Do not go to serbia:FIFPRO tells Footballers.

 World players' union FIFPro has warned members not to sign for clubs in Serbia because they run the risk of not getting paid.

FIFPro and the Serbian Players' Association (SPFN) said that eight of the 16 teams in the top flight have had their accounts blocked by the Serbian national bank and could not pay players and other employees.

"We hate to do this but it is our job to protect the players," FIFPro secretary general Theo van Seggelen said in a statement.

"Players haven't been paid for months and encounter serious financial problems. Clubs are on the verge of going bankrupt.

"On top of that, I received the shocking news that one of the clubs totally disrespects players' rights and even allows hooligans to threaten their players."

SPFN president Mirko Poledica said there were currently 115 cases at the country's dispute resolution chamber.

"The current situation is alarming," he said. "There are only approximately 500 professional footballers in Serbia. We would not be surprised if some of the clubs file for bankruptcy in the near future.

"Therefore we must send a message to all countries and recommend all foreign footballers not to come to Serbia, because there are no guarantees that they will be paid."

FIFPro said that players at first division club Radnicki Kragujevac were threatened by supporters, who were allowed into the changing room, when they went on strike in protest at not being paid for three months.

"One of the more experienced players, Vuk Sotirovic, was hit in the face when he tried to reason with the supporters and protect his younger team mates. Other players prevented a fight from breaking out," FIFPro said.

FIFPro said the Serbian football association (FSS) and League condemned the incident in a letter but the former did not start any disciplinary procedure against the club, which Poledica described as "very disappointing".

At the team's next home game, fans displayed banners with insults and threats directed against the players, and seven players left the club in the following few days, FIFPro added.

The FSS and Radnicki Kragujevac could not immediately be reached for comment.

Serbian football reached a new low in June when last season's champions Red Star Belgrade were barred from the Champions League by UEFA because of unpaid bills.

see Jullius Aghahowa in smashing photos.

For those of you asking the question "Where is Jullius Agnahowa" ? I can authoritatively inform you that he is very fine and doing well off the the spotlight.I was with him at the Intercontinental hotel in Victoria island Lagos a few months ago and he told me he is living a good life outside football and never wants to be in the spotlight.He is into oil and Gas and still happily married with a very beautiful daughter who is already taking after Genevieve Nanji at the age of 14.He lives where the " high and mighty "Resides somewhere on the island.









See him in his recently released photos below....

Kano Pillars is the only Professional Football Club in Nigeria .AhmedMusa

Former Kano Pillars forward and a member of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Ahmed Musa has categoricaly stated that Kano Pillars Fc is the only club in the Nigerian Premier League with a sound reputation.Musa who was once a top scorer in the Nigerian Premier League with Kano Pillars and currently plays for CSKA Moscow in Russia spoke exclusively with Oma Akatugba in Munich Germany after CSKA Moscow´s final UEFA Champions league group game against bayern Munich.

“Kano Pillars is the only Nigerian club operating just as a European club.That’s the only team where you see fans wearing the official colour of the team during league matches.The fans always buy the famous yellow Jersey of the club and they put it on whenever the team play matches at home.This explains why Kano Pillars is always the best in terms of proper organisation and management.Kano Pillars is the only club its jerseys are sold across Nigeria.Even in the East,Kano Pillars Jerseys are sold” Musa who was born in jos and raised in Jos but moved to  Kano Pillars after just a season with Plateu United further stated that Kano Pillars hardly owe players.”If you come to Kano Pillars,they are always open.If you ask for 10 Million and Kano Pillars can not afford it they will let you know they can pay only 3 Million which is better than 10 Million Niara on paper with other teams that you will never receive and you will receive all your entitlements before the season ends.You win a match today, before another match you get your match Bonus.So even though you earn for example 80.000 a month you will hardly touch your salary because you always get your match bonus.Feeding allowance is always available,hotel is always standard:” The CSKA Moscow Forward said.

Ahmed Musa was part of the triumphant Super Eagles team that won the Afcon 2013 in South Africa as well as the Super Eagles Team that played at the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 where he scored a brace against Lionel Messi´s Argentina in one of the group stage matches further said .

"I bought a house for my Family while playing for Kano Pillars.If they owed salaries and other entitlements how would I have been able to do that playing in the local league".He ended by saying he hopes and pray that the situation in the Nigerian Premier League improves so that just like the South African Premier League,the Nigerian player can be at home and enjoy the benefits of proffesional football instead of traveling to obscure places all in the name of playing professional football.

@omaakatugba

Emmanuel Emenike Spends heavily on Charity.

God bless EMMANUEL Emenike 

(EXTRACT FROM ADE OJEIKERE'S COLUMN)

Emmanuel Emenike is my most admired footballer. He understands what it takes to give back to the society when the need arises. Emenike’s philanthropy is phenomenal. The beauty about his ability to assist the needy is that he doesn’t like it advertised. He stands out as the only Super Eagles player who kicks against some of the shameful acts of the squad and makes his views known. But that isn’t the reason for this short take on him.

Emenike spent $50,000, yes you are free to convert it to naira to buy bags of rice and other foodstuff which he wants distributed to motherless babies homes, orphans and to the widows across Imo and Anambra states. 550 bags of rice have been taken to Imo State. Otuocha (in Anambra State) will have 300 bags with other undisclosed items.

The star spent $60,000 last year while giving out to widows, orphans and the less privileged in the eastern zone of Nigeria, has mandated his family to distribute over 900 bags of rice to some local government areas in Imo and Anambra states as part of his annual charity work. Apart from the donation, a football match will be played in Anambra State to honour the Super Eagles star.

Each year, Emenike quietly shares his wealth with the needy. In fact, one fan, who was told of Emenike’s magnanimous acts, cornered him at the Nnnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and showed him photographs of his distressed wife in the hospital.

Desperate to prove his innocence, the crest-fallen husband made a video call to his wife in the hospital, where her plight was highlighted to the Eagles’ start by excited hospital staff.

Emenike immediately gave the bewildered husband $10,000; his winning bonus in the game that he came for. He also exchanged telephone numbers with the husband. Emenike bought a piece of land in Enugu worth N30 million, which he wanted to use for a football academy. But that matter is in the court because some funny men in the Enugu state government want to acquire the land by force. God will not allow them achieve this. This is a promise. I will find out how far the matter has gone and relate it in subsequent columns

Oma Akatugba Off to the Alianz Arena.

Yours truly is Off to Munich as I am one of the privileged International football journalist invited for the UEFA Champions League game between Bayern Munich and CSKA Moscow taking place at the magnificent Alianz Arena.A dream come true it must be said.This is a historic football stadium and trust me it would be a mind blowing experience.Expect world class exclusives on this platform and my YouTube Channel as well as your TV Screans.

I am not missing Chelsea Fc-Atsu

Ghanaian International Christian Atsu who currently plays for Everton Football Club but on Loan from Chelsea Fc told Oma Akatugba exclusively in Germany that his focus is on Everton and he wants to make the best of his time at the club instead of thinking about his parent Club Chelsea Fc.

The Ghana International Atsu who was selected for Ghana´s 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, starting in all the matches Ghana played says he is happy at Everton and wants to win trophies with the team.

"Its an honour to play for Everton Football club.Its a very great club with fantastic fans. i am very happy to be here."As i am here i am more focused on Everton,this is where i have been and my focus is on everton" Atsu Enthused. 

He also went on to talk about the African connection at the club saying the The big African players at Everton have been very great and how Samuel Eto'o and Romelo Lukaku have always inspired him. "Samuel Eto´o is a big brother,he always inspires me and encourages me.Albeit he is french and i am English he Eto'o speaks a little bit of English and i understand whatever he says to me" Atsu Said.

He ended by talking about the Black Stars of Ghana and thier Chances at the 2015 African Cup of Nations taking place in Equatorial Guinea."We don't know but we are just hoping that everything will go on well for Ghana at the next Afcon.There are other great countries competing for the trophy as well but we shall see how it goes":He said .

On 13 August 2014, Atsu joined Everton on loan until the end of the 2014–15 season. He made his first appearance for The Toffees coming on as an 81st minute substitute in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Building hospitals to save lives is the game of my life: Didier Drogba

Ex Ivory coast International and Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba has said the biggest game of his life is to build hospitals to save lives in his home country Ivory Coast.

The Chelsea Striker  told Oma Akatugba in an exclusive chat he wants to give as much people as he can the chance to live and chase their dreams as he has done and there is no other way to do this than to build hospitals in order to give free healthcare to sick people in my Country.

"This is the game of my life,We want to buld five hospitals,one in each of the five major states in my country Ivory Coast.We also want to have mobile clinics so we can go from house to house to make diagnostic and try to cure people of thier illness "Drogba said

The Didier Drogba Foundation is the project set up by the Chelsea hitman to give free healthcare to women and kids in Ivory Coast.

 2.5 billion CFA francs ($5 million) will be invested in the projects, with one facility to be built in each of the five major cities of the West African country namely Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Man, Korhogo and San Pedro.

The gala held in London helped us raise $ 2 billion CFA francs ($4 million).

the foundation had given support to orphanages and several structures that address issues relating to underprivileged children.

The Didier Drogba Foundation was founded in 2007 and planned the construction of a £3 million hospital a year later, which is yet to see the light of the day.

The Former Galatasary star is 36 and still scoring for his English Premier League Club Chelsea but it looks very clear he is already preparing for life after football with this laudable project that gives hope to millions of kids and women in his home country Ivory Coast.

Didier Drogba spoke with International Football Expert Oma Akatugba of Nigeria in Germany.

MY UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH COVERGAGE DIARY.:OMA AKATUGBA

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THE BATTLE OF LONDON:Chelsea Vs Tottenham (Oma´ Preview and Prediction)

London will be set on fire in few hours as in form Chelsea host fellow Londoners Tottenham Hotspurs at Stanford Bridge.

Chelsea is yet to loose in 20 matches in all competitions this season and are looking more  difficult to beat. They were held by Sunderland at the weekend but their  record against Spurs at home is flawless, having not lost to their London rivals at Stamford Bridge since 1990.

Spurs,still basking in the Euphorial of three wins in a week after they beat Hull and Everton either side of a 1-0 victory over Partizan Belgrade, to confirm their place in the knockout stage of the Europa League.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have quickly  turned their season around after a not too decent start and their top-four charge is right back on track, but they lost 4-0 here last season and will have to overcome their Chelsea curse to register a third Premier League win in a row for the first time this season.

Chelsea will be  without the suspended Diego Costa who unaguably the best striker in the EPL so far with 11 goals in 10 matches after he striker picked up a fifth booking in the draw at Sunderland, this means Loic Remy and Didier Drogba are in contention to start up front.

Tottenham will be ridin on the strenghts of Christian Eriksen, who scored the home side’s first goal, and will be key to any hopes Tottenham have of beating Chelsea on today.. One of the few Spurs players fit enough to withstand a very solid Chelsea squad, Eriksen has been the side’s standout player since joining the club in summer 2013. So far this season he has created more chances than any other Spurs player, setting up 25 for his team-mates. Only Erik Lamela has got within 10 chances of Eriksen, who was 33 chances clear as Spurs’ most creative player last season with 68.

Chelsea will be affected by the absence of Diego Costa who has scored 11 of their 30 goals so far and his place in Chelsea is untouchable going by his ferocious form and how he has settled in to life immediately in England against some expectations.But 36 year old Didier Drogba and Loic Remmy are available to play on his behalf and Jose Mourinho have said the they don’t cry about missing players at Chelsea as they have a large squad and equaly decent players who can take charge in the absence of Costa.

The Chelsea midfield which has made it very easy for Diego Costa to deliver the goods is absolutely intact with Cesc Fabregas fit to play and the midfield block Nemanja Matic who  has made 23 interceptions in his 13 league games and has played every minute of the Premier League season. He has attempted 87 tackles and has won more than any other player in the division this campaign.

He usualy seats in front of the back four in order to allow Chelsea’s attackers to be unleashed, Matic is crucial to the balance between defence and attack in the very solid machine Mouriho is trying to build this season little wonder Nigeria´s Mikel Obi has seen little or no playing time this season. Not forgeting Willian and Hazard who have brought absolute fluidity and creativity to Chelsea´s play which has been lacking over the years.

See Below Head to bead between the two teams

Head-to-head

·                         Tottenham have never won at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League (D8, L14).

·                         Their last victory at Chelsea in any competition came in February 1990. They have drawn 10 and lost 17 of the games since that win.

·                         Four of the last six league meetings have been draws.

OMA´ Prediction

With the form Chelsea are in even though Diego Costa is absent,I can not see hwo Tottenham can displace them more because this game will be played at Stanford Bridge.A 3-1 win for Chelsea

Mourinho slams Financial Fair Play Rule.Calls it a contradiction.

Chelsea handler Jose Mourinho has slammed UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules,Calling saying it's it fair and it gives more  protection to the established European football giants like Barcelona,Real Madrid and Manchester United .

The likes of Barcelona,Real Madrid and Manchester United spent hundreds of Millions in recent summers,signing players like Luis Suarez,Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria but Mourinho's Chelsea who have a lesser financial FairPlay strength have has to spend more sensibly to meet FFP rules which require clubs to balance their books.

Chelsea spent £93m In the summer on stars including cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa but recouped nearly all of it through the sales of David Luiz,Romelu Kukaku and Demba Ba.

speaking on Eurosport-yahoo.Mourinho said "I Think Financial Fair Play is a contradiction because,when football decided to go  for Financial Fair Play it was exactly to put teams in equal conditions to compete.

"But what happened really with the Financial Fair Play is a big protection to the historical old,big clubs which have a financial structure ,commercial structure,everything in place based on historical success for years and years and years.

"And the 'new '  clubs -I call them 'new' clubs,those with new investment -they cannot put themselves quickly at the same Level.Clubs with new owners cannot immediately attack the control and the domination of these big clubs .

"Chelsea is not an old,historical,huge club -but it's also not a club with new owner.Its a club with the same owner for
More than 10 years .A club with a very important history ,with great stability too.And at this moment I think we are just below Barca,Real Madrid,Manchester united and Bayern Munich .I can say we are a very good club with the ambition to be a great club .

Jose Mourinho was speaking in his role as Yahoo's Global Football Ambassador

Brahimi is BBC's African Footballer of the Year for 2014

Yacine Brahimi has been voted the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2014.

The 24-year-old midfielder becomes the first Algerian to win the award, which is decided by football fans.

Porto winger Brahimi told BBC Sport: "It's a big honour for me to receive this wonderful trophy. I owe it to my country, Algeria, and to all the people who voted for me. 

"It's also a trophy for the whole of Africa, because it rewards an African player. So I am really very happy."

After a record number of votes were submitted from fans in 207 Fifa-registered countries, Brahimi came out on top ahead of Nigerian Vincent Enyeama, Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivorian pair Gervinho and Yaya Toure.

Who is yacin Brahimi ? Find out below.....

Yacine Brahimi was born 8 February 1990.He plays for Porto and the Algeria national team. He plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is described as a "technically gifted player". His coach, Frédéric Antonetti, declared that Brahimi would be the "future play-maker of Stade Rennais where he played before moving outside france .

Brahimi started his career throughout various clubs in the Île-de-France region, having trained at ASB Montreuil and CO Vincennois. In 2003, he was selected to attend the Clairefontaine academy. Brahimi spent three years at the academy and, upon leaving, signed with Stade Rennais. While in the club's youth academy, he achieved several club honours. After turning professional, Brahimi was loaned out to second division club Clermont Foot. While at Clermont, he had a successful individual 2009–10 season. After spending the previous season there on loan, he moved to the La Liga club Granada CF in 2013.

Last season, Brahimi scored his first goals for the club and his all-round performances were recognised when he was voted La Liga's best African player.

He carried that confidence into the this summer's World in Brazil, where he played in three matches and helped Algeria to reach the last 16 for the first time in their history.

Brahimi also scored his first international goal in the 4-2 win over South Korea in the group matches.

His impressive displays caught the attention of Porto and he joined them after the tournament for a fee of £5.1m (6.5m euros).

Brahimi is a former France youth international having represented the country at all youth levels. In 2009, he played on the under-19 team that reached the semi-finals at the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. 

He beat Nigeria's vincent Enyeama to the award to become BBC's African football of the year 2013.