Stephen Appiah set to sign for Iranian giants Persepolis

Persepolis have reached an agreement in principle to sign ex-Ghana captain Stephen Appiah, reports in Iran have claimed.

The Iranian top flight side have reached an agreement with the player’s agent and expected to start training in the coming days.

Persepolis have identified the 31-year-old as a direct replacement for South Korean Kwon Jun, who has been sidelined with a foot injury.

Appiah recently turned down an offer to sign for Serbian giants FK Vojvodina.

Stephen Appiah has played for Udinese, Parma, Juventus, Fenerbahce and Serbian club Vojvodina.

The 31-year-old midfielder has made 69 appearances for Ghana football team and scored 16 goals.

Appiah captained Ghana at their World Cup debut in 2006 and was a member of their squad for the 2010 World Cup.

- Culled from Ghanasoccernet.com

Odemwingie insists he has not retired from Nigeria

Striker Peter Odemwingie has insisted he has not retired from international football with Nigeria, contradicting recent comments from Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi.

But the 31-year-old West Brom winger has conceded he is "unhappy" about certain aspects of the Nigerian set-up.

He told the Wolverhampton Express and Star: "I did not say I won't play for the national team.

"If the coach decides to call me, I am available to play for my country."

With the Africa Cup of Nations coming up in South Africa next year, between 19 January and 10 February, it would be a surprise if Odemwingie ruled himself out of being a part of Nigeria's plans.

That appeared to be the case when Keshi claimed at the weekend that Odemwingie no longer wanted to play for his country.

But the player, who has 54 caps and nine goals for Nigeria, has been quick to respond to Keshi's statement.

"When I decide that I want to stop playing, I will come out and say so myself," he said.

"I am 31 now, it will be hard to play every game, but I had an open and honest discussion with the coach and I will be available when they call me."

However, Odemwingie added: "I spoke with Keshi and I told him about my unhappiness with certain things in the national team.

"This included the fact that, as a player who has served his country with full commitment for over 10 years, I got into trouble for asking to be excused from a friendly game when I had an injury."

Odemwingie was omitted from Keshi's squad for the Nations Cup final-round qualifier against Liberia, which the Super Eagles won 8-3 on aggregate.

Nigeria have been drawn in Group C of the tournament, where they will face reigning champions Zambia, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.

- Culled from BBC Sport

African football wrap: AVB in love with Adebayor, Check your Tiotè, The Ameobis, Angry Samba et al

         

                                 I need you Ade - AVB

Spurs striker Emmanuel Adebayor will not be allowed to leave in January, according to manager Andre Villas-Boas, despite the Togolese not having started a game this campaign.

The former African player of the year, 28,  was omitted from the trip to NK Maribor in Thursday's Europa League encounter.

                    

                                Cheick yourself Mr T

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has admitted he might be losing patience with midfielder Cheick Tiote after the 26-year-old's sending off against Sunderland.

The tough-tackling Ivorian has come under severe criticism from cynics and critics.

                            Family affair - blood is thicker

Shola Ameobi, who is eligible to play for Nigeria, is backing his younger brother Sammy to surpass all that he has achieved during his time at Newcastle United.

Ameobi, 31, has spent his entire career on the books at St James' Park, making close to 350 appearances and scoring over 70 goals.

He is hoping the Ameobi name will continue to shine on Tyneside for many years to come, with Sammy, 20, having graduated out of Newcastle's academy system and into the first-team fold.

Shola believes his younger sibling is destined for a bright future at the highest level and is confident he will eclipse his record for the magpies.

Ameobi : "There's nearly 11 years between us, so when we were growing up, I think he was maybe a little bit intimidated by me, which is normal.

"He's trying to go through what I've been through. But we have got a great relationship now.

"I feel that as a big brother, I have to make sure he's on the right track all the time. I know my parents expect that of me, and it's something I'm conscious about doing.

"I'm sure he's well aware of how hard it's going to be and what he has to put in to make it to the very top.

"But I want to see him surpass anything I've ever done in this game and I know he has the ability to do that. He can do that, without a shadow of a doubt."

                                   Ideye's goal not enough

Nigeria international Brown Ideye scored to make it 2-2 but Jackson Martinez's goal five minutes later  was just enough to edge out spirited Dynamo Kiev 3-2 in the Champions League as Porto kept their 100 per cent record in Group A intact.

In the 71st minute, Ideye chested down Andriy Yarmolenko's diagonal pass from deep before rattling the ball beyond Helton.

                                    Mario snubbed by Nicki Minaj

US rapper Nicki Minaj refused the chance to meet Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli after a recent concert in the city, in favour of a trip to the local chicken takeaway.

Balotelli, who has biological Ghanaian parents, refused to comment.

                                    Saddened Samba

Anzhi Makhachkala defender Chris Samba is saddened by events at former employers Blackburn Rovers and feels more needs to be done to combat racism in football around the world.

Samba is currently plying his trade in Russia, having left Ewood Park to link up with ambitious Anzhi in February.

He claims he took the decision to jump a sinking ship at Blackburn because he could see that things were going to turn sour under Venky's ownership.

Congo international Samba: "It was their club so they can do what they want. It is sad that a couple of people had the power to do good or wrong, but it seems they have done wrong.

"A long time ago, I said all these bad things could happen. It's bad for the English football culture. Blackburn have been a traditional English club for so many years, a big family club.

"Changing the manager was not the right thing to do. They paid for it. They got relegated. It is very sad for the club.

"It is a club that I still follow. I hope the club find a way to get back into the Premier League. They need to be in the Premier League."

                                Passport hitch for Ambrose

Did you know? Celtic defender Efe Ambrose forgot his passport just hours before jetting off to Barcelona to prepare for their Champions League encounter. 

 Nigeria international Ambrose almost missed his flight after realising that he had left his passport behind. 

Despite his mistake, Ambrose was eventually reunited with his passport 30 minutes before Neil Lennon's men boarded at Glasgow airport. 

                             BBC African football headlines

QUITTER: Jean-Guy Wallemme has resigned as coach of Congo-Brazzaville in order to concentrate on his job in charge of French Ligue 2 club Auxerre.  

Menacing Menas: Niger coach Gernot Rohr is convinced his team can cause a major shock at the next year's Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Ex-factor: DR Congo coach Claude LeRoy will use his experience as an ex-coach of Ghana to gain an edge in their Nations Cup group.

Concession: Egypt's Ministry of Interior says fans can attend Al Ahly's Champions League final first leg against Esperance in Cairo.

Trouble for hosts, Ex seeking revenge. Full Afcon 2013 draw

Group A: South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Angola. 

*Big trouble for Bafana.  Debutants and giant killers Cape Verde will play host South Africa in 2013 Africa Cup of Nations' opening match in Johannesburg on  January 19. 

Group B: Ghana, DR Congo, Niger, Mali. 

*Ex- factor: DR Congo  coach, frenchman Claude Le Roy was in charge of Ghana at the 2008 Afcon in the West African country.

Group  C: Zambia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia. 

*Reigning African champions Chipolopolo of Zambia lost to Nigeria at the quarterfinal stage of the 2010 edition in Angola.

Group D: Ivory Coast, Togo, Algeria, Tunisia. 

*West face North. Elephants and Hawks from West Africa to share a stage with the Desert Foxes and Carthage Eagles. Will unpredictable Hawks fly amid three former champions? 

Mikel Obi set to sign new five-year deal - Agent

 

 English side Chelsea are poised to hand John Obi Mikel a new five-year contract.

The Nigerian midfielder, 25, tasted Champions League and FA Cup glory with the Blues last term.

Mikel’s deal expires next summer, but his agent John Shittu revealed: "Mikel will soon sign a new five-year contract with an improved salary and we are just about finalising the details of it.

"Mikel is one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers and the club agrees with us he deserves a new and improved contract.

"He has a year left and Chelsea have decided to add four more years to it."

Chelsea landed Mikel from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo in 2006 after shaking off a rival bid from Manchester United.

He has been ever-present this season as the Blues have gone four points clear at the top of the Premier League


- Culled from The Sun

African Round up 07-10-2012

                                      African Round up 07-10-2012

FRANCE: Brest and Bordeaux were involved in a 1-1 stalemate, Eden Ban Basat's 37th-min opener was cancelled out on 68 minutes by Mali's CHEICK DIABATE.

GERMANY: Senegal's MAMA BIRAM DIOUF's scored four minutes from time as Dortmund continued their poor start to the season in a 1-1 draw at Hannover.

HOLLAND: Groningen 2-2 Feyenoord. Ivorian SEKOU CISSE scored the opener for the visitors at Groningen.

RUSSIA: Cameroon striker SAMUEL ETO'O scored the second goal for Anji Makhachkala in their 2-0 win away to Dynamo Moscow in Russia.

TURKEY: Fenerbahce 3-0 Besiktas. Senegalese MOUSSA SOW scored the opener for the hosts in this big derby in Turkey.

Sivasspor 2-2 Bursaspor. Nigeria striker MICHEAL ENERAMO's leveller three minutes from time earned a point for the hosts.


ITALIAN DROG! According to Tuttosport, Serie A champions Juventus hope to bring in former Chelsea striker DIDIER DROGBA, 34, on a three-year contract *IF* the Ivorian is released from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua because of ongoing disputes within the club's hierarchy.

                                                 OTHERS

2013 African Youth Championship line-up: Algeria (hosts), Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria (defending champs), Mali, Benin, Gabon and DR Congo.

Injured EMMANUEL AGYEMANG-BADU is confident Ghana will scale over Malawi in the 2013 Nations Cup qualifier on Saturday.

Holders Esperance of Tunisia draw 0-0 with DR Congo outfit TP Mazembe in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.

Barring a catastrophic collapse in Malabo next week, the DR Congo will be one of 16 finalists in South Africa 2013. First leg ended DR Congo 4-0 Equtorial Guinea.

Wanyama for United: Sir Alex Ferguson's brother Martin - one of Manchester United's team of scouts - has watched Kenyan VICTOR WANYAMA several times this season.

Martin Ferguson has watched Victor Wanyama in Celtic's Uefa Champions League, to assess his merits against stronger opposition than he meets in the Scottish Premier League.

African Round Up 11-07-2012

- CAMEROON

The Real Madrid Foundation will be launching its Madrid Rumbo al Sur project in Cameroon this week, which consists of inaugurating and equipping a football academy in the country.

- DR CONGO

TP Mazembe have inaugurated their new stadium which is entirely owned by the Congolese club and has also been certified by Caf, thus making it possible for the team to host Ghana’s Berekum Chelsea on July 22 in the Caf Champions League group phase's second match day.

The Mazembe Stadium is a 19,500 all-seater facility including 6628 VIP seats, a well equipped media area, a lift, and a synthetic turf.

Other facilities in the compound are a supermarket, a sportswear store, a swimming pool and a rehabilitation centre. [via GOAL]

- GHANA

ISAAC COFIE, 20, has signed a four-year deal with Italian Serie A side Chievo Verona.

Cofie was unveiled on Monday after passing a medical in a co-ownership deal with Genoa.

Striker ASAMOAH GYAN ends the self-imposed international exile that he took following a missed penalty at the 2012 Nations Cup.

Another man making a comeback is midfielder ANTHONY ANNAN. He has returned to German side Schalke 04 for pre-season training.

Annan, 24, spent last season on loan at Dutch Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem, trained with the Royal Blues in Gelsenkirchen under coach Huub Stevens.

Midfielder MUBARAK WAKASO, 21, has joined Spanish La Liga side Espanyol from Villarreal on a four-year deal.

According to MTNFootball he passed a medical examination on Wednesday morning at the Creu Blanca Clinic in Barcelona.

Wakaso will be presented to the club's fans at a ceremony on Thursday.

Another Ghanaian that has been unveiled is KWADWO ASAMOAH, 23.

The midfielder has been handed the number 22 shirt at Juventus after he was unveiled by the 2011/12 Italian champions on Wednesday.

- NIGERIA

Former African footballer of the year, NWANKWO KANU, is in Nigeria refusing to return to England as his controversial Pompey absence continues.

The veteran striker yesterday missed training for a second day, while his team-mates took part in a double session.

The motivation behind the Nigerian's stance remains unclear.

Interestingly, the former Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal and West Brom man has demanded a compromise £300,000 to rip up the final year of his Pompey contract.

SETBACK: Defender KENNETH OMERUO will miss Chelsea pre-season in the US because his visa to the UK will come through late.

The European champions had planned to have a closer look at the Nigeria U-20 star after he shone on loan to Dutch club ADO Den Haag last season. [via MTNfootball]

Striker IBUKUN OGUNSEYE, 17, has been promoted to the Inter Milan first team.

Ogunseye has Italian nationality as he was born in Mantova.

He was part of the Inter Milan training match on Monday as coach Andrea Stramaccioni threw the teenager into the deep end.

- MOROCCO

Morocco midfielder ADEL TAARABT signs a three-year extension to his contract with English Premier League side Queens Park Ranger.

Taarabt, who was close to joining French side PSG last sunmmer, has signed a new contract tying him to the London club until 2016. He will also wear the number 10 shirt next season.

Italian side Fiorentina sign Morocco striker MOUNIR El HAMDAOUI from Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam.

The striker, who turns 28 on Saturday, still had two years of his contract with Ajax left to run and joins the Italian outfit for an undisclosed fee.

BUT his compatriot HOUSSINE KHARJA has been released from the final year of his contract with the Italian side, by mutual consent.

Fiorentina confirmed Kharja's release on their website and it means he can now join Qatari club Al Arabi, after agreeing to sign for them in June.

-------> GOSSIPS

Turkish side Bursaspor want to negotiate lower fee for Man City and Ivorian defender KOLO TOURE. VERDICT - 50/50

Dutch side Heerenveen's Moroccan winger OUSSAMA ASSAIDI is reportedly a transfer target for Marseille. VERDICT - 50/50

Turkish giants Besiktas and Galatasaray have joined Inter Milan in the race to sign Nigeria striker OBAFEMI MARTINS, according to a source close to the player. VERDICT - BIG MISS

Hull boss Steve Bruce is ready to offer old club Sunderland £1.75million for Egyptian winger AHMED ELMOHAMADY. VERDICT - HIGHLY POSSIBLE.

Ivorian YAYA TOURE has rejected a shock return to Barcelona and pledged his future to Manchester City.

Nigerian NWANKWO KANU faces a fine from Portsmouth after failing to turn up for the start of pre-season training.

Gyan in Ghana U-turn

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has rescinded his decision to quit international football "indefinitely", according to his management team.

Back in February, Gyan decided to quit because he was "frustrated over the verbal abuse he received" since the Africa Cup of Nations.

He told me back then: "I love my country, I always defend my national colours with pride and determination,"

"But when you can no longer deal with the verbal and viral insults directed at you and your family, then you do the most decent thing.

"Football is my life and career. I have taken this decision and hopefully I will bounce back stronger."

Gyan's move follows Ghana's Nations Cup semi-final defeat by Zambia, in which he had a penalty saved.

The player came under sustained criticism following the Black Stars' failure to win the continental crown.

After five months away, the Al Ain of UAE striker will be available for the four-time African Champions when they face Malawi in the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier in September.

Chinese Yak set to attack

Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F unveiled Nigeria striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni on Wednesday.

Yakubu departed English side Blackburn Rovers for GR&F on a three-year deal and is gradually settling down in the city of Guangzhou.

"It's a lovely city, we have a lot of Nigerians here and some are already wishing me well - a good start."

"African stars are coming here, a total reflection of what the Chinese League will be soon - competitive."

Yakubu, however, is insisting that money was not the reason he moved to China.

"After hearing the club's plans, I realised I had to join. Money wasn't a factor," Yakubu said as he was officially unveiled by his new club Guangzhou R&F.

Neither the transfer fee nor his personal terms have been disclosed.

Yakubu told me: "People only talk about the money [in China] because that's all they want to read about.

"These clubs are investing in the football and the players must deliver on the pitch as well.

"I hope to give my best and ensure the team compete well with others as well."

Yakubu, 29, is expected to make his debut against current league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande this weekend.