Nigeria international winger Chidera Ejuke has drawn the ire of LaLiga side Sevilla after he was seen in a viral video playing street football in Nigeria, where he is presently on holiday.

Ejuke has taken part in games in the city of Kaduna where he grew up. Giving locals who knew him in his formative years to have the chance of seeing him play live after his debut season in the Spanish top flight.

He didn’t have the best of seasons with injuries and fitness issues limiting him to just 25 games with just two goals and one assist. Back home he has been using the opportunity to once again put himself in top shape before the resumption of pre season training by playing street football.

That move appears to have angered the hierarchy of Sevilla according to Spanish news outlet AS , leading the club to take a decision on letting him leave in the summer transfer window in the event that a suitable offer arrives.

“Ejuke’s current behaviour, engaging in carefree, unsupervised matches during the holidays, is being interpreted by club insiders as a reflection of the same impulsiveness and lack of discipline that marked his inconsistent debut season in Spain,” AS stated on the winger who joined the team on a free transfer last summer.

“Sevilla are now reportedly open to offers for the winger and would not resist his departure if a suitable bid arrives.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Top division Hungarian side Diósgyőr have reached an agreement with the representative of Nigeria international midfielder Anderson Esiti for him to join them on a free transfer from fellow Hungarian side Zalaegerszeg, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 31 year old who has three senior caps for Nigeria all coming in 2015 have agreed the terms of the deal that will see him move on a free transfer for the third time in his career.

Last season he played a total of 11 games in all competitions for Zalaegerszeg. The team where he has spent the last three seasons and upon the expiration of his deal they failed to reach an agreement on extending his stay.

Rated as the strongest player in the world by the official gaming platform of world football governing body FIFA, his career at club and national team level hasn’t hit the expected heights since his breakthrough in 2014 with Portuguese side Estoril.

A move to Belgium side Gent was seen as a huge step up that will prepare him for a top league, but he ended up joining Greek side PAOK after two seasons.

At PAOK he struggled to nail down a spot in the first team, which made him leave on loan to Turkish side Goztepe. He left PAOK permanently in 2022 for Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

Daniel Martins

The agent of Dapo Afolayan says the St. Pauli winger told the head coach of the Super Eagles Eric Chelle that he is open to the idea of playing for Nigeria if he is called up , OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Dapo who was born in London to parents of Nigerian descent had a fairly decent season for St. Pauli in his maiden season in the German Bundesliga by playing in 32 games, where he picked up three goals and one assist.

Eligible for both England and Nigeria, the representative of the 27 year old revealed he has already made up his mind on playing for Nigeria, and told Chelle during a brief meeting at the camp of the team in London, where the Super Eagles took part in the Unity Cup tournament.

” Chelle spoke with Dapo before they met in London. The meeting was brief but productive and it was more of showing his commitment and desire to play for the Super Eagles. At least that was clear and forward from the meeting”, he said.

” Now it’s up to Dapo to put in a performance that will make the coach notice him next season. Nigeria have so many options in several positions. Hence to get an invitation means you must earn it with your performances”, he concluded.

Ade Emmanuel

Nigeria international forward Moses Simon has completed his move to newly promoted French Ligue 1 side Paris FC from fellow league side Nantes, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Simon who ended last season with ten assists and eight goals will be the first statement signing of the newly promoted side, who are fully backed by the wealthy Arnault family and the Red Bull brand.

He will reportedly earn $300,000 a month, twice the amount he was earning at Nantes where he spent five seasons. A fee of €7m with add ons taking it to €10m was agreed for his transfer.

The 29 year old passed a routine medical a few hours ago after returning from Nigeria, where he took part in the William Troost-Ekong novelty match. They are presently preparing for his unveiling.

Reports say he will sign a three year deal with the option of another year if certain clauses are met.

Daniel Martins

Empoli midfielder Tino Anjorin has agreed to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria after holding talks with coach of the team Eric Chelle, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Anjorin who is of Nigerian descent has played for England at various youth levels, but still eligible for Nigeria at senior level which prompted his decision to hold talks with Chelle , when the idea was proposed to him.

The 23 year old who made the step up from the youth teams of Chelsea to the main team, where he made five senior appearances before his permanent departure two seasons ago agreed to switch his international future to Nigeria.

Wanted by a host of teams which includes Roma, Bologna, Fiorentina and League champions Napoli following the relegation of Empoli, he will formally apply for a switch of nationality when his club future is sorted.

Last season he was one of the shinning lights of a poor season for Empoli playing in 22 games in all competitions with two goals and three assists from his role as a center midfielder.

Fresh from his maiden senior cap for South Africa Ime Okon has revealed why he made the decision to pledge his international future to South Africa rather than wait for Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a South African mother, the 20 year old was eligible for both nations but settled for South Africa and made his debut during the recent COSAFA Cup in Bloemfontein, bringing an end to the debate about his choice.

Speaking on his decision, he said the decision was a very easy one to make because he has always wanted to play for South Africa.”It was never a difficult decision to choose which nation to represent,” he explained.

“It’s been a great experience with the national team, all of the players and coaches have been very helpful and welcoming. Hopefully, I can get many more call-ups in the future”.

He was excited to hear that he could be in line for a call up to the main squad who are gearing up for the resumption of games in the world cup qualifiers, as he is among the players closely monitored by coach Hugo Broos.

“If he’s monitoring us, then that will mean a lot to me and to the rest of the guys because many of us want to represent the country and play for the main Bafana Bafana group”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has his sights on the development of four young players in view of a call up to the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Encouraged by the performance of Brentford defender Benjamin Fredrick during the Unity Cup, the coach has now decided to have at least one young player in any of his squad starting with the world cup qualifiers games in September.

A source close to the coach revealed that Esperance of Tunisia midfielder Onuche Ogbelu is top of the list, owing to the way he has acquitted himself at the club world cup with two eye catching performances so far.

Molde of Norway 18 year old Daniel Daga is also high on the list of the manager, and he has also open the door to run a proper rule on Hazmat Ojediran of Ligue 1 side Lens after his debut season.

Almere City right back who was a trainee with the 2019 Nigeria U20 team is also marked for more scouting after his role in helping his team gain promotion to the Dutch top division.

All four players will be closely monitored for the rebuild of the Super Eagles, which Chelle is keen on carrying out in his bid to trim down the number of players who are above 30 in the team.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Do you ever look at pro football players and think, “How is this person in such an impeccable shape?”

Like most, you probably think it mostly comes down to an incredibly demanding and time-consuming training plan. While that’s one part of it, staying fit requires a holistic approach, so let’s discuss some natural ways to stay in top shape by borrowing tactics from football players.

1. Sport-Specific Training

Sport-specific training is how footballers stay fit. This type of training is highly specific to their sport and includes:

• Position-specific drills like 1v1 situations for goalkeepers and passing/facilitating for midfielders
• Agility and footwork like ladder and cone drills
• Speed training like sprints and resisted sprints
• Plyometrics for explosiveness like box jumps
• Sport-specific conditioning work like mixing jogging, running, and sprinting
• Change of direction training

Sport-specific training also includes mini-games where players form smaller teams to practice and film study to learn about opponents’ tendencies and such.

2. Functional Training

Functional training is an umbrella term that includes any form of physical activity that helps football players become more functional. 

If sport-specific training helps football players hone specific skills used in games, functional training helps them improve their physical capacity. This includes improving athletic characteristics like strength, balance, endurance, and explosiveness.

For example, this can include a solid strength program and a conditioning plan on top of the player’s highly specific training.

3. Adequate Recovery

Football players often go through grueling and demanding training plans, usually doing two-a-days to hone their skills and develop their physical capacity. Because of that, football player recovery is crucial to help athletes adapt positively and keep injuries at bay.

Some of the best recovery methods for athletes include:

• Sleep – seven to eight hours per night is a must
• Diet – eating enough calories and a balanced mix of healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein
• Relaxation – being able to turn the mind off and think about other things can help take the pressure off and improve football players’ performance during official games and practice

CBD supplementation can be highly beneficial because it supports sleep and contributes to a more relaxed state. For example, gummies for pain can also be helpful when players deal with minor aches.

Some post-match recovery tips include:

• Drink plenty of water with electrolytes to rehydrate
• Eat a mix of protein and carbs up to an hour after the match
• Consider cold water immersion to limit muscle inflammation and soreness
• Relax and get a good night’s sleep

4. Massages/Foam Rolling

Regular massages and foam rolling are other common practices that contribute to recovery and mobility to help football players stay in top shape. 

Massages are particularly beneficial between workouts and following matches to help relax the muscles, promote blood flow, and support the removal of metabolic waste from the muscles. 

Foam rolling, also known as self-myofascial release, can have a similar effect on the muscles and is often used as a warm-up technique to help improve the range of motion and reduce the injury risk.

5. A Good Diet + Hydration

We briefly touched on both above, but let’s expand a bit. Good nutrition and hydration play an essential role in muscle recovery for footballers, as well as high energy levels and optimal performance during practice and matches. 

A balanced diet consisting of lean protein, complex and fast-digesting carbs, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals provides everything the body needs to operate at peak efficiency, leading to better endurance, improved cognition, and faster reaction times.

Good hydration is also essential, especially during long practice sessions. It helps replenish lost electrolytes, which supports cardiovascular and muscle function and reduces the risk of painful cramps.

Various sources suggest 3.7 liters of water for men and 2.7 liters for women.

Conclusion

Combining sport-specific training with functional workouts, regular massages, foam rolling, a healthy diet, and good hydration helps football players stay in top shape, recover, and perform optimally.

Coach of the Nigerian football team to the 2016 Olympic games in Rio Samson Siasia has hit back at claims by John Obi Mikel that he paid for the team’s air ticket to the tournament.

Mikel was picked as one of the three overaged players in the squad by Siasia as permitted by the rules of the tournament. Nigeria went ahead to pick the Bronze medal as the event.

A few days ago , a video clip of Mikel where he claimed he paid the air tickets of the team to the tournament after they were left stranded has gone viral, he claimed till date he hasn’t being reimbursed as he was promised when he decided to pick up the bill.

Responding Siasia said it’s not true insisting that while Mikel paid for some of the bills of the hotel, he didn’t pay for their air tickets.

“Mikel Obi did not pay any flight money for Olympic Eagles from United States to Brazil for the 2016 Olympics. Nothing like that,” Siasia told Omonfoma Ebare of AIT Sports in quotes published by Totorinews.com.

“We only had issues with hotel bills. I think, he did pay for some of the hotel bills, but that of the flight from United States to Brazil, Mikel did not pay for that.

He added. “Delta Airline flew us because Nigerians in the United States were agitated over the issue. A friend of mine went to Delta Airline chairman and they resolved the matter.

“Yemi Idowu had earlier paid for the team’s flight tickets, but the aircraft was too small. If Mikel has the receipt to that effect, let him show Nigerians that he was the one who paid.

“Mikel did not pay for any flight tickets of the team. I say this as the head coach of the team then. He should bring the receipt, if he paid.

“May be he is broke and looking for money. He should try other means to make money,” he concluded.

31 year old Nigeria international defender Kenneth Omeruo has joined Romanian side CFR Cluj on a free transfer after his contract cancellation with Turkish side Kasimpasa, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

He becomes the 7th signing of the Romanian side who are hoping that he will fire them to league glory after finishing second last season. The length of the contract wasn’t made public as at the time of this report.

Cluj will be his 7th club since he turned professional in 2013. He has had spells in the Netherlands, England, Turkey and Spain. At national level he boast of 69 caps for the senior national team of Nigeria.

The high point of his career was helping the team to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations , and he also played in two different world cup tournaments in 2014 and 2018 respectively. His last involvement with the Nigerian team came at the last AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.