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EPL: Graham Potter Given Condition To Remain As Chelsea Boss

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Glenn Hoddle has explained the only condition owners of Chelsea would allow Graham Potter to remain in charge of the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Chelsea remained in 10th position in the Premier League after their 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Thursday night.

Riyad Mahrez came off the bench to score the only goal of the night for the Etihad outfit and reduce the gap between them and top-placed Arsenal to five.

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There are question marks over Potter’s future at Stamford Bridge.

Potter was hired as a replacement for Thomas Tuchel in September 2022 after Boehly sacked the German.

Chelsea spent around £280m on new players ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, and Sutton has suggested Boehly may decide to sack Potter any time soon.

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“It’s very very difficult and frustrating for him [Potter]. I think he should be further forward than he is now.

“But when you lose two of your main players within two or three minutes, it’s tough for him.

READ ALSO: EPL: Chris Sutton Predicts Chelsea Vs Bournemouth Fixture

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“But I think he’s nowhere near where he thinks his best team is. He’s nowhere near it.

“I think he’s still scratching his head and saying ‘where’s my best team?’ If they hover around this 10th position in 12 games time, then there’s a problem, and they[Chelsea’s owners] will no longer be happy.

“If they see that there’s an improvement, that at the end of the season they’re in contention for top four then I think a long-term project could come in… they’ll give him time.

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“They’ll give him next season. But if they’re still like this…I don’t see where they’re going at the moment. I know it’s been tough.

“They’ve lost key players to injury but when Tuchel lost key players to injuries he found a way around it. You get to do something. Yes the money is there but it’s not all about the money. You have to spend it wisely.”

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Flying Eagles Arrive Chile’s Talca For FIFA U20 World Cup Campaign

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The Flying Eagles arrived in the Chilean city of Talca on Thursday afternoon ahead of their participation in the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Nigeria is placed in Group F alongside Norway, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia, with all group matches scheduled to be played in Talca.

Upon arrival, the two-time U20 World Cup finalists were warmly received by officials from FIFA, the Local Organising Committee, and hotel staff.

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The team later held its first training session in the evening to begin final preparations for the tournament.

READ ALSO:JSS 3 Student Hacks Man To Death In Cross River

According to The PUNCH, the Head coach of Nigeria’s U-20 national team, Ali Zubair, said the Flying Eagles have corrected the mistakes that cost them at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and are now better prepared for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

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The Flying Eagles are lodged at Hotel Diego de Almagro in Talca. The team wrapped up a 12-day training camp in Santiago, where they played host nation Chile and Australia as part of the build-up to the FIFA U20 World Cup.

Nigeria opens its campaign for honours in this year’s edition with a game against Norway on Monday, 29th September at Estadio Fiscal de Talca, before other games against Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

READ ALSO:Christian Chukwu’s 1980 Green Eagles Teammate, Charles Bassey, Is Dead

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Nigeria’s national under-20 men’s football team is one of the most successful youth teams in Africa. The team has a rich history in the FIFA U20 World Cup, having participated in multiple editions since its debut in 1983.

Notably, the Flying Eagles have been runners-up twice — in 1989 (losing to Portugal) and 2005 (losing to Argentina, led by Lionel Messi).

They have also reached the semifinals on several occasions and are known for producing future Super Eagles stars such as Mikel Obi, Taye Taiwo, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Victor Osimhen.

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FULL LIST: Nigerian Boxer Efe Ajagba Breaks Into World’s Top 10 Heavyweights

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Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba has been ranked among the top 10 fighters in the world by The Ring magazine.

In its latest rankings updated on Thursday, Ajagba secured the No. 10 spot in the prestigious list, widely regarded as the sport’s most respected independent ratings.

The 30-year-old, who holds a professional record of 20 wins, one loss, and one draw with 14 knockouts, joins an elite lineup.

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READ ALSO:Two Japanese Boxers Die From Brain Injuries At Same Event

The heavyweight division is currently led by Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the champion’s position, with Britain’s Tyson Fury ranked first among contenders.

New Zealand’s Joseph Parker and Germany’s Agit Kabayel occupy the top three positions.

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Ajagba’s inclusion comes after a string of impressive performances that have reignited his world title ambitions.

READ ALSO:I Saw My Wife’s Lover’s Boxers, Trousers, Shirts In Our Bedroom, Man Tells Court

His most recent victory solidified his status as one of the leading contenders from Africa in the heavyweight division.

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The Ring magazine, founded in 1922, updates its ratings monthly based on results, performance, and track record, with input from boxing journalists and historians worldwide.

The development makes Ajagba the only Nigerian currently ranked in the heavyweight top 10.

Below is the full updated heavyweight ranking by The Ring:

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SWAN Orders Nationwide Boycott Of NFF Activities

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The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has announced a nationwide boycott of all activities related to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, including the Federation’s upcoming Annual General Assembly, AGA, scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The directive, issued on Wednesday by the leadership of the association, follows what SWAN described as the NFF’s “deliberate and persistent exclusion” of the Association from the Congress, the Federation’s highest decision-making body.

In a statement jointly signed by the SWAN President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and the Secretary-General, Ambassador Ikenna Okonkwo, the Association condemned the NFF’s actions as “unacceptable, retrogressive, and an affront to the sporting media’s role in national football development.”

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The media is a critical tripod in the growth of sports globally. SWAN, as the professional body coordinating sports journalism in Nigeria, has consistently engaged with the NFF on the need to restore our rightful place in its Congress. Yet, while the Federation claims to be expanding its Congress, it continues to sideline us—a move that is both short-sighted and detrimental to Nigerian football,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:Edo SWAN Felicitates Deputy Governor On Birth Anniversary

SWAN accused the NFF leadership of adopting a divisive approach to football administration, warning that the continued decline in the nation’s football fortunes is a reflection of ongoing maladministration.

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“Despite enormous financial and institutional support from the Federal Government, state governments, and private sponsors, Nigeria’s football continues to nosedive.

“It is time to put a decisive end to this dangerous trend. Nigeria cannot afford to watch its most cherished sport deteriorate under avoidable circumstances,” the statement read.

Effective immediately, all SWAN members across the country are instructed to cease coverage and promotion of any NFF-related activity.

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READ ALSO:WAFCON: Ihezuo Strikes Late As Nigeria Edge Botswana To Reach Quarter-finals

A task force will be set up to ensure strict enforcement of this directive. Simultaneously, the Association will begin a thorough investigation and public exposure of the maladministration and backward practices now synonymous with the Federation’s operations practices that have contributed to Nigeria’s repeated World Cup qualification failures,” the statement added.

SWAN reaffirmed its position as a critical stakeholder in Nigerian football and vowed to resist any attempt to marginalize the sporting media.

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The exclusion of SWAN from the NFF Congress is no longer acceptable and will not be tolerated. We stand resolute in defending the integrity and rightful role of the sporting media in the Nigerian football ecosystem,” the statement concluded.

 

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