “I have no idea why he did that, I will first have to investigate and get to know the reason he decided to switch off his phone and then will make a decision.”

Apart from Morrison, Yanga played Mwadui without injured captain Papy Tshishimbi, Ally Ally, and Erick Kabamba.

The absence of the players, however, did not deter Yanga from beating Mwadui 1-0, courtesy of Balaka Mapinduzi's goal, to move them level on points with second-placed Azam FC, who will play against Mbao FC at Azam Complex on Sunday.

In another match on Sunday, champions Simba SC will be seeking to bag maximum points when they host Ruvu Shooting at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that there is a place in his squad for Alexis Sanchez but indicated the Chile star would only be considered a squad player at present.

Alexis, 31, has failed to make an impact at Old Trafford since arriving in January 2018 as part of a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and was offloaded in the summer to Inter on loan.

His time in Italy, however, has also proven to be difficult and was only a substitute as the Nerazzurri crashed out of the Coppa Italia on Saturday after a 1-1 draw with Napoli.

Absorbing wages of £400,000 per week, the former Barcelona man is proving to be an expensive flop and Solskjaer has indicated that while he will be given his chance, his face simply may not fit.

“Of course there’s a place for good players and good people in this environment,” Solskjaer said, according to The Star.

“Let’s see where we get to after the season, because we do feel this squad is exciting. We do feel we’re on the way to something.

“It’s up to all the players when they’re here to do well, because there’s always talk of people coming in and out, and it’s about gelling this group together.

“Sometimes when you decorate your living room it might be a nice chair or nice sofa, but it maybe doesn’t go with the rest of it.

“For us to think about major honours, our focus is about finishing the league this season.”

Meanwhile, the Norwegian has stated his belief that on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson can go on to become England No.1 – and take over from David de Gea as first choice at Old Trafford.

“Dean has made some great choices over the years and has developed fantastically,” he said. “We’re looking at that in terms of where he’s going to be next season, but as yet that has not been decided.

“This season has proved a great experience for him, he’s done himself some favours with his performances and proved he will be England’s No.1 and Man United’s No.1 at some point.”

Manchester United will return to action after the coronavirus break next Friday, when they travel to face Tottenham in an away Premier League fixture.

It will be their first match for more than three months, with Solskjaer’s side chasing a top-four position that would guarantee Champions League football next season, although fifth may also be sufficient should Manchester City’s appeal against a two-year ban fail.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has explained how the club has tried to counter the acts of hooliganism amongst its fans.

In his address to the National Executive Committee, Shikanda explained how past acts of violence by their fans has affected the club financially and how the current administration tried to counter violent fans.

“This year, without fear of contradiction, I can say we have not had cases of hooliganism and even when the referees have not been at their best, our fans have accepted results and went home hoping to fight another day,” Shikanda said during the address.

“Our club has zero-tolerance to hooliganism and we have worked through the branches and through them we have tried to identify who have been causing problems before. 

“We have also planted our stewards, dressed in a manner that they cannot be identified, inside the fans to identify trouble makers.

"What has been happening before has cost the club a lot as we have missed chances of playing at Kasarani and at Nyayo Stadium because of the past cases of hooliganism.

“We owe the Stadium management close to three or four million shillings due to past acts of hooliganism and this is expensive for us because we have to pay players. Taking KSh3 million to Kasarani yet players have not been paid is very painful.”

Shikanda was elected one year ago and said the club has seen stability and better results were to be registered if the season was not interrupted by the coronavirus.

“I can confidently say the club is stabilising and we are moving in the right direction,” continued the official.

“The journey, since we were elected, has been interesting and sometimes very painful but as the club's National Executive Committee we have stabilised the club.

“Were it not for Covid-19, people would have seen different results both at the administrative level and team results. 

“If you look at our history since the club was formed in 1964, the club has not had the financial stability but we have cultivated an interest in the club and made AFC Leopards a daily affair, not a weekend affair.

“It is important to put both managerial and physical infrastructure which will bring AFC Leopards closer to the people.”

The former Ingwe player also stated how they navigated the season despite not having a financial partner.

“We have gone through a whole season and the team never gave a walkover, we trained on a daily basis and met all our obligations without a sponsor,” explained Shikanda.

“It has also been easier to convince our players because it was easier for us to face and assure them the management is working round the clock to address their issues.

“Despite the challenges, not a single day did our players took part in go-slows and boycotted club activities.”

Former Kaizer Chiefs and Moroka Swallows midfielder Lucky Baloyi's future at Bloemfontein Celtic looks uncertain.

The 28-year-old player has been one of Phunya Sele Sele's key players this season which has been suspended indefinitely since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Baloyi's current deal with the Free State giants is set to expire at the end of this month and the club is yet to indicate whether they will be extending it.

Celtic chief executive officer Khumbulani Konco said that they have yet to engage with Baloyi about his future due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We haven’t had discussions with any player whose contract is coming to an end," Konco told Daily Sun.

“The league will advise us on way forward how to deal with this matter.”

Siwelele have had financial problems over the years and National First Division (NFD) side TS Galaxy has been targeting Celtic's Premier Soccer League (PSL)'s status.

However, the Celtic management, which is led by chairman Max Tshabalala, has constantly denied that the club is up for sale.

According to Daily Sun, Konco indicated that all matters regarding player contracts which are due to expire will be sorted out when the team resumes training.

On Friday, the South African Football Association (Safa) confirmed that the government has green-lighted PSL teams to return to the training pitches.

Meanwhile, Baloyi said he was not thinking of his future with Phunya Sele Sele as the country battles the virus.

“There is no football going on at the moment, therefore I don’t want to discuss anything related to the game including my contract with Celtic," he told the same publication.

Baloyi has made 24 appearances across all competitions for the team this season under coach Lehlohonolo Seema.

The experienced defensive midfielder joined Phunya Sele Sele from Chiefs in 2017 and he quickly became a key player for the team.

The man nicknamed 'The Sheriff' played an instrumental role in helping Celtic reach the 2017 Telkom Knockout Cup final where they were narrowly defeated by Bidvest Wits.

He played all four matches for Siwelele in the competition which is also known as the South African League Cup during that season (2017/18).

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has affirmed his intention to tie Kylian Mbappe and Neymar down to the club on a long-term basis.

While both attackers have been linked with moves away in recent months, Mbappe to Liverpool and Real Madrid, and Neymar with a switch to either Los Blancos or Barcelona, the Ligue 1 champions are not planning for life without their star duo.

Nevertheless, if they fail to negotiate contract extensions with the pair, whose deals are up in 2022, they may be forced into difficult decisions next summer and that is not something that Leonardo wishes to consider.

“There’s nothing that tells us they’ll leave this summer,” Leonardo told Journal du Dimanche .

“They both still have two years left on their contracts and we’re thinking about what we can do next with them. We want to move forward.

“Mbappe is the future of PSG. This is what everyone wants. The ideal scenario would be for him to extend his contract. He’s already among the best five players in the word. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are 32 and 35, Neymar and Mbappe are 28 and 21 and they are with us.

“There’s no need to overthink it. We have to take advantage of having them because they’re something huge. We have to find a solution to continue together.”

Leonardo, meanwhile, says Neymar has put last summer, when he wanted to join Barcelona, behind him.

“We’ve not talked about it any more,” he said. “He’s been very happy, he’s had a great season and he’s been very involved with the3 squad.”

Leonardo, who indicated that PSG will have a “summer of transition without any bling-bling transfers”, also confirmed that record scorer Edinson Cavani will leave the club in the summer , when his contract expires, with long-time servant Thiago Silva and right-back Thomas Meunier also departing on free transfers.

Although the Ligue 1 season was aborted early due to the coronavirus pandemic, PSG are set to complete their two domestic cup campaigns, in which they will face Lyon (in the Coupe de la Ligue) and Rennes (in the Coupe de France) finals, while their Champions League quest is expected to be concluded in August.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has named two players who can play for the team in the absence of injured Jonas Mkude.

Vandenbroeck has urged the fans not to be worried about the absence of the midfielder when they face Ruvu Shooting in a Mainland Premier League match on Sunday.

Simba confirmed on Wednesday that the Taifa Stars international, who was injured in the 3-1 friendly win against KMC FC, will be out for the next two weeks.

His absence left many Simba fans wondering how the team will cope without him but the Belgian tactician has now assured them he already has possible replacements for his role.

Vandenbroeck confirmed Mzamiru Yasin and Brazilian playmaker Gerson Fraga will perfectly fit into the role Mkude was playing for the Mainland giants.

“I just hope [Mkude] will not be out for a long time because we need him for subsequent matches in the league and the domestic competition,” Vandenbroeck is quoted by MwanaSpoti.

“In Simba, we have a huge squad, and fans should not be worried because we can easily rotate the starting eleven. I can easily use Yasin or Fraga in the same position and I know they will do a good job and give us the result we need.”

Mkude has also assured fans he will be back after a short period on the sidelines.

“I am feeling much better now because even the pain I was feeling when I suffered the injury has somehow eased off,” Mkude explained.

“The injury was a bit complex because all my fingers in the right knee got injured but for now I am feeling better and I hope to make a comeback soon and help my team win the title and FA Cup.”

The injury is set to keep Mkude out of league matches against Ruvu Shooting and Mbeya City, and he could also sit out the FA Cup clash against Azam FC.

Simba, who are chasing a third league title, will face Ruvu Shooting at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

Before the league took a break, Wekundu wa Msimbazi were in good form and are leading the table with 71 points from 28 matches.

AFC Leopards coach Anthony Kimani has revealed the kind of players he would like to work with in future.

Kimani, who took charge of the team in December after serving as Casa Mbungo's assistant, has identified the characteristics his preferred players should possess, as he hopes to steer AFC Leopards back to a winning path.

“We look at a couple of factors but one main issue is to see if the player is talented, whether their technical abilities will help the club and the tactical adaptation to the club's way of playing,” Kimani told the club's Online TV.

“Level of discipline and attitude is very important because in the end there are very talented players out there and so discipline makes a great difference for me.

“Discipline is something I always do not want to overlook because you sometimes get into match situations where talent alone does not matter but the mentality is much needed.”

Kimani also spoke about how Elvis Rupia came and helped the club after his January arrival.

“[Elvis] Rupia came at the right time just when we needed him the most after we lost our top scorer [John Makwatta] when he decided to move to join a team in Zambia,” the youthful coach said.

“We needed a player who would come in and score the goals for us something I think he has done.

“Together with the AFC Leopards technical bench, we are looking at which players we are going to sign and we have identified a few we think can bring a lot of value to the club.”

After scoring 13 goals in half a season, Makwatta joined Zesco United in the January transfer window.

According to Kimani, Leopards will sign only a few, but experienced, players in order to blend with their youthful players.

“We have decided to go the experience way and those who will be coming in are very experienced ones,” revealed the former Harambee Stars full-back.

“That will add the much-needed experience to the current team and if everything goes according to plan, AFC Leopards are going to be a strong team come next season.

“We bought young players who would not come straight to the starting team and have a huge impact but I am pretty sure in the next two or three seasons, these players are going to do very well for the club.

“But it is always good to strike the balance between the experienced and young players and that is going to be very important going forward.”

In the January transfer window, Ingwe signed very young players, some of them straight from high school, and Kimani believes their time to feature prominently for the local giants is imminent.

“We have got Austin [Odhiambo] who was very outstanding this past season. [Omar] Somobwana has given a good account of himself and [Dan] Sunguti has shown what he can do when given an opportunity,” the 2012 Cecafa Senior Challenge finalist added.

“We will try as much to see these players try and get enough playtime moving forward.

“AFC Leopards are a big club and there is a lot of pressure when it comes to playing for them and so we are going to be very careful about how we introduce them to the first team.

“Of course, we will not throw them into the deep end until when we feel they are very ready to take on the pressure of playing for AFC Leopards.”

When the season was cancelled in May, AFC Leopards were sixth on the KPL table.

The coronavirus lockdown is on Level 3 in South Africa but football is still suspended across the board. The PSL is trying all they can to save the 2019-20 season. 

While some seasons around Europe and Africa have been cancelled, the PSL remains hopeful of completing the current campaign.

When will the PSL season resume?   

Earlier this week, the South African Football Association (Safa) gave all the 32 PSL teams the green light to resume training following approvals from South Africa's Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize and Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa. 

While Safa has maintained that no football should be played under lockdown Level 3, even behind closed doors, it is safe to say allowing teams to return to training is a start of good things to come. 

PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza is hoping the season can be completed before or on July 31 but that would mean competitive games should restart at least by July.   

The PSL has been suspended for at three months due to the coronavirus outbreak coupled with the lockdown imposed by the government.

This means all the teams will need at least two to three weeks to be fit again and complete the season and that might be a challenge for the PSL. 

Could the PSL season be cancelled? 

In Europe, the Eredivisie declared their season null and void and ended the season without a league champion and promotion/relegation - but some teams, including Bongani Zungu's Amiens SC have taken legal action against the French Ligue 1 authorities as they feel the decision was unfair.  

The PSL has no intention to cancel the season and so is Safa who has maintained that they are not against the idea of completing the season but only if it is safe to do so. 

Three weeks ago, Safa confirmed partnering with the English FA to share ideas on what's best for the players and officials in regard to measures that should be taken on return to football. 

All the PSL teams have already fumigated their facilities and it's only a matter of time before players can be told resume training and be tested, according to Safa.   

In mid-Apil, Safa set two conditions that will make it possible for the return of all football activities in South Africa:

1. The government should declare that it is safe to do so - which they since have [subject to extensive testing and screening of players and officials and disinfection of training facilities].

2. That domestic flights are reinstituted - this hasn't been made clear as yet by the government. 

Hence it's unclear, at this stage, how teams will travel from one province to another to complete the rest of the remaining matches.  

However, these are some of the things that are still being discussed with Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula although there's still a possibility of a single camp for all the 32 teams under the PSL umbrella.  

What happens if the PSL season can't be finished?  

At this stage, it's unclear what will happen if the PSL season can't be finished. 

However, Kaizer Chiefs remain top of the log with 48 points from 22 games - and the country is divided on whether or not they should be crowned league champions. 

There are suggestions that Amakhosi should be declared winners if the season can't be finished but others have correctly argued that it won't solve the issue of relegation and promotion. 

Of course, AmaZulu and Black Leopards who sit 15th and 16th on the PSL standings respectively would feel hard done should the PSL season not finish and Chiefs be crowned champions.

Again, if the season can't be finished and Chiefs don't win the title, NFD teams such as Ajax Cape Town, Swallows and Uthongathi FC would feel shattered by the decision.      

As previously mentioned, the PSL wants to finish the season, and the executive is working around the clock to ensure that happens.   

In South Africa, we have seen schools re-open only to be closed again due to confirmed positive cases, and PSL will hope this doesn't happen once competitive football is back.

What are PSL teams doing during lockdown? 

PSL clubs have been allowed to return to training by the government but very few of them have done so already as others continue to ensure the environment is safe before welcoming their stars back.

Teams with resources such as Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns had been relying on technological means to monitor what their players were doing while at home. 

The issue of social distancing remains the biggest challenge - and it will be interesting to see how PSL clubs deal with it going forward. 

Cape Town City have already taken a step forward in addressing the issue of screening. 

Orlando Pirates esports team member Zaid Patel has completed his transfer to CD Almunecar City.

The 26-year-old, who is a striker by trade, has secured a move to the Spanish side ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Patel has been on the books of TS Galaxy, who made history by becoming the first National First Division (NFD) club to win the Nedbank Cup last year.

Almunecar released the following statement announcing the signing of the towering marksman.

"CDAC are delighted to announce the signing of 26-year-old South African forward Zaid Patel for the 2020/21 season," a club statement read.

The team is currently campaigning in the Primera Andaluza which is the sixth tier of Spanish football and they already had four South African players on their books before they signed Patel.

The four players are former Bloemfontein Celtic left-back Thabang Matuka, Kaizer Chiefs academy product Waylan Rooi, Kwinda Netshitangani as well as Bradley Jason.

Almunecar's club manager George Jermy explained that they signed Patel because of his professional approach and attitude towards the game.

“On behalf of everybody at the club, we’re really happy to welcome Zaid to CD Almuñecar City for the 2020/21 season,” Jermy told the club’s website.

“He’s a strong and powerful striker who has a natural eye for goal – we think he’s perfectly suited to European football and we can’t wait to see how he fits in.

“Zaid visited the club in December last year and we were all impressed with his professional approach and attitude towards the game.”

Patel is a well-travelled player having spent most of his career in the second tier of South African football.

Stellenbosch FC, AmaZulu FC, Cape Town All Stars, Witbank Spurs and Chippa United are the five clubs he has played for in the league.

The Krugersdorp-born player has also plied his trade in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in the past, having made his professional debut during his time with Bidvest Wits in March 2012.

Patel scored on his PSL debut against Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2011/12 season and he went on to play for Free State Stars in the top-flight.

He leaves Galaxy without making a single appearance for the team this season. 

Liverpool’s 2019-20 side will not be remembered as one of the great English sides, according to Stan Collymore, a former Anfield striker.

The Reds stand only six points away from winning a first title of the Premier League era, having dropped only four points in 29 Premier League matches, and although they will not finish the season undefeated, they stand a chance of smashing the division’s points record.

But Collymore believes that while Jurgen Klopp’s vintage makes for a fine team, they have not been put up against opponents of comparable quality.

Defending champions Manchester City, for instance, have failed to find their best form this term, losing seven of their 28 fixtures to date – a dramatic decline for a side that had lost only six times in its previous two seasons.

“Liverpool are a fine team and they will deservedly have the title wrapped up within two games,” he wrote in The Mirror.

“But while I will celebrate my old club’s success, I will also lament that their domination isn’t just because Jurgen Klopp’s side have been so good but also because plenty of others around them have been bad.

“Liverpool’s dominance is not a sign that we’re seeing the greatest sides ever, it’s about a limited number of clubs being able to fill out squads because they have the biggest budgets, something that puts other clubs in leagues at a competitive disadvantage.

“Liverpool have been exceptional but will they go down as one of the great all-time English clubs? No, for the reasons above they will not.”

Indeed, Collymore believes that there are problems in the Premier League that are seeing the elite becoming untouchable.

“There are issues in the Premier League that are starting to echo in the Bundesliga, La Liga and Ligue 1, where no more than a handful of teams have the money and there is a brain drain of the top talent towards them,” he said.

Liverpool are set to become the fifth different English champion in 16 years, compared to three over that same period in La Liga and Serie A, four in the Bundesliga and seven in Ligue 1.

The Reds could seal the title next weekend when they face Everton as the Premier League returns, but only if Manchester City fail to beat Arsenal on Wednesday.

England manager Gareth Southgate concedes Jadon Sancho returning to the Premier League would present "different opportunities" for the attacker. 

The Borussia Dortmund star has been strongly linked with interest from Chelsea and Manchester United but any transfer is expected to cost over €100 million ($112m). 

Sancho's strong form in the Bundesliga has continued this season with the 20-year-old scoring 17 goals and contributing 17 assists from just 29 league appearances. 

Asked about Sancho's future, Southgate believes the attacker is in a good position to improve whatever he does, noting a return to England could be a beneficial challenge. 

"From a personal point of view, for England, whichever route opens up is positive," Southgate was quoted by Sky Sports. 

"He'll play at Dortmund, he is well looked after by the staff and they give the right messages. There isn't a downside for us if he stays with Dortmund but if we see him in the Premier League that brings different opportunities to see him in a different environment and how he adapts to that.

"The most important thing is that he keeps playing regularly, at his age that's key to him learning and improving.

"The key is he has to play football. The beauty of him playing at Dortmund is he has played regularly and he has played in a team expected to hit a certain level.

"Champions League football is another bonus and that need to be challenging Bayern Munich all the way.

"The Premier League would provide him with a different challenge, the depth of the league is a bit more intense - in terms of the quality."

Sancho has so far made 11 appearances for Southgate's England side, scoring twice and contributing four assists. 

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson recently heaped praise upon the young star, stressing the sky's the limit with his skills and attitude. 

"A lot of people are speaking about him. He is a top player, a special player, that in training he has got something different and he's sharp and able to get past players with ease," Henderson told Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel Five.

"Also he's got a good head on his shoulders, he loves football, wants to improve, listen and learn so if he just continues on that path the sky's the limit for him really."

Gennaro Gattuso thanked his Napoli players for their "extraordinary" dedication after they drew with Inter to reach the Coppa Italia final.

Dries Mertens became the Serie A club's outright all-time leading goalscorer, cancelling out Christian Eriksen's opener in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Stadio San Paolo.

The result was enough to send Napoli through to the final against Juventus thanks to a 2-1 aggregate win in the semi-final.

Gattuso's sister Francesca died aged 37 earlier this month and the Napoli coach dedicated his side's progression to her, while hailing his players.

"I dedicate this result to my sister and my family," he said, via the club's website.

"The guys were extraordinary for the dedication they put on the pitch. I thank them because they played for me and they were close.

"I have a team that has great quality, but there was [a will] to suffer because not all the mechanisms went in the right direction. After the first very naive goal conceded it was not easy to go back up.

"We showed character and I have to say that in terms of intensity we started from where we left off. We went through a very hard period, it wasn't even easy to train for the health emergency."

Mertens' 122nd goal for Napoli saw him pass Marek Hamsik (121) as the club's outright all-time leading goalscorer.

Gattuso was pleased with the way his side performed after the Belgian's 41st-minute strike.

"After Mertens' goal we had a sort of liberation and we expressed ourselves better," he said.

"The boys are giving everything both in terms of commitment and availability. Now we will play the final with our weapons. If we continue on this path we can take great satisfaction from ourselves."

Napoli will face Juventus in the final in Rome on Wednesday and while Italian football has now restarted, Gattuso stressed the tragedy of the coronavirus pandemic will never be forgotten. 

'We lost thousands of people. The world has changed," he said.

"Even coming to the stadium with masks and sitting far away from people in the street - all of it is strange but none of it compares to the devastation of losing so many people.''

Chennaiyin FC's trusted striker, Jeje Lalpekhlua, last played a competitive game more than a year ago when he featured in a 1-0 win over Abahani Dhaka in the AFC Cup. With a knee injury plaguing him, Jeje had to undergo surgery and was forced to miss the entirety of the 2019-20 season.

At a time when the country has been crying out for goalscoring Indian strikers, it has been a frustrating period for Jeje who has had to watch from the sidelines.

However, the Mizo Sniper, is raring to go after a period of rehabilitation. In a chat with Goal, Jeje outlines how important it is for him to play regularly and represent the national team again.

"Life is like that. When you get injured, you look for anything that can help you. Though it is hard, you need to accept it (the injury) and work hard. Whatever you did before does not matter. It's like that even during normal times. One day you could perform well and you can play bad the next day. People will only remember the latest performance. You need to keep performing well.

"After getting inured, I knew it would be tough. After the surgery, it was very difficult. I needed to work hard, eat well, rest well and prepare for the new season. Now, my aim is to come back and do well for the club and the national team," he said.

The 29-year-old has been a dedicated servant for Chennaiyin FC ever since the inception of the Indian Super League (ISL), scoring 23 goals over five seasons and helping the Marina Machans to two ISL titles. 

"What I want to do is get back my fitness. It's not about scoring goals or playing every match. Getting fit is my first target. Everything else will follow," he stated.

However, the former Mohun Bagan forward is a free agent right now after his contract with the Chennai-based club ran out. Though he is currently focused on getting back to fitness, he is in talks with several prospective employers including Chennaiyin FC.

"Right now, I'm talking with six clubs. (But) I've not taken any decision on my next move. My agent is taking care of things. We have time to make a decision and do not have to rush into anything. I will decide soon. Let's see," he revealed.

It will be interesting to see where Jeje, who has been one of the most prolific Indian strikers in the last decade or so, decides to play next season.