waje: Sports

Man City manager, Pep Guadiola is asking for an apology from Ivory Coast and Man City midfielder, Yaya Toure 's outspoken agent, Dimitri Seluk, regarding comments he made about him and the club recently.

Toure, 33, has made only one appearance for City this season and was left out of their Champions League squad, this prompted a response from Seluk who said Toure had been ‘humiliated’ by his former Barcelona Coach. Guardiola who felt Toure's agent was being disrespectful, says he will not play Toure until Seluk apologises.

After Yaya was left out of City's Champions League squad, His Agent Seluk said:

'It is Pep's decision and we must respect that. If he wins the Champions League for City this season then I will travel to England and I will say on television that Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world. But if City don't win the Champions League then I hope that Pep has got the balls to say that he was wrong to humiliate a great player like Yaya.

'Yaya is a professional and so he will do everything he is asked to do. Perhaps Pep will think he is good enough to play in the final 10 minutes of a League Cup game against a third division team – and, yes, I am joking. But what I can tell you is that Yaya will spend the season at City. He will not be leaving in January. He hopes that he will get the chance to prove himself.'

Explaining the reason why Toure will not be considered for Wednesday's tie at Swansea, Guardiola warned that the 33-year-old midfielder could be frozen out completely for the remaining eight months of his £220,000-a-week contract unless Seluk apologises.

'It was so difficult for me to leave him (Toure) out of the Champions League, so difficult,' said Guardiola. 'I know him and I know he's a good guy.

The day after his manager spoke and in that moment Yaya is out. Except Mr Dimitri Seluk comes back in the press conference or to his friends in the media – because he hasn't the courage to call me, he goes to the media . He has to apologise to Manchester City first of all, then his team-mates, and afterwards the trainer. When that happens Yaya will be part of the group and he will have the chance to play.

'I cannot accept as a coach every agent when his player doesn't play he goes to the media and speaks. I know how much Dimitri Seluk loves Yaya Toure. If he loves him, show me by apologising to Manchester City for what he did in the papers.

'I cannot imagine in my day when a player's agent would go to the media and speak against Johan Cruyff. Maybe it's the new era but I'm old generation, and an old generation agent has to make his players his job and the coach his job. Today agents believe they are more than they are. If you have a problem, we can talk. Until he speaks, Yaya isn't going to play.

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FIFA has suspended Spanish giants Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid from signing new players from now till January 2018 following irregularities in the signing of minors.
The two clubs went to a FIFA court to contest the ban
handed to them for not properly signing players under the age of 18 earlier this year, but in a new statement released today, the world's football governing body say both clubs have been suspended from making transfers for the next two years and have been fined £278,000 and £696,000 respectively.

The FIFA statement reads:

“The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by Spanish clubs Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid and to confirm in their entirety the decisions rendered by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in the respective cases relating to the protection of minors.

“As such, both clubs are to serve a transfer ban that prevents them from registering any players at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods for breaching articles 5, 9, 19 and 19bis as well as annexes 2 and 3 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (the “Regulations”).

“The transfer ban applies to each club as a whole — with the exception of the women’s, futsal and beach soccer teams – and does not prevent the release of players. “Additionally, Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid have been fined CHF 900,000 (£696,000) and CHF 360,000 (£278,000) respectively, while both clubs have been issued with a reprimand and a warning and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned.

“The grounds of the decisions taken by the FIFA Appeal Committee were communicated to the parties concerned today. “For further information concerning the protection of minors, please read the FAQ document.”

Real Madrid also reacted to the news with their own statement. Theirs read:

” In light of today’s decision by the FIFA Appeal Committee, Real Madrid C. F. wishes to communicate the following:

“1. The club regrets said decision, understanding it to be deeply unjust and contrary to the fundamental principles of disciplinary law.

“2. The club will begin the appropriate appeals procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), requesting that the decision be completely overturned, with absolute confidence that said organisation will come to an entirely favourable decision.

“3. Real Madrid C. F. will request that the procedure be undertaken in an urgent manner in order to obtain a decision from the CAS as quickly as possible.” Real Madrid’s only summer business was to re-sign Alvaro Morata, while Atletico brought in Kevin Gameiro and Nico Gaitan as major transfers.

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Oil giants, Capital Oil and Gas and Anambra based NPFL club side FC Ifeanyi Ubah have inked a long-term partnership deal with West Ham United FC, one of the leading clubs in the English Premier League. The deal, which was officially signed today in London is set to be unveiled at the Olympic stadium on Sunday, 21st of August before West Ham United FC's first home league match against Bournemouth.

This was contained in a press release made by West Ham United FC via its website:http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2016/August/19-August/Hammers-secure-first-African-partner

Read the Press release below:

"West Ham United are delighted to announce the Club’s first ever official partnership in Africa, following the signing of a long-term agreement with Capital Oil and Gas Ind. Ltd, the principal investor in the Nigerian Professional Football League outfit, FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

Capital Oil and Gas, a company of strategic national importance in Nigeria stands out as a leading player in the downstream subsector of Nigeria's Petroleum industry and the fastest growing indigenous Oil and Gas company in the West African sub region with a vision to become Africa's first choice provider of energy solutions through innovation, strategic partnership and clientele value added service delivery.

The partnership will provide Capital Oil and Gas with a range of rights to promote the business through the football club, driving visibility and awareness as well as focussing on B2B interaction through the use of hospitality at the Hammers’ iconic new home.

Based in Nnewi, Anambra State, and currently competing in the Nigerian Professional Football League, FC Ifeanyi Ubah are to become the Hammers’ Official Nigerian Football Club Partner.

The long-term agreement will also see the two football clubs join forces on a number of football-related projects led by FC Ifeanyi Ubah, from best-practice coaching initiatives to establishing grass roots football programmes in Nigeria, all with a view to improving the standard of football across the region.

West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said:

“This ground-breaking partnership serves to further emphasize our growing international profile, bringing the famous West Ham United name to Africa for the first time in a partnership context.

“The popularity of Premier League football in West Africa has been well documented and it is testament to the Club’s success, on and off the pitch, that we are now considered one of the most high profile and attractive clubs in the region.

“We are looking forward to working alongside FC Ifeanyi Ubah and building a strong legacy in Nigerian football inspired by West Ham United.”

Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, owner of FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, added:

“We are extremely excited to have signed a partnership with West Ham United and are excited by the prospect of what we can achieve together. This is going to be a massive turnaround for FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Nigerian football and African football by extension.

“West Ham were our first choice of all of the Premier League clubs given the club’s rich history, unrivalled reputation for developing talent which we strongly believe will help boost FC Ifeanyi Ubah academy and of course the fantastic new stadium in Stratford.