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Thursday 28 November 2013

FIFA Rankings: Eagles Drop Three Places Despite defeating Ethiopia to pick ticket to the 2014 World Cup and also playing a 2-2 draw with former world champion, Italy, the Super Eagles slipped three places from 33rd to 36th in the latest FIFA Rankings released Thursday. The African champions however remained rooted to the same fourth position in the continent with 710 points behind the trio of Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Algeria who all interestingly will be flying the continent’s flag at next year’s World Cup in Brazil having secured tickets in the recently concluded World Cup Play-offs. Ivory Coast remains the highest ranked team in Africa and 17th in the world on 918 points. The Black Stars are 24th in the world with 849 points, while Algeria third in Africa are 26th in the world on 800 points. Spain head the global list, ahead of Germany, Argentina, Colombia and Portugal. All teams in the top 20, except for Ukraine (18th, up 2), have booked their tickets to Brazil next year and just three teams outside of the top 50 have managed to qualify for the 2014 showpiece, namely Cameroon (51st, up 8), Korea Republic (54th, up 2) and Australia (59th, down 2).

Moses Demands More Playing Time at Liverpool Victor Moses has shown his frustration at the failure of Liverpool to give him a regular start in the first team, and has demanded more playing time. The Super Eagles winger, who was speaking with a local paper, Liverpool Echo, delivered a veiled threat to team manager, Brendan Rodgers. “The main thing is to be on the pitch and enjoy football. That’s always been on my mind – to play games. “There was only a little spell at Wigan when I first signed there and I wasn’t in the team every week. “I’ve always gone to places for the football, places where I’m going to play. By playing, you learn, and I think I can develop a lot more but I realise to achieve that I’ve got to play as much as possible,” stressed the former Wigan star. Moses is the third Liverpool player to publicly complain about lack of game time. At the beginning of November, Daniel Agger also made the same complaint on Danish television. A couple of days after Agger, Luis Alberto publicly revealed his frustration with his status as a perennial bench-warmer onLFC.com. Sebastian Coates has also gone public on his disappointment with life at Anfield, stating his frustration in a March interview with Uruguayan newspaper El Observador. Moses had stated on arrival at Anfield, that he left Chelsea because his first team chances were limited.

ASUU dismisses FG’s threat to sack lecturers The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said the Federal Government’s December 4 ultimatum issued to universities teachers to return to the classrooms is a clear indication that the government is not committed to implementing any of the resolutions it reached with the union. While reacting to the threat of the Federal Government to sack the lecturers if they fail to call off their five-month strike by Wednesday nest week, ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu, said the union was shocked that the government could have such plan when there was a shortfall of 60,000 lecturers in Nigerian universities, owing to the government’s failure to employ enough teachers. He added that the threat would not hinder the union’s determination to ensure that Nigerian universities were well funded. He said, “It is a pity if the Federal Government is not willing to perfect the resolutions reached with the union. This is why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by their words. How can someone be threatening to sack lecturers when universities are already short-staffed by almost 60,000? We are not in a military era. The military tried it and failed. This one will fail again. They can re-open the schools. ASUU did not shut the universities; it was the school management that ordered the students to go back home.” ASUU added that the FG was wasting the time of Nigerians and youths in the country by failing to perfect the resolutions so that classes could resume in the schools. Making reference to the failure of the government to honour the agreements it entered with resident doctors and health workers after they suspended their strikes, the union said it had reasons to be wary of the government, adding that the threat was an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians who were waiting for the government for a positive reaction. “With the latest action, the government has shown that it is not committed to all it has been saying. We are saying that since we agreed at the meeting that the sum of N200bn is for 2012 and 2013 revitalisation, the government should deposit same in the Central Bank of Nigerian. We are already in November and December is around the corner. If they don’t do that now, when do they want to do it?” Aremu said.

Federal Government gives ASUU One-Week Ultimatum to Call Off Strike It seems students of Federal Government institutions will be heading back to school soon. TheFederal Governmenthas given theAcademic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) one week ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike. It began on Monday 1st July 2013 over the non implementation of a 2009 agreement with the FG. The acting Minister of Education Nyesom Wikegave the directive today Thursday 28th November 2013 in Abuja, while speaking with media representatives. Be Sociable, Share!

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists Sergio Aguero is not injured after he was substituted at half-time against Viktoria Plzen. Aguero opened the scoring from the penalty spot in City’s 4-2 UEFA Champions League victory over the Czech club on Wednesday, but was replaced for the second 45 minutes by Jesus Navas. And manager Pellegrini revealed the 25-year-old striker was only ever going to play the first half. “Aguero hasn’t any problems,” he said. “He knew from the beginning he was just going to play 45 minutes.” Joe Hart also made his return to first-team action against Plzen, having not featured since the end of October, but Pellegrini refused to be drawn on whether the England goalkeeper would remain in the side for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Swansea City. “I think Joe Hart played very well,” he continued. “I didn’t expect that he would have to work so much during the game because I think this is the match when the other team, including Champions League and Premier League, had the most chances to score. “Now we are talking about the Premier League. I repeat, I think Joe did a very good performance.” City are already through to the last 16 and sit three points behind Group D leaders and defending champions Bayern Munich with one match – against the Germans – left to play.