John Fashanu’s daughter says she knows seven gay EPL players

Former Nigerian/English footballer John Fashanu’s daughter Amal said she knows at least seven footballers currently playing in the English Premier League who are gay.

John Fashanu’s older brother, Justin, who was also a footballer, committed suicide in 1998 after publicly revealing he was gay.

Amal told BBC Radio 5 Live, that she knows of seven gay players currently playing in England's top division and explained why they may have chosen not to speak publicly about it.

"I actually know myself of seven. I will never, ever share their details. I’m not going to out them because I would never do that.

"You want to be honest, even to help them out, but you just can’t do that. The football world is extremely dark.

"I don’t even want to imagine being a footballer, what it must be like."

Amal Fashanu presented a documentary for BBC Three titled 'Britain's Gay Footballers' in 2012 in which she investigated the issue of homosexuality in the game.

Siasia believes Super Eagles can recreate 1977 feat

Samson Siasia says he believes the Super Eagles can give Nigerians joy on Friday, March 25 by winning and picking all three points in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Pharaohs of Egypt in Kaduna.

All the 19 expected home boys were in camp as at Tuesday afternoon, as no other person wanted to suffer the fate of Segun Oduduwa, Usman Mohammed and Stanley Dimgba, who were on Monday barred from showing up at the Bolton White Apartments after reporting late to the camp of the intermediate squad.

Siasia told thenff.com Tuesday afternoon that discipline, strong mentality, self-belief and support of Nigerians can steer the Eagles to heights attained by their predecessors, who pounded the Pharaohs 4-0 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Lagos in October 1977.

“We can recreate October 1977; why not? The home –boys have come in and full training has commenced. Everyone is rearing to go. By the time the foreign –based players arrive, the competition will be what we want.

“I insist that we have invited the players who are capable of giving us the three points in Kaduna and another three points in Alexandria.”

Apart from being two points behind the Egyptians on the Group G table, the Eagles also lag behind the Pharaohs on goals scored. The Pharaohs have scored eight while Nigeria have scored two in the two matches played by each team, meaning the Nigerians have to start racking up the goals.

On October 8, 1977 the Eagles thrashed the Pharaohs 4-0 in a 1978 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium, Lagos, with the inimitable Segun Odegbami bagging a brace. Skipper Christian Chukwu and John Nwadioha got the other goals.

The Nigeria squad of October 8 1977:

Emmanuel Okala, Annas Ahmed, Samuel Ojebode, Mudashiru Lawal, Christian Chukwu (c), Godwin Odiye, Olusegun Odegbami, Aloysius Atuegbu, John Nwadioha, Godwin Iwelimo, Adokiye Amiesieamaka

Players in camp: Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Olufemi Thomas, Emmanuel Daniel, Kalu Orji Okogbue, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Mathew Etim, Austin Oboroakpo, Sincere Seth, Chima Akas, Chris Madaki, Oke Ogogatewho, Ifeanyi Mathew, Etebo Oghenekaro, Yau Hassan, Ezekiel Bassey, Prince Aggrey, Bright Onyedikachi, Chisom Chikatara, Godwin Obaje

'Flamingos ready for Bantwana'

Head Coach of the Flamingos Bala Nikyu has assured that his girls are ready for the crucial FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup final round, first leg qualifying match against South Africa’s Bantwana coming up at the National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, March 12.

Nikyu, who led the Class of 2014 to the quarter –finals of the World Cup in Costa Rica, spoke after the team’s evening training session on Monday, just as the South African Football Association announced that their contingent to Saturday’s game would arrive in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday.

“Since resuming camp on February 7, we have been doing a lot of work, and I am very happy with the way everything has gone. I am happy there are no injury worries apart from one that happened few days ago, but the player is fine now.

“We have been working on our past mistakes and rectifying them, and I believe we will go out there and do the country proud on Saturday.”

The Flamingos pummeled Namibia’s Baby Gladiators 9-0 on aggregate in the second round of the qualifying series, winning 4-0 in Abuja and 5-0 in Windhoek.

Captain of the team, Rasheedat Ajibade is confident that with the high spirit in camp, the girls will deliver on their promise to qualify for the World Cup finals, slated for Jordan in October this year. She also called on Nigerians to come out en masse and support the team with their presence and prayers, promising they will not be disappointed.

Nigeria has never failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since its inception in 2008. So far, only four countries are through to the final competition of this year’s edition, namely Jordan (the hosts), Japan, Korea Republic and New Zealand.