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Everton appoints Lampard as new manager to replace Benitez

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Everton appoints Lampard as new manager to replace Benitez

Everton appoints Lampard as new manager to replace Benitez

Everton have confirmed Frank Lampard as the club’s new manager.

The former Derby and Chelsea boss has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract – until June 2024 – having impressed the club over a series of interviews.

The 43-year-old will take charge of training this week and his first game will be a meeting with Brentford in the fourth round of the FA Cup on February 5.

The ex-England midfielder, who was relieved of his duties in charge of the Blues after a season-and-a-half in January 2021, arrives on Merseyside to succeed Rafael Benitez with the club mired in a relegation battle.

Lampard emerged as the preferred candidate at the Toffees ahead of interim boss Duncan Ferguson and former Porto coach Vítor Pereira, and now faces the challenge of ensuring the club’s unbroken 68-year stay in the top flight does not come to an end.

Lampard told the club’s official website: “It is a huge honour for me to represent and manage a club the size and tradition of Everton football club.

“I’m very hungry to get started. After speaking to the owner, chairman and the board, I very much felt their passion and ambition. I hope they felt my ambition and how hard I want to work to bring it together.

“You can feel the passion Everton fans have for their club. That will be hugely important. As a team – the competitive level that the Premier League brings and the position we are in the table, we certainly need that.

“It’s a two-way thing. I think Everton is a unique club in that you can really understand what the fans want to see. The first thing they want is fight and desire and that must always be our baseline.

“My first message to the players will be that we have to do this together. We’ll try to do our job and I know the fans will be there backing us.”

READ ALSO: EPL: Brentford Sign Eriksen On 6-Month Deal

The managerial vacancy became available after the Toffees dispensed with the services of Rafael Benitez following a disappointing spell at the helm for the Spaniard.

Benitez took charge in June last year, replacing Carlo Ancelotti, but things did not work out and he was axed on January 16 following a 2-1 defeat to struggling Norwich the previous day.

Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri said: “I am really delighted that Frank has joined us.

“He is an impressive young man on and off the pitch. He has played at the very highest level of the game and has football in his blood.

“He impressed us all greatly during the thorough interview process and we’re all ready to give him all of our support as he looks to give the team an immediate boost.”

Everton targeted Roberto Martinez, but were forced to look elsewhere after the Belgian FA vetoed any prospect of him combining a club job with his duties as Belgium coach.

Wayne Rooney was in the running but ruled himself out, saying he had unfinished business at Derby, and Lampard beat off competition from Duncan Ferguson and former Porto boss Vitor Pereira.

Lampard takes over with Everton in 16th in the Premier League, five points above the drop zone, and they face fellow strugglers Newcastle on February 8.

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Zuwaira Gambo Commemorates Youth-Led Football Tournament Advocating Peace

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Zuwaira Gambo Commemorates Youth-Led Football Tournament Advocating Peace

… FC Yazuzu wins Borno Model Competition with a 3-0 victory

By: Our Reporter

The Hon. Commissioner for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Borno State, Hajjia Zuwaira Gambo, graced the grand finale of a youth-driven football tournament designed to promote peace and unity in the region. The event, a flagship of the Borno Model initiative, featured teams comprising repented insurgents and local youth, showcasing sports as a powerful tool for reconciliation and community building.

The final match saw FC YaZuzu, representing Hon. Zuwaira Gambo, clinch an emphatic 3-0 victory over FC Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq, which represented the Senior Special Adviser on Security to the Governor. The spirited competition and resounding cheers from spectators highlighted the community’s commitment to fostering harmony and rebuilding trust.

After presenting the championship trophy to FC YaZuzu, Hon. Gambo lauded the youth for their initiative and vision. She remarked, “This tournament transcends football; it symbolizes hope, unity, and a brighter future led by the youth of Borno. Your efforts are a testament to the resilience and potential within our communities.”

She extended gratitude to Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq for his pivotal support and emphasized how the event aligns with Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s vision for youth empowerment and sustainable social development.

The celebrations that followed the trophy presentation underscored the triumph of collective action and served as a poignant reminder of the transformative impact of youth-led initiatives in building a peaceful and unified Borno.

Zuwaira Gambo Commemorates Youth-Led Football Tournament Advocating Peace

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Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco – Foreign Affairs Minister

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Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco – Foreign Affairs Minister

By: Michael Mike

The Nigerian government has said it at no time offer an apology to the Libya government over actions or inactions of the country’s national team during the fiasco of the detention of the Super Eagles at an airport in the North African country’s airport.

The Nigerian government made the clarification on Wednesday after it was reported in a Libyan media that it gave an apology.

A statement signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir,
the Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar read: “On October 15, 2024, the Libya Observer published an erroneous report to gain political leverage and cause disaffection amongst continental football administrators and fans.

“The publication by the Libya Observer, which misrepresents the phone correspondence between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the East-based Government’s Foreign Minister, is a clear case of misinformation. The fact of the matter was that the CDA of the Government of National Unity was summoned to the Ministry to seek an immediate end to the unfortunate incident. However, not much diplomatic headway was made during the meeting with the Acting Charge of Affairs, Imad Mohammed Matooq Aboud, as they insisted that it was not under the jurisdiction of Tripoli, which they represented, but that of the Eastern Government in Benghazi.
This prompted the Minister to take immediate action by contacting the Foreign Minister of the Eastern Government, Abdelhadi Lahweej, to intervene and ensure that the detention ended. After that, the aircraft was given the necessary permits to fly, and aviation fuel was accessed.
Both Ministers agreed that the matter should be de-escalated immediately. Even when Lahweej insisted on rehashing the untruth about the treatment of Libyan players in Nigeria, Amb. Tuggar once again corrected the misinformation about the mistreatment of Libyan players during the Nigerian encounter. He did not apologise or regret the treatment of Libyan officials and players because the account was inaccurate.

“Lahweej proposed a joint statement, which the Ministry rejected because it erroneously misrepresented the facts of the incident. Above all, the federal government of Nigeria only shares a diplomatic relationship with the government of the National Accord and not with the Eastern government.”

The statement emphasized that: “Nigeria remains unequivocal in expressing its displeasure and disappointment with how the Nigerian Football Federation officials were treated in Libya. It calls on the Confederation of African Football to urgently ensure that its Disciplinary Board investigates the matter and imposes appropriate sanctions based on its statutes.”

Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco – Foreign Affairs Minister

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Nigerian Government Says Super Eagles Was Placed in Detention

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Nigerian Government Says Super Eagles Was Placed in Detention

By: Michael Mike

The Nigerian government has described the incident with the National team, the Super Eagles in Libya as a detention.

The government in a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Eche Abu-Obe said it received with dismay the news of the unfortunate detention of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) officials and the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Al Abraq International Airport several hours after arriving ahead of Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya.

The statement said: “To resolve the incident, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, initiated a phone call to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Eastern Government, Dr. Abdulhadi Lahweej. This spawned a series of actions, culminating in steps taken to assuage the officials and reassure the players of their safety. Subsequently, the contingent departed for Nigeria.

“In ending the phone conversation, Amb. Tuggar commended the authorities’ actions in resolving the incident, and both Ministers appreciated the amicable resolution of the unfortunate situation in the spirit of African brotherhood.”

Nigerian Government Says Super Eagles Was Placed in Detention

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