by FSL News | 4 Jan, 2018 | African News
Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah has been named the CAF African Player of the Year for 2017, with Senegalese attacker Sadio Mane in second place.
Both Liverpool strikers were named among the final three for the award, handed out by CAF, along with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Salah, 25, came out on top after a stellar half-season with Liverpool, following on from a productive second half of the campaign with former club AS Roma.
The in-form striker replacing last year’s winner Riyad Mahrez caps off a stunning year for the Reds’ No. 11.
“Winning this award is a dream come true, 2017 was an unbelievable year for me,” Salah said after receiving the trophy.
In addition, Salah produced a vital contribution in Egypt’s World Cup qualifying campaign, guiding them to the finals in Russia with a succession of goal scoring performances.
Egypt manager Hector Cooper also picked up the Best Coach of the Year gong for qualifying them for the World Cup in Russia.
Mane was one of the Reds’ most important players last season and, while not quite hitting those heights so far in 17/18, has still found the back of the net eight times.
The Senegalese attacker has been named in the CAF Team of the Year for the past two years and his top-two finish solidifies his place as one of the Continent’s best.
Salah, for his part, was also in the 2016 Team of the Year, was named in the AFCON Team of the Tournament in 2017 and won the BBC African Player of the Year award last month.
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by FSL News | 22 Dec, 2017 | African News
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) says former Sierra Leone coach Johnny McKinstry is on its shortlist of four candidates to coach the national team.
According to Fufa, Crane current acting technician Moses Basena, Frenchman Sebastien Desabre, Johnny McKinstry and Belgian Emilio Ferrera are all in consideration for the top job.
McKinstry, 32, was in charge of Sierra Leone between 2013/2014 when he was the youngest active international head coach in world football.
He guided Sierra Leone to their highest ever FIFA World and African rankings – 7th in Africa and 50th in the World in his 16 months in charge but was sacked in September 2014.
FUFA in a statement said: “FUFA has forwarded a shortlist of 4 coaches to Government from which the next Uganda Cranes coach will be named.”
“The names were presented to the FUFA Executive after the 5 man Technical Panel assessed the CVs of the applicants for the job.”
“The list has; Desabre Sebastien (French, 41 years), Jonathan McKinstry (Northern Irish, 32 years), Emilio Ferrera (Belgian, 50 years) and Moses Basena, Ugandan, 52 years). FUFA and the Government will discuss remuneration of the new coach.”
McKinstry has also had a spell with Rwanda, before his move managed Lithuanian top-flight side FK Kauno Zalgiris since July 2017.
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by FSL News | 12 Dec, 2017 | African News
Egyptian winger, Mohamed Salah, has expressed his delight to fans and voters after being named BBC African Footballer of the Year.
Salah said on Twitter that he is very proud to have won this prestigious award for best African player, and joining the ranks of many great players.
Following a record number of votes, the Liverpool star won ahead of Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinean Naby Keita, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Nigeria’s Victor Moses.
“Very proud to have won this prestigious award for best African player, and joining the ranks of many great players who won it before me,” the Liverpool winger posted on his official Twitter account.
“It’s well-deserved,” Jurgen Klopp told the BBC. “I am a really lucky person. I had the opportunity to work with a few outstanding players and I am happy that it is now with Mo.”
The former Chelsea attacking midfielder registered 15 goals with Roma and provided 11 others, helping Roma ended the Seria A season second.
Since joining Liverpool he has scored 13 impressive Premier League goals.
Previous winners of the BBC African player of the year award
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City & Algeria), 2015: Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast), 2014: Yacine Brahimi (Porto & Algeria)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast), 2012: Chris Katongo (Henan Construction & Zambia), 2011: Andre Ayew (Marseille & Ghana)
2010: Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana), 2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast), 2008: Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt), 2007: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)
2006: Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana), 2005: Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt), 2004: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria), 2003: Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2002: El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal), 2001: Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana), 2000: Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon).
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by FSL News | 1 Dec, 2017 | African News
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) have confirmed that US$500,000 will be given to each the of the continent’s World Cup teams.
Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia and Senegal will receive the money ahead of next year’s finals in Russia 2018.
At the meeting ahead of the World Cup draw in Russia on 1 December, it was decided that CAF will grant a financial subsidy of $500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand dollars) to each of the five African teams.
The financial package will be used mainly to strengthen and improve the technical supervision of each team, Caf said in a statement.
The ad hoc committee chaired by the Caf vice-president, Kwesi Nyantakyi from Ghana, met for the first time ahead of the World Cup draw in Russia on 1 December.
The other committee also has Caf executive committee member Kalusha Bwalya and presidents of the five presidents of the football associations of the World Cup-bound teams.
In addition, Caf will provide each nation with specialised technology to help measure the physical performances of sportsmen and women.
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by FSL News | 25 Nov, 2017 | African News
#CAFConfedcup: TP Mazembe retained the CAF Confederation Cup over two legs after overcoming SuperSport United 2-1 on aggregate.
The Democratic Republic of Congo top-flight side recorded their third continental trophy in as many years.
The second leg of the final ended 0-0 in Atteridgeville on Saturday night.
Both sides had a player sent off in the final 10 minutes of a scrappy encounter.
The visitors had Chongo Kabaso sent to the changeroom after he received two yellow cards, while Thuso Phala was shown a straight red for a dangerous tackle.
The first leg, played in Lubumbashi, ended 2-1 in Mazembe’s favour last Sunday.
Mazembe pocketed a record $1.25 million (about 1.1 million euros) for winning and will take on Champions League title-holders Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in a one-off Super Cup match in February.
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by FSL News | 25 Nov, 2017 | African News
The Gambia National Sports Council (NSC) will not reverse a decision to suspend the executive committee of the country’s football federation despite warning and threat of suspension from FIFA.
“We will not rescind our decision nor compromise the principles of good governance,” Gambia’s National Sports Council (NSC) chairman Bori Darboe told the BBC.
Football’s world governing body, FIFA in a letter stated NSC must reverse its decision by 27 November or it will take further action, including a possible global suspension if the deadline is not met.
“We are in no way reluctant to engage with the suspended executive as proposed by Fifa in their letter to the Council,”
Darboe added he would be happy for The Gambia to be banned in order for the fraud investigations to continue.
“In the worst scenario it is better for the country to be suspended and we put our house in order than allow wrongdoing to prevail and remain as we are without progress in our football development,” Darboe insisted.
“The Sports Council is not and will not compromise nor abandon the current principles of accountability and transparency.
“The Gambia will not allow any individual or group to flout the financial rules and regulations of this land without being dealt with impunity.
“To let you know just one serious case at hand right now. The NSC has investigated and confirmed with the Gambia Revenue Authority that there are sufficient evidence of GFF involvement in tax fraud.
“Also let me make it clear that a full and detailed report will be compiled and forwarded to FIFA at the end of the investigations.”
In response, the GFF denied any wrongdoing and refused to recognise the sanctions.
Under a global ban, Gambian clubs would be prevented from taking part in the continental competition and none of the country’s national teams would be allowed to play in any Fifa-recognised matches.
The Gambia’s women’s under-17 team is currently still involved in qualifying for the World Cup.
Any ban could also threaten three-time African Referee of the Year Papa Gassama’s participation at the 2018 Russia World Cup.
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