Gerrard should work as youth coach – Thompson

Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has warned Steven Gerrard against taking a management job until he builds up his coaching experience.
Gerrard, who announced on Thursday that he was retiring as a player after leaving LA Galaxy, has already confirmed that he turned down the chance to take charge of League One strugglers MK Dons.
While Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp appears open to Gerrard joining his coaching staff, Thompson suggested the 36-year-old should start by working with current England under-21 boss Aidy Boothroyd.
Thompson, who worked with Gerrard during his time as Liverpool’s assistant manager, told Sky Sports: “There will be a lot of opportunities but I’d rather see him with England U21s, which would probably be my preference, then come back to Liverpool in some capacity, maybe with the U23s or as first-team coach.
“Aidy Boothroyd is down there in an interim role with the England U21s with a wealth of experience. He’s gone into the under-21 setup [and] is the sort of figure to learn from.
“It’s one thing cutting your teeth with the younger players at a football club but going into a League One or League Two side is a difficult scenario unless you’ve got a senior coach with you.”

Mourinho sets Rooney Europa League goal

Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho arrives for the UEFA Europa League group A football match between Manchester United and Feyenoord at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on November 24, 2016.AFP/Oli Scarff

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho challenged Wayne Rooney to lead the club to Europa League glory after the England captain broke United’s European scoring record against Feyenoord.
Rooney, 31, scored his 39th European goal as United crushed Feyenoord 4-0 on Thursday, thereby closing to within just one goal of Bobby Charlton’s all-time club scoring record of 249 goals.
United need just a draw away to Ukrainians Zorya Luhansk in their final Group A game to progress and Mourinho says Rooney can be the inspiration behind the club’s first success in the competition.
“It’s an amazing achievement, obviously,” Mourinho told reporters when asked to sum up Rooney’s feat in surpassing Ruud van Nistelrooy as United’s outright leading scorer in UEFA competitions.
“It will be even better if he can help to bring to the club the only competition that the club never won in its history, which is the Europa League.
“It’s not the biggest competition, obviously, but it’s a competition that Man United’s history doesn’t have. So let’s try, let’s push.

I’ve no Rio regrets, I’m part of Chelsea history – Mikel

Nigeria captain Mikel Obi has insisted that he stands by his decision to represent his country at the Rio 2016 Olympics instead of parcitipating in Chelsea’s pre-season with new manager .
The 29-year-old also asserts that his place in Chelsea’s history is assured after his long, trophy-laden service to the English club.
“I’m not a guy who makes excuses in life,” Mikel, who is yet to feature for Chelsea under Conte, said in a BBC World Football interview on Friday.
“I never make excuses. I never shy away from my responsibilities. Yes, maybe people would say maybe I lost my place at Chelsea because I went to the Olympics, I didn’t have pre-season with the team, a new manager was coming in and was probably upset that I left for the Olympics, and probably thinks I don’t care about the team.
But I don’t want to use those excuses, I want to keep training hard and make sure I change the manager’s mind. But if it doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t happen.
“I’ll keep doing my best and be ready for whenever I’m called upon. Let’s see what happens in January. I

Ex-Eaglets star Dami Paul joins Katsina United

Former Nigeria U17 and U20 goalkeeper Dami Paul has joined newly promoted NPFL side Katsina United.
The club’s coach Bala Nikyu said: “We have brought in a new goalkeeper Dami Paul from Nasarawa

Lagos hosts Wheelchair Tennis National rankings tourney

Over 120 players are expected to participate a the inaugural National Wheelchair Tennis National Ranking Tournament scheduled to hold from November 30- December 3 in Lagos.
Nigeria Wheelchair Tennis scribe, Wosilat Aliu-Abass, informed that entries are still being expected from states who have all been sent letters for the championship.
She added that Wheelchair Tennis Nigeria, which is a division under the Nigeria Tennis Federation, is expecting a massive participation due to the fact that the tournament offers opportunities for players to occupy good position which would in turn help them in selection for national assignments.
Nigeria wheelchair tennis coach, Frank Tarmena stressed that the tournament will help in discovery of new

Heartland’s crisis festers, as Etuemena rejects new head coach

The crisis and face-off between the Chairman of the Imo State government owned Heartland Football Club (FC), Goodfaith Etuemena, and the Deputy Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly/Supervisor of the side, Ugonna Ozuruigbo, deepened yesterday when the club boss dissociated himself and the board from the appointment of a new head coach for the team.
A statement on Thursday signed by the club’s Media Director, Cajetan Nkwopara, Etuemena dismissed Ozuruigbo’s employment of Cross River-based Camerounian, Emmanuel Deutsch, as Heartland’s new technical adviser, saying the move was just to factionalise the team.
The statement read: “Chairman of Heartland FC of Owerri, Goodfaith Etuemena has washed off his hands on the purported hiring of Cross River State-based Cameroonian, Emmanuel Deutsch, as team’s new technical adviser by the Deputy Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Ugonna Ozuruigbo, a.k.a. OZB.
“Etuemena said both himself and the body of Heartland FC management was neither aware nor party to the hiring of Cameroonian, who was dropped as Heartland’s goalkeeper trainer before the team was able to

Khawaja, Smith steer Australia to 109-2 in 3rd test against S’Africa

With of one of Australia’s rookies already out and two others next in line to bat, the relatively experienced Usman Khawaja and skipper Steve Smith soaked up the pressure on Friday and guided the hosts to 109-2 by the end of the first session on day two of the day-night test against South Africa.
Resuming a 14-0 after South Africa’s first innings of 259-9 declared, Australia needed a strong performance by its top order following back-to-back losses in Perth and Hobart that had already decided the series.
Australia made five changes to the XI in a bid to arrest a losing streak and avoid being swept 3-0 on home soil.
Khawaja, forced to be makeshift opener for the innings as David Warner was not fit to bat on Thursday night, batted cautiously early before a flourish to reach his sixth test half century just before the interval with consecutive pulled boundaries against Kyle Abbott.
The third-wicket pair added 72 after Abbott had taken two wickets in an outstanding opening spell that had Australia in trouble at 37-2. Khawaja was unbeaten on 58 at the interval and Smith was 23.
Matt Renshaw (10) , the 20-year-old English-born opener who is among three young batsmen on debut, added only two to his overnight score before edging Abbott into the slips, where Dean Elgar took a superb

Mikel Obi offered N66m-a-week deal by Chinese club

Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has been offered an incredible $212,000-a-weel deal by Chinese club, Shanghai SIPG.
According to report, the offer was made to the midfielder’s agent after Nigeria’s 3-1 win over Algeria in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Uyo, where he scored the second goal.
Mikel Obi is yet to play a single minute under new Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte and has been linked