Poyet wants win to be springboard

Gus Poyet challenged Sunderland to build on their first Premier League win for six months as the manager savoured a derby victory over Newcastle United.

The Black Cats climbed off the bottom of the Premier League table by ending a 13-game wait for a three-point haul as they inflicted a 2-1 defeat on their north-east rivals thanks to a stunning late winner from substitute Fabio Borini.

After victory in his first home game in charge saw Sunderland leapfrog Crystal Palace, a delighted Poyet said: "I didn't like looking at the table before, but we're off the bottom now after beating our biggest rivals.

"It's a great feeling but now we need to keep that going and build on it," added the Uruguayan, who took over at the Stadium of Light after controversial former manager Paolo di Canio was sacked earlier this month.

"From now on there are no excuses. We needed a lift and there's no better lift than this result.

"I'm going to sleep very well tonight," said Poyet after Sunday's match. "I feel like I've played the whole 90 minutes. I've chased balls, and appealed for every decision.

"In fact, I was close to running to the corner to celebrate with the lads when Fabio scored, but I thought better of it in the end because I needed to get the message across to the players to concentrate."

Poyet now has 10 wins in 17 games against Newcastle as a player and a coach.

"I'm sure they're going to hate me even more now," the Uruguayan joked.

"I've gone back to basics since coming in. Sometimes if you think too much you can complicate things so we've talked to the players to search for solutions and to remind them how important they are."

Borini fired home a memorable winner with his first goal since joining from Liverpool on a season's loan during the summer.

Poyet revealed the Italian substitute was close to starting the game, and the 22-year-old match-winner said: "I hope this is the turning point for our season.

"We gave everything to come away with the win, and hopefully we'll go on to get a few more victories now. If we can reproduce this kind of form on a regular basis I think we'll be okay. To score a winner in a game like this is unbelievable."

Newcastle looked destined for at least a point after Mathieu Debuchy's first goal since a £5.5 million ($8.9 million) January move from Lille early in the second-half cancelled out Steven Fletcher's early opener for the home side.

But the visitors were left to rue missed chances and defensive frailties caused by the absence through injury of their regular centre-back pairing of Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor.

Newcastle have an immediate chance to bounce back with the midweek League Cup tie at home to Manchester City, and manager Alan Pardew said: "We're left with a feeling of disappointment because having bossed the game for long periods to lose to such a late goal is hard to take.

"We didn't deserve to lose because after we equalised we looked the more likely to go on and win it.

"We'll assess Taylor's hamstring injury and see what timescale we're looking at.

"As far as Coloccini goes, he won't be ready for Manchester City, but hopefully we'll see him against Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

Keshi unpaid since March

Head coach of the Nigeria national team, Stephen Keshi is owed seven months salaries by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

In fact the Super Eagles trainer and members of his back room staff have not been paid salaries by the NFF since March 2013.

President of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari who was quizzed about this on Sunday confirmed the situation but also revealed that the “hands of the federation are tied” over the issue.

“It is true that Keshi has not been paid for the past seven months but the hands of the federation are tied over this matter. It’s not as if we are hoarding this money and have refused to pay him. The NFF is in dire straits as far as financial resources are concerned. We have even had to slash the winning bonus of players of the Super Eagles from $10,000 USD to $5,000 USD as a result,” Maigari exclusively told supersport.com.

The NFF chief then went on to reveal “several steps taken by the NFF to make Keshi’s life easier” following the failure to pay his wages for the past seven months.

“There are several steps taken by the NFF taken by the NFF in this regard to make Keshi’s life easier.

“The rent of the hotel in Abuja he lives in is paid by the NFF. His feeding is taken care of by the NFF as well. He has an official car provided by the NFF and we ensure that any expense he needs to meet as he carries out his official duties are met by the NFF.

“Let me also use this medium to inform Nigerians that other staff of the NFF have also not been paid for over a year but they have continued working without complaints because they know the constraints we are facing.

“General Secretary (Barrister Musa Ahmadu) and Director of competitions (Mohammed Sanusi), Director technical (Emmanuel Ikpeme) and Director of finance (NFF) are just two of the staff affected. There are many others too.

“I am sure a lot of Nigerians do not know that even as the leader of the NFF, I have not received salaries for a single day so people should understand that we are selflessly serving the nation,” Maigari said.

The NFF president however insisted that the coaches would be paid their salaries as soon as “things improve.”

Keshi, who took the reins from Samson Siasia in November 2011, has lost just four official games in the 33 games he has overseen as Nigeria coach.

Chan Eagles no easy prey

Lobi Stars central defender, Anthony Agbaji has said the present crop of home-based Super Eagles can stand on their own against any opposition in the world.

The Pride of Benue were pipped 0-1 by their Eagles counterparts in a build-up game in Abuja on Tuesday.

Warri Wolves striker, Oghenekaro Etebo scored the lone goal in the thrilling encounter meant to prepare the domestic Eagles for the friendly tie against Jordan on October 28 in Amman.

Agbaji said he saw zeal and courage among the Super Eagles insisting that the side will prove difficult for the Jordanian foes.

“I see the home-based Super Eagles as a side that can stand any opposition anywhere any place and any time.

“They’re good individually and as a team, the zeal and courage are there what they need is more playing time to understand themselves perfectly.

“The Jordanian side will find them a hard nut to crack if they continue on the pace we saw them against us,” said the Lobi Stars man to supersport.com.

Agbaji is excited for the wonderful opportunity the organisers of the friendly provided for his side to further showcase their talents.

“I’m appreciative to the Nigeria Football Federation and my management for the privilege offered to us to showcase our skills.

“We proved the point against the home-based Super Eagles that we could play good football at any level irrespective of the outcome of the friendly game.

“We had our chances but didn’t maximise it, they had theirs and made it count. That’s football and we’ve taken the lesson home.

“The friendly actually met its purpose how I wished we would get more of such rare chances in the nearest future,” Agbaji said.

The home-based Eagles are preparing for the 2014 African Nation’s Championship (Chan) in South Africa.

Enyeama continues to impress at Lille

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama was the man-of-the match on Saturday in Lille OSC’s 1-0 win over Montpellier HSC on match day 10 of Ligue 1.

Enyeama produced a performance right out of the top drawer exemplified by three astonishing saves from point blank range at the Stade de la Mosson to power Les Dogues to an important victory.

The Lille coach, René Girard was duly impressed and offered words of praise to his 31-year-old charge.

"For us, this is a great victory (against Montpellier), it's nice to get the three points tonight. Vincent (Enyeama) took out a big game, he's a cat. He managed three and four important decisions when he was called to action, this is not simple,” Girard told the club’s official website, www.losc.fr.

The club’s striker, Nolan Roux also singled out Enyeama for special praise after the game at Montpellier.

“It was (a) hard (game) physically for the strikers as we did not have many opportunities. Then, Vincent (Enyeama) did his job in the best way possible,” he said.

Club captain, Rio Mavuba also joined the queue as the words of commendation continued to pour in from all sides.

“We must congratulate all the defensive work of the team, with special mention of Vincent (Enyeama) who was impressive tonight,” he said.

Enyeama has kept eight clean sheets in 10 league starts for Lille this term. He last conceded in Lille’s 0-2 loss to Nice on September 15.

Lille sit in third place on the Ligue 1 standings with 20 points from 10 matches.

They trail only the big two, PSG and AS Monaco after 10 rounds of matches.

Azzurri test thrills Keshi

Head coach of the Nigeria national team, Stephen Keshi is looking forward to November’s international friendly against four-time world champions, Italy on November 18.

The Super Eagles face the Azzurri at London’s Craven Cottage in a game that could potentially represent preparation for the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

Italy and Nigeria have only met once previously at senior international level with the Azzurri running away with a 2-1 victory over the Super Eagles in the second round of the 1994 Fifa world cup in the United States.

Keshi who was an unused substitute in the round of 16 game decided on July 5 at the Foxboro stadium, Boston is not thinking about revenge when the two nations clash again next month.

“I am not thinking of revenge at all. 1994 was a long time ago,” Keshi told supersport.com.

The Super Eagles will first face Jordan in a friendly on October 28 before squaring up against Ethiopia in their second leg 2014 Fifa world cup playoff tie.

“We have a game with the domestically-based players in Jordan in the next few days. After that we will face Ethiopia in Calabar on November 16 and that is the game we must strive to win,” he added.

Keshi is full of respect for Cesare Prandelli’s charges and believes the game will represent a “very good test” for his wards.

“Italy have some of the best players in the world and this game will serve as a very good test for us. I am looking forward to the game,” he said.

No 'Blood and Gold' for El Badry

Ahly Tripoli head coach Hossam El Badry has denied Tunisian reports that he will soon lead Esperance.

Esperance board axed their coach Maher El Kenzary after they crashed out of the African Champions League Semifinal against the Orlando Pirates last Saturday.

Tunisian media claim that the Egyptian head coach has been linked with Esperance to lead the team this season.

"No one talked to me about that. It's big honor for me to lead the Blood and the Gold but its not true " El Badry told supersport. com.

The Tunisian giants meanwhile announced that Al Araby's El Zawawy will take the charge of the team temporarily till they sign a new coach.

El Badry is on vacation in Egypt after being shot in Libya last week while he was on his way home.

" I think I will not go back to Libya . It's very dangerous there. " El Badry added.

Metsu laid to rest in Senegal

Former Senegal coach Bruno Metsu, who passed away last Tuesday in France, was buried in Dakar on Monday in the presence of many local and international dignitaries.

Metsu converted to Islam while coaching the Teranga Lions between 2000 and 2002 and got married to a Senegalese Viviane Dieye, who revealed the coach had wished to be laid to rest in Dakar.

Wrapped in a national flag, the coffin of the man who led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup was laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery of Yoff in the presence of Head of State Macky Sall, who honoured the fallen hero with these words:

“We are here to honour the passing of a hero among heros of this nation,” Sall said. “We have lost a real Lion. Senegal was a country dear to his heart it is logical that he returns to rest here for eternity.”

Metsu last worked at Dubai’s outfit Al Wasl FC in 2012 before leaving to undergo treatments in France for colon, liver and lung cancers.

He died at his birthplace Coudekerque-Village in northern France and flown to Senegal for a state funeral.