Van Gaal rejects Nigeria
Dutch coach Louis van Gaal has ruled himself out of the Nigeria job, saying he would see out his contract with German club Bayern Munich.
Van Gaal was one of six candidates shortlisted by the Nigeria Football Federation after a meeting last Friday which ended with Shuaibu Amodu being demoted to coach a team of locally-based players.
But the Dutchman, who has been linked with the Nigeria job since 2005, says he is unavailable at this time "I have a contract and I'll respect it. It's not the first time that Nigeria show interest in me, but Bayern Munich represent a great challenge. I think that Bayern will be my last club, after that I'll go to Portugal and there I'll wait a nice offer to guide a great national team," van Gaal said.
The Bayern coach is one of two high profile candidates shortlisted for the post. The other, current Russia coach Guus Hiddink, is also expected to rule himself out of the running in the coming days.
However, one high-profile name who was not shortlisted, but who is believed to be keen on the Nigeria post is Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trappatoni.
The Italian is said to have a clause in his contract that allows him to walk away from the Republic job anytime until March 10.
Colin Udoh, Super Sport.
Nigeria add Egypt coach Shehata to shortlist
LAGOS (AFP) - The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have added Egypt coach Hassan Shehata to a shortlist of coaches to replace Shuaibu Amodu, who was fired late Friday.
"Yes, Shehata has been added to this shortlist, making him the sixth coach Nigeria are considering to lead the country to the World Cup in South Africa in June," said NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire.
Last week, Shehata led Egypt to an historic third successive Africa Cup of Nations crown in Angola.
Shehata has also disclosed that he has been approached by Nigeria, but that the decision rested with his employers, the Egypt Football Association (EFA), who have extended his contract until 2014.
Other potential candidates are Russia coach Guus Hiddink; Bayern Munich trainer Louis van Gaal; Bruno Metsu, who led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup; Ratomir Djukovic, who guided Ghana to the 2006 World Cup and former England caretaker coach, Peter Taylor.
Nigeria plan to appoint a coach for the World Cup before the end of the month.
The Super Eagles are drawn in a first round group at the 2010 World Cup along with Argentina,Greece and Korea Republic.
Nigeria sack Amodu, draw up Hiddink-led shortlist
LAGOS (AFP) - Nigeria football bosses on Friday announced the sacking of coach Shuaibu Amodu, publishing a short-list of coaches they hope will lead the 'Super Eagles' through the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Amodu had been under pressure even before Nigeria's third place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations, which ended with Egypt's third consecutive victory last week. 
The Nigeria Football Federation's short-list is topped by Dutchman Guus Hiddink, Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal, Frenchman Bruno Metsu, former Ratomir Djukovic and former England caretaker coach Peter Taylor.
Hiddink is currently the coach of Russia, Metsu led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup and Djukovic guided Ghana to the 2006 World Cup.
According to an official statement after the marathon meeting, the NFF technical committee headed by Taiwo Ogunjobi will recommend one of three of these coaches for immediate employment before the end of this month.
The federal government of Nigeria will pay the new foreign coach, according to officials.
Amodu and his assistants will now train Nigeria's second team for the 2011 Championship of African Nations (CHAN), meant for African players featuring in their respective domestic leagues.
In November, Amodu qualified the Super Eagles for the 2010 World Cup to be staged in South Africa in June.
However, the performance of the team under Amodu, who also qualified the team to the 2002 World Cup, was widely criticised by the press and the public.
Top trio chase Zidan Mariga can still join Man City Wake-up call for the Elephants? African Champions Egypt move into Fifa top ten
Ghana' s Addy completes dream move to FC Porto
LISBON (AFP) - Up-and-coming Ghana international defender David Addy has completed a dream move to FC Porto from Danish side Randers FC, the Portuguese giants announced on their website on Tuesday.
Addy was part of the Ghana under-20 team that won the World Cup last year, and he has also made a few appearances for the Ghana senior side.
The 19-year-old left-back has signed a deal with the former Champions League winners until 2013.
"It's the best day of my life. I'm happy and proud to sign for a club like FC Porto," Addy said on the club's website.
According to newspaper A Bola, Porto paid 800,000 euros for Addy.
Egypt celebrate while Ivory Coast ponder the future
LUANDA (AFP) - Egypt chalked up their seventh Africa Cup of Nations triumph here just as the 'Golden Generation' of the Ivory Coast again departed the continent's biggest football stage empty-handed.
The Pharaohs 1-0 win over a youthful Ghana in Sunday's final made it the 19th match they have gone unbeaten since 2004. It was also their third successive continental title.
Just as it was two years ago in Ghana, the Elephants from the Ivory Coast were again the popular choice to win their second Nations Cup crown, with such stars as Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure in their lineup.
But not many reckoned that a suspect defence would cave in almost too easily against Algeria in the knockout stage of Angola 2010.
After a rather indifferent start, the Desert Foxes of Algeria would now have assured many they will not be making up the numbers at the World Cup in South Africa even after a 4-0 thrashing by fierce rivals Egypt. Egyptians dance in streets for African Cup football triumph
"People did not expect us to be in the semi-finals. We have not reached this stage for a very long time," said Glasgow Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra.
"We're a young team who have made a lot of progress."
Skipper Yazid Mansouri added: "We will move ahead and learn from the mistakes we made at this tournament.
"We have to work very hard to get ready for the World Cup especially in the midfield and attack.
"The Nations Cup has afforded us a chance to know where we have to improve."
Hosts Angola showed a lot of promise two years ago in Ghana reaching the last eight for the first time.
Cheered on by their noisy home fans in Luanda, the Palancas Negras bounced back from an opening day 4-4 draw with Mali in one of the most unforgettable matches of Angola 2010 to again equal their quarter-final finish in the previous tournament.
Most probably their run was cut short by their over dependence for goals on striker Flavio, who battled on despite suffering an injury.
He netted a brace against Mali and was also on target against shock troopers Malawi, who caused one of the biggest upsets by putting three unreplied goals past Algeria.
Part of the magic of this Nations Cup evaporated following the exit of the home team, but before then, it was football fever at its best across this oil-rich country of about 15 million people with long-serving President Eduardo do Santos at all their four games.
Gabon, who will co-host the next tournament with neighbours Equatorial Guinea, promised a lot only to capitulate on the final hurdle in their final Group D match against Zambia and thus miss out on a place in the quarterfinal. The price of this disappointment is that French coach, Alain Giresse, who has been with the Azingo since 2006, will most likely not have his contract renewed when it runs out later this month.
Giresse would be just the latest coach to lose his job following failure at the Cup of Nations.
Already Mali have fired their Nigerian-born coach, Stephen Keshi, and Nigeria, who again failed to live up to their huge potential, will decide this week to do away with coach Shuaibu Amodu.
This would be the second time Amodu will miss out on leading his country to a World Cup after qualifying the team.
He was also sacked when his team stumbled in the semi-final of the Nations Cup eight years ago and his place on the bench at the 2002 World Cup was taken by compatriot Adeboye Onigbinde.
There has been a public uproar back in Nigeria against the performance of the Eagles in Angola with an entire nation apprehensive of how such a team would fare at the World Cup in June against first round foes Argentina, Greece and South Korea.
Skipper Joseph Yobo has blamed Nigeria's underachievement on a lack of continuity in the team.
"We often have different players in and out of the team when we need enough time to train and play together, if we are ever to reach great heights," he argued.
There are now strong indications that his replacement would be the young Frenchman, Herve Renard, who guided Zambia to the quarterfinals for the first time in 14 years.
"I know what I want, I'm very ambitious and I'm not scared to say so. I said even before this tournament, that I wish to be coach of a very top team one day. I'm young but I'm not scared about anything," said the 41-year-old Renard, whose contract with Zambia ends in May.
Ghana 0 - 1 Egypt
Super-sub Gedo does it again for Egypt
LUANDA (AFP) - Egypt entered the record books here on Sunday, beating Ghana 1-0 in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations with supersub Mohamed 'Gedo' Nagy lifting the Pharaohs to their third straight title.
Gedo, who has scored from the bench in Egypt's last four games in Angola, came on in the 63rd minute and produced his magic with five minutes left on the clock to cement Egypt's standing as the kings of Africa.
The win also gave Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata a history-making third championship and extended Egypt's unbeaten record in the competition to an astonishing 19 games.
Egypt were unchanged from the XI that crushed Algeria 4-0 in the semi-finals save for the absence of suspended defender Mahmoud Fatalla - former Spurs midfielder Hossam Ghaly started in his place.
Fears that striker Emad Motaeb may have to miss the final due to a hamstring strain proved unfounded.
Ghana named an identical line-up to their last four win over Nigeria, with captain Richard Kingson taking up residence between the posts despite a late fitness scare.
The Black Stars made it to the final playing pragmatic rather than beautiful football, but they began in enterprising fashion, matching the Egyptians for speed and dexterity.
In-form striker Asamoah Gyan had an early shot go high over the Pharaoh's crossbar and Serie A-based Kwadwo Asamoah had a long range effort safely scooped up by Essam al-Hadary as the supposed 'underdogs' counter attacked with menace.
Down at the other end Egypt were proving slippery down their right flank.
On 25 minutes Kingson, clearly feeling his injury, had Mohamed Zidan's long ranger covered by the far post.
Towards the end of the first period both skipper Ahmed Hassan, on his 172nd international appearance, and Motaeb, failed to connect with a floating 25m Egyptian freekick into the box.
Honours even it was as the sides re-emerged after the break with the 50,000 capacity Chinese-built stadium by now three-quarters full and the near 40 degree heat which greeted the players at kick-off cooling down as night fell.
Opoku Agyemang went into Mali referee Coulibaly Koman's book for an ill-judged tackle on Ahmed al-Mohamady and not to be outdone Egypt's Sayed Moawad picked up a yellow card seconds later for handball.
Koman had his hand in his pocket again to fish out a card for al-Mohamady after a collision with Opoku, with Gyan's resulting 28m freekick edging over the woodwork.
Shehata introduced Zamalek defender Mohamed Abdel Shafi for Moawad on 56 minutes.
The game badly needed a goal but what it got was another booking, this time Ghaly for pulling Asamoah.
Gyan had al-Hadary at full stretch on the hour but the keeper needn't have worried as the Rennes forward's shot curled round to the left of the near-post with the ball crashing into the side netting.
Shehata brought on supersub Gedo with 20 minutes left for Motaeb hoping the Al-Ittihad striker would repeat his magic.
Ghana's best chance came in the 78th minute when al-Hadary did well to punch away Gyan's lethal looking 28m freekick as Ghana's youngsters had Egypt's red shirts on the run.
Unbelievably with the game heading towards extra-time Gedo conjured up the decisive goal with a sublime 1-2 with Zidan down the left to slot an angled shot past Kingson.
Nigeria 1 - 0 Algeria
Obinna Nsofor 2nd half goal gives Nigeria 3rd place finish in Angola.
CAF suspend Togo for next two Africa Cup of Nations
LUANDA (AFP) - Togo, who pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations after a terrorist attack on their team bus, have been banned for the next two competitions in 2012 and 2014, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said Saturday.
CAF president Issa Hayatou told AFP the decision was based on "governmental interference", which led to Togo's pull out of this year's edition.
Togo quit the 2010 Nations Cup after two members of their delegation were shot and killed during the ambush on the team convoy as it arrived in the restive Angolan enclave of Cabinda.
The armed wing of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), embroiled in a decades-long separatist struggle, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Togo, captained by Manchester City star Emmanuel Adebayor, initially wanted to compete in Group B with Ivory Coast, Ghana and Burkina Faso, but quit on their national government's orders.
They left Cabinda to return home on the evening of the start of the competition on January 10.
"I told the players that we understood their position," Hayatou explained.
"We asked them to remain, but that if they decided to leave we would take action. And the players told us they would remain. Up to that point we were in agreement.
"But when there was political interference we couldn't accept that."
He said the Togo case was identical to one involving Nigeria who were withdrawn from the 1996 edition on their national government's orders.
"That was political interference and we banned the Nigeria team for the next two editions under article 78 of our rules."
The article Hayatou was referring to states that any team pulling out of the competition up to 20 days before it begins or during it would be suspended for the following two Africa Cup of Nations.
Hayatou continued: "There are no exceptional circumstances where political interference to withdraw a team is concerned.
"If the Togo players had decided to quit due to their emotion and suffering then we would have been understanding."
CAF's decision to punish Togo appears to be at odds with their position on the matter four days after the attack when Togo coach Hubert Velud revealed: "Hayatou came to us to offer his condolences.
"He didn't put us under any pressure. He also confirmed to us, but I'm wary about it all the same, that Togo would not be suspended for the following Africa Cup of Nations."
And CAF general secretary Moustapha Fahmi for his part announced at the time: "Given that the president of CAF has accorded every flexibility to Togo there will be no punishment in the event that they pull out."
The attack occurred as the Togo convoy drove into Cabinda from Congo-Brazzaville on the Friday, leaving players cowering under their seats during a 20-minute gunbattle with security forces.
Communications chief Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Abalo Amnalete were killed and goalkeeper, Kodjovi Obilale, was among the injured.
Obilale was airlifted to a hospital in Johannesburg where he is receiving treatment after gun shots to the back and abdomen.
"They fired on us like dogs," reported Togo squad member Thomas Dossevi at the time.
Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos's government and African football officials had pleaded to the last second for Togolese authorities to allow the players to fulfill their wish to compete in the tournament to honour their slain colleagues.
"It's very sad. It's hard for Africa and for us. These things are part of life, you have to accept it," Adebayor told AFP before flying to Lome.
Togo Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo explained the reasoning behind the order to pull-out of Angola.
"We understand the position of the players who want to in some way avenge their dead colleagues, but it would be irresponsible for the Togolese authorities to allow them to continue," Houngbo said.
Organisers rejected calls for the 2010 tournament to be scrapped with security beefed up in Cabinda and the three other venues in Luanda, Benguela and Lubango.
Despite fears of more attacks the competition, which reaches its climax with Sunday's final between champions Egypt and Ghana, has passed off peacefully.
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Africa Cup Of Nation, 2010 Fixtures Semi-finals 28 January 2010
17:00 Ghana v Nigeria (Match 29)
28 January 2010
20:30 Algeria v Egypt (Match 30)
