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Maradona’s “Hand Of God” shirt goes on
sale for $2 million
T.
he shirt worn by Diego
Maradona when he
scored his famous “Hand Of
God” goal against England
at the 1986 World Cup in
Mexico could be available
for $2 million following the
Argentine’s death on
Wednesday, says an American
sports memorabilia expert.
The shirt is owned by
former England player
Steve Hodge, who got it
from Maradona after the
match in which his attempted
back pass led to the controversial
goal that helped
dump England out of the
tournament which Argentina
went on to win in Mexico.
“I was walking down the
tunnel and Maradona was
coming in the opposite direction.
I just tugged my
shirt and we swapped
there and then,” Hodge,
who had been delayed on
leaving the pitch doing a
TV interview, told British
media.
The shirt is currently on
display at England’s National
Football Museum
in Manchester.
“It’s very difficult to
gauge (the value) with the
“Hand Of God” jersey, but
I know that the owner was
looking for a $2 million
private sale,” David Amerman
of Goldin Auction in
New Jersey told Reuters.
“It certainly could be a
possibility, the values
have jumped quite a bit in
soccer.”
… Police launch investigation into Maradona’s death
*Okoku,
SUNDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 29, 2020, PAGE 23
Diego Maradona’s
death will be investigated
by Argentinian police
to decide whether it was a
case of medical negligence,
judicial sources have revealed.
Recordings from neighbourhood
security cameras
have been requested
by three prosecutors
working on the case.
Maradona died of
‘acute lung edema and
chronic heart failure’,
according to a preliminary
autopsy report, in his
sleep at noon while resting at
his home in Tigre, Buenos
Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.
His laywer, Marias Morla,
had earlier called for an investigation
into claims ambulances
took more than half
an hour to reach the football
star’s home in response
to a call on the day
of his death.
The prosecutor’s office
in Buenos Aires has opened
a file entitled ‘Maradona,
Diego. Determination of
the cause of death.’
Okoku lauds mandate to have four
NPFL stars in Eagles
E x-international,
Paul Okoku, has
welcomed the decision to
mandate Technical Adviser,
Gernot Rohr, to include
four players from
the Nigeria Professional
Football League in future
Super Eagles squads.
Speaking against the
backdrop of the recent
poor showing of a wholly
foreign-based Eagles
squad against Sierra Leone
in a 2022 Africa Cup
of Nations qualification
Dennis faces fine of 100,000
Euros
Emmanuel
Dennis
should be fined at least
100,000 Euros after he
stormed off the team bus for
a UEFA Champions League
tie, according to a former star
of Club Brugge.
This week, Dennis caused
a huge uproar when he got
off the team bus heading for
a Champions League clash
after he was not allowed to
sit where he wanted.
He was dropped for the
game at Borussia Dortmund,
which Club Brugge lost 3-0.
Former Club Brugge star
Gert Verheyen has now said
the player ought to be hit seriously
in the pocket for him
to come round to his
senses.
“The board has to resolve
this matter. The
only way to check such
behavior is with a heavy
fine”, Verheyen told Het
Nieuwsblad
Aribo not suffering from
corona virus, Rangers reveal
Glasgow
Rangers
have disclosed that
striker, Joe Aribo was not
suffering from corona virus
as was being speculated,
but only a stomach
infection.
A tweet from the club
said: “Rangers can confirm
that Joe Aribo is currently
being treated for a minor
illness and is being monitored
accordingly over the
weekend. We expect Joe to
rejoin the first-team squad
*Dennis
early this week.”
On Thursday, coach
Steven Gerrard had
said: “Joe was unwell.
He had a stomach
complaint last night.
Hopefully he will be
available for the weekend.
“It’s important to say
it is not Covid-related.
He was negative on
his test, before people
start putting two and
two together”
*Maradona
double-header earlier in the
month, Okoku frowned at the
reluctance of Rohr to have
home-based players in his
squad.
A member of the Eagles team
that won silver at the 1984 Africa
Cup of Nations under Coach
Adegboye Onigbinde, Okoku,
said that it was commendable
that the Minister of Sports and
Youth Development, Sunday
Dare and top officials of the Nigeria
Football Federation, led
by President Amaju Melvin Pinnick,
were in agreement on the
need to have at least four NPFL
stars in the country’s elite team.
Speaking further, Okoku, a
former vice-captain of the first
Flying Eagles team to qualify
for the 1983 FIFA U-20 World
Cup in Mexico, said that, ‘’this
decision will encourage our
players in Nigeria to be at their
best in all games because they
know that somebody is watching
them and if they excel, they
will most probably get an invitation
to the Super Eagles team.
‘’It is a morale booster for the
players playing at home and
serves as an impetus to
reach for heights never
reached before and increases
the competitive spirit in
the players, the local teams
and the Super Eagles.
‘’This is the way to go because
no meaningful and
sustainable development
can be attained in our football
if we neglect the homebased
players in our Super
Eagles squad.
“Players like my humble
self, Tarila Okorowanta, the
Olukanni brothers, Segun
Odegbami, Adokiye Amiesiamaka,
Taju Disu, the late
Stephen Keshi and a host of
others, were discovered
from the local scene and
going back to that model of
football development is the
way to go for the success of
the Super Eagles’’, added
Okoku, winner of the first
Tessema Cup with Nigeria
in 1984.
Going forward, Okoku
said that, ‘’I would love to
see the number of homebased
talents in the Eagles
rise, without putting a cap
on the number’’.
Piqué wants Messi at Barca for
years to come
*Piqué and Messi
Gerard Piqué hopes
Barcelona can convince
Lionel Messi to stay
at the club for years to
come.
Messi, 33, sensationally
requested to leave the La-
Liga giants during the close
season, but ended up staying
at the club.
However, the six-time
Ballon d’Or winner is
linked with the likes of
Manchester City, Paris
Saint-Germain and Inter
with his contract expiring
at the end of the
season.But Piqué hopes
Messi will remain at
Barça, where he has spent
his entire professional career.
“We will have to ask Leo.
It is his personal decision
… and we will see what
happens,” the defender
told Radio Marca.
“I believe that as long as
he continues to wear the
Barça shirt there is always
hope.
“We hope they can seduce
him so that he stays
more years.”
Outrage as Edo 2020
postponement hits athletes,
coaches hard
By Ben Efe
Nigerian athletes and coaches have been pouring out
their hearts after the Presidential Task Force on Covid’19
and the Sports Ministry threw the spanner in the works
of the National Sports Festival.
“Edo 2020” was postponed for the second time last week
with just a few days to the start of the festival and it set off
alarm bells among athletes and coaches around the country.
Though the sports fiesta has now been rescheduled for
January 3-17 in Benin City, the main actors are not impressed
by the seeming lack of understanding of how much
work they have put into preparations, only for the powers
that be to pull the plug.
“It is very demoralising, the zeal to focus on training and
performance has been thwarted,” coach Johnny Igboka fired
from Awka, Anambra State.
“Athletes have targeted time for training and each time
the festival is postponed, time and money are lost and who
is going to bear the cost in these hard times?”
“It’s devastating, discouraging and disappointing,” high
jump coach, Kola Adebayo gushed out, as he let down his
stopwatch during a competition at the Teslim Balogun Stadium
in Lagos.
“It seems our governament doesn't have the interest of
the athletes at heart. We devote so much energy preparing.
This is the life of many of our youths.
“Is the government trying to sabotage our efforts? Because
I don’t want to believe that it is because of coronavirus
they are doing this. Other countries that are hardest hit
by the virus have moved on. Even in midst of the pandemic,
sports is going on in those countries, so why is Nigeria doing
this to us?
“We have only a few athletes who have qualified for the
Olympics. Those who are eager to meet the standards are
looking to use the narrow window to earn qualification
before the Games next year.
“And then as a country you now shut down such an opportunity.
Nigeria does next to nothing for her athletes
and now you are slowing down the efforts of athletes who
are struggling to meet world standards. Is this not sabotage?
“This thing is even more than what we are seeing,’’ sprinter
and coach, Prince Adegboyega Emmanuel concurred.
Most parents are even so discouraged and have urged
their wards not to come into athletics.
“I can’t even look at some of the parents in the face anymore,
because it hard to convince them athletics will help
them achieve their aims in life,”said coach Isaac Osagie-
Ikhabome.
Deji Aliu, who won the world junior in 1992 couldn’t
hide his feelings.
“I feel so ashamed to call myself a Nigerian. They don’t
have any regard for how the athletes and their coaches
feel.
“We worked so hard in training and then what do we get,
postponement after postponement. Is this how it is done in
other countries? And we are aiming to match their results?’’,
he asked rhetorically.
NWFL: Edo Queens target success
Edo Queens Football Club of Benin-City captain Os
ahenoma Igbinovia, has reiterated the club’s commitment
in winning laurels in the forthcoming 2020/21
Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) season.
Captain Osahenoma, told her colleagues during a training
session in Abuja to brace up, adding that the only way
to get the State government’s attention is by winning
matches.
“We must know that it is no longer business as usual,if
we must enjoy full support of the State government, it is
mandatory for us to win matches, because the only way
to draw government’s attention to meet our demands is
for us to show total commitment to our job and doing
very well.” “We should remember that Edo Queens FC is
highly rated among female clubs in the country, and alot
of female league players want to come to Edo Queens
because of the commitment of the State government towards
the club and rebranding that has taken place. So it
is our collective responsibility to ensure that Edo Queens
do what is expected of them as professional league players.”
Liverpool fans angry over Salah’s
disallowed goal
Liverpool fans have questioned how pedantic VAR
should be after Mohamed Salah had a goal against
Brighton and Hove Albion ruled out.
The Reds thought Salah had put them into the lead against
Brighton when the attacker ran through and slotted past
Mat Ryan.
It was a devastatingly efficient attack which was ultimately
ruled out by the narrowest of offsides.
It prompted fans to question why VAR decisions with offside
should not be clear and obvious like it is with penalties.
Despite the decision, pundits Peter Crouch and Joe Cole
praised the build-up play for the disallowed goal.
Cole said it was an example of the quality Liverpool have
in their side and praised Salah’s finish, which bounced over
the goalkeeper after initially hitting the ground.
He said: “When you play for Liverpool and you have that
quality, you can make things out of nothing.
“They were poor, Liverpool, but this is exquisite, this is
divine. The finish, he’s bearing down on goal, it’s on his
weak foot, and he’s hit it into the ground, Salah, and you
can’t discount the fact that, a player of his quality, I think
he’s done that on purpose.”