Nigeria Content Online

The Falconets exceeded all expectations by becoming the first
African female football side to reach a World Cup final.

These are encouraging times indeed for female football. Not
generally watched as their male counterparts, their showing at the U-20 World
Cup will go a long way in showing an unappreciative] audience that a lot can be
achieved in women’s football in Nigeria. It’s great that the superlatives are
flying from the heights of government to praise the Falconets but these should
be with a few provisos.

Please do not submit a supplementary budget in order to host
them at Aso Rock for a few days. Kindly do not promise them choice parcels of
land, the Cs of O of which they might not see in this lifetime. Should there be
a need to bestow these high-achieving youngsters with national honours, it
would be worth remembering that they also need more support and encouragement
from government in terms of improving facilities and player welfare. These will
have more far-reaching effects.

Premier league almost
upon us

With only nine days to go until the start of the English Premier
League season, it’s time again to briefly look at the 20 teams plying their
trade in the top flight. It’s been a relatively quiet transfer period if that
adjective can apply to Manchester City’s £50m spree (and counting.) Could this
be the year of rearrangement at the top of the table? The 2010/11 season sees
the first implementation of the home-grown rule. All told, there will be little
effect on most clubs. The biggest effect might be that the ‘moneybags’ clubs
cannot simply purchase a whole senior squad from abroad, the English FA is
hoping that this will benefit England’s national sides in the long term.

Newcastle United, Blackpool, and West Bromwich Albion are welcomed
to the premiership. Of these, the Magpies look the most likely to remain in the
top flight. WBA are no strangers to the yo-yo effect and not many are expecting
anything different this season. The middlemen will continue to be just so,
perhaps moving up or down a couple of positions but these guys are pretty much
entrenched here.

Avram Grant and Mark Hughes are expected to make a difference in
their new positions and this could be a factor among the middlemen. The ‘Big
Four,’ I believe will essentially remain just that – minor blips that saw
Liverpool move down in the table are rare. Bursting with talent, there were a
few things that contributed to their meltdown: No adequate replacement for
Alonso, injured Aquilani and Torres and underperforming Gerrard. With Benitez
replaced by Roy Hodgson, both Torres and Gerrard thus far still in the squad
and Joe Cole joining from Chelsea, we look forward to a game plan that will
ensure a turnaround.

“This is Arsenal’s year, the young guns will come good etc.”
Well, we’ve heard that before. New signing, Marouane Chamakh, is exciting the
North Londoners but they still need a better goalkeeper and some cover in
central defence. If the Emirates Cup game against Celtic is anything to go by,
more work is needed all round. A fully fit Van Persie and a committed Fabregas
will be crucial to the Gunners’ title challenge.

A few Chelsea players have been released but as always, they
remain strong title contenders and Ancelotti, a sound and tactical manager.

As for Manchester United, Sir Alex has gone shopping in Mexico to bring in
Javier Hernandez. Smalling is another acquisition. If there’s anything they
know well, it’s to take nothing for granted. Favourites to regain the title,
there are more than a few clubs now to open up the competition, which will all
make for another intriguing season.