Ajax delighted for departing Scott

Ajax Cape Town midfielder Granwald Scott has completed his move to Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava, the club confirmed on Thursday.

The 28-year-old had a 10-day trial in Europe earlier this month and impressed enough to win a contract.
He leaves Ajax after 16 years with the blessing of theclub and the well-wishes of CEO Ari Efstathiou.
“Scotty joined Ajax Cape Town Academy when he was 12 years old. He signed his first professional contract at the age of 15. He’s been a loyal servant to the club for many years, so we wish him well with his journey abroad,” Efstathiou said.
“We are confident that he will represent Ajax Cape Town, as well as his country, with great pride. He was good enough to play in Europe from a young age but had three unsuccessful European trials after injuring himself on all three occasions.
“To make it in Europe at the age of 28, is clearly an indication of Scotty’s immense talent.”
Ajax had earlier said they would not stand in the player’s way if Slovan decided to sign him.
“The club went out of its way to facilitate his transfer and to help make his dream move a reality. All of us at Ajax Cape Town are very proud of Granwald’s achievement.
“He’s a great example for every young player, showing great determination and perseverance in succeeding. We hope to see Scotty playing in the Champions League very soon.”
Slovan are currently second in the 12-team league, seven points behind leaders Trencin after 19 games.

Bruyne injury blow for City

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is facing a potentially lengthy spell on the sidelines after he was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected knee ligament injury in Wednesday's League Cup semifinal win over Everton.
The Belgian had come on as a second-half substitute and been instrumental in turning the game in City's favour.
He scored the goal that put them 2-1 ahead on the night and crossed brilliantly for Sergio Aguero to head home and give City a 4-3 aggregate victory.
De Bruyne suffered a painful end, however, when his knee appeared to give way in the 89th minute and he was carried off with his leg in a brace.
"I'm optimistic he won't be out for the rest of the season," City manager Manuel Pellegrini told the BBC.
"We'll see how important the damage is. It's not the cruciate ligament."
Pellegrini said the club's doctor thought it was a problem with De Bruyne's medial ligament.
"Kevin has been a very important player all season," he said. "Tomorrow we will have news but it is not a nice injury."
The injury could have a significant impact for both club and country, with City still fighting on four fronts and Belgium having qualified for this year's European Championship in France.
City are second in the Premier League table, three points behind leaders Leicester City, and play Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League last 16.
They travel to Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.

Cup win catalyst for Reds - Milner

Liverpool's transition under Jurgen Klopp will become easier if the team can win the League Cup title, according to midfielder James Milner.
England's second most successful football club have won just one trophy in the last nine years, the League Cup in 2012, and will face Manchester City in the February 28 final.
Milner said the change of manager, from Brendan Rodgers to Klopp, has been difficult but believes the Merseyside club can lay foundations for further success by winning the Wembly contest against his former club.
"This club is built on success - they're used to winning trophies. It's always tough changing managers," Milner told British media.
"We can win a trophy and be in the hunt for others during a transition season when it's easy to say: 'There's been a lot of changes - let's see how we do; do the best we can and go again next year'.
"Hopefully we can do both: the transition with the new manager and keep improving - get a few players back as well. At times we haven't performed with the quality we want but the bottom line is we're still in every competition."
Milner remains optimistic about Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Klopp's men are currently seventh in the league with 34 points after 23 games, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
"We're not a million miles off in the league. With a few more points and a few more goals, we'll be closer (to the top four)," the England international said.
"With a strong finish, we can be in a reasonable position. There's definitely a lot more to come from this squad."

Chinese player quota headache for Portugal

Portugal's second division clubs are disturbed over plans to impose Chinese players on the league as part of a sponsorship deal with a Chinese company.
"They can't force Chinese players on us, it should be an option," the division's chief Jose Godinho told AFP on Wednesday.
He was speaking after Monday's signing in Beijing of a deal with Ledman, a lighting manufacturer based in Shenzhen.
The agreement allows for "ten Chinese players and three assistant coaches to join the ten best clubs in the Portuguese second division to improve their level," Ledman noted in a statement.
But Godinho insisted that clubs had made it clear throughout negotiations that the arrival of Chinese players should always be an option, not an obligation.
The deal has also raised concerns with the Portuguese professional footballers union.
Their president Joaquim Evangelista said: "We don't understand why the league is allowing a company to force players on to clubs and their managers."
The Portuguese League sought to put the clubs' minds at ease.
"There will be an exchange of footballers but the League guarantees that nothing will be imposed on the clubs," said the League's media officer Germano Almeida.
According to a specialist sporting rights lawyer, the clubs' fears are unfounded.
"No one can force a club to hire a player, it's forbidden by Fifa's rules, by the Portuguese football federation and by the League," said Joao Manteigas.
"The regulations are even stricter for foreigners," he added, but "there is a way around them by offering clubs a premium for hiring Chinese players; as long as nothing is mandatory it's perfectly legal."
In 2015, as talks were held with Ledman, second division clubs laid out a proposed compensation package for taking on Chinese players.
They asked for 20 000 euros ($22 000) the first year and 100 000 euros the fourth year for accepting three players and an assistant referee.
And a Chinese footballer's playing time should earn them several thousand euros, suggested clubs, who wanted 20percent of any transfer fee when a player moved on.
None of these figures have been confirmed by the Portuguese League, which has also not confirmed the length of the sponsorship, nor if the league will be renamed 'Ledman Proliga', as the company has announced.
The multinational is already involved in football, as sponsors in the Chinese first and second divisions.
This is not the first time China has looked to Portugal to raise the standard of the country's football, currently ranked 82nd in the world.
Oriental Dragon, launched in 2011, has around 30 players based in the country with various regional outfits.
Some of these players are already under contract with first division sides back home.
Monday's deal is not the first breakthrough for China in European football.
Manchester City sold 13percent of its shares to a consortium of Chinese investors in December for around 375 million euros ($406 million), while earlier last year real estate and entertainment giant Wanda took 20percent of Atletico Madrid for 45 million euros.

Oliseh fears for Nigeria

Sunday Oliseh, has revealed his fear about Nigeria's chances of having their strongest squad for the coming qualifiers.
The Nigerian trainer explained that he holds the fear that "some players (might not come)" for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) if the country fails to act. He added that a number of the Nigerian internationals have called him on telephone to ask for "what they're being owed."
"I only have one fear, and I will share it with you. It is that I just hope that the next time we send invitations out, that players won't start refusing to play for Nigeria. That is something that is scary but it is real. We have to start thinking because we're not going to work miracles anymore," said Oliseh.
"I'm just afraid that if we don't put our acts in order we might invite players for the next qualifications and may be some players (might not come); I'm afraid. Already I'm getting phone calls from them, you they're still asking what they're being owed."

Oliseh took charge of his first international tournament at the African Nations Championship (Chan) in Rwanda, where Nigeria failed to qualify from the group stage.

Amoo picks Chan positive

Nigeria's Olympic team assistant coach, Fatai Amoo has picked positive from Super Eagles' ouster from the ongoing African Nations Championship (Chan) in Rwanda.
Eagles lost 0-1 to Guinea in the last group match finishing a distant third as winners, Tunisia and conquerors, Guinea progressed to the quarterfinals of the biennial showpiece.
Amoo said the championship helped greatly in the discovery of few domestic players who can readily make the mainstream team, Super Eagles.
"Of course, the championship is not 100 percent losses there are gains as few players shone like million stars and can immediately fit into the Super Eagles programme.
"Chisom Chikatara is a standout performer, I was not surprised at his good rating because he was with us in the U-23 so I had the privilege of working closely with him.
"Chisom is a bundle of talent and will do greater thing in the near future in his chosen career.
"Osas Okoro and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, too performed excellently well at the championship.
"That's not to say the trio is the only performers but I can always put my money on the three to earn instant place in the Super Eagles.
"The three players actually standout in Rwanda Chan 2016 and clearly the positive of the championship, " said the former Super Eagles assistant coach to supersport.com.
Amoo however said Eagles' sudden elimination from the championship is more psychological than technical.
"After a bright start against Niger then a 1-1 draw against Tunisia it was a signal we are dropping instead of ascending in form.
"The last game we needed at least a draw to stay on while Guinea need a win to progress.
"Experience has shown that the team that need a win to advance in a championship often get the desired result over the one that needs a draw.
"Psychologically, our boys did not fight enough to earn the desired result that would have seen them move to the quarterfinals.
"Obviously, there is something wrong with the team in the game against Guinea but I believe the better side won the clash," said the former 3SC and Sunshine Stars coach.
Nigeria claimed bronze in the immediate past edition of the championship in South Africa under former manager, Stephen Keshi..

Nasri hopes to return in March

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri expects to return to action by end of March after initially fearing he could miss rest of the season with a thigh injury he picked up in October.

"The original estimate by the doctors was that I'd be out for between four to six months and the surgeon told me the same," Nasri told the club website (www.mcfc.co.uk).

"But I've already done two months and I'm targeting the international break in March to be back properly with the squad."

Manuel Pellegrini's men are second in the Premier League table after 23 games, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference and three points behind Leicester City, and Nasri hopes to return in time to help City's title push.

"We have a schedule and at the moment we are ahead... but I want to work hard and be back with the squad before the end of the season and I want to be back training normally with the team towards the end of March," he said.

City travel to face second-from-bottom Sunderland on February 2, after hosting Everton in the second leg of the League Cup semifinal on Wednesday and taking on Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.