Leicester Stars Must Stay For "One Year More" - Ranieri

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has asked his Premier League title winners to “stay one year more”.

The Foxes completed one of sport’s greatest shocks when they won the league with a squad costing £57m.

Winger Riyad Mahrez, striker Jamie Vardy and midfielder N’Golo Kante are among the previously unheralded players to be linked with moves away.

“I’m very, very confident,” Ranieri said. “Don’t go. If you go another team, you might not get on the pitch.”

The Italian, who only replaced Nigel Pearson as manager last summer, was given a standing ovation by journalists as he came into his news conference for Saturday’s home game with Everton.

“From the beginning I felt something special,” he said. “Never could I imagine this, but it’s good. We work so hard.”

He laughed off suggestions that he could quit on a high this summer, and added he will not be signing global stars for next season’s Champions League campaign.

“I don’t want big names here. My lads are special. We have to bring some good players but they must have the same spirit.”

Algeria forward Mahrez, 25, won the PFA Player of the Year award after scoring 17 goals and 11 assists.

However, his agent Kamel Bengougam says it is “50/50 at the moment whether he stays or goes”.

“We have interest from the UK and overseas,” he added.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who takes his side to Leicester on Saturday at 17:30 BST, thinks a shock winner of the Premier League is likely to be a one-off.

“What Leicester have achieved is a great inspiration for any team sport and for any group in order to dream high and have huge expectations but I think we need to be realistic that this is not the norm.

“It’s something we haven’t seen in the modern game and I don’t think that’s going to be repeated easily.”

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew, whose side face Manchester United in the FA Cup final, said: “Leicester won it after 36 games. Last year for 10 games they were in the best form. For nearly 50 games they’ve been best in the country.

“It’s proof the underdog can do it. And it will give us a boost for the cup final.

“Leicester have shattered the glass ceiling, and I thought it was impossible to break. They’ve gone and done it. Amazing.

“Football isn’t all logic. It’s almost like some stardust has fallen on Leicester – great for them. Let’s hope it falls on us for the final.”

Opera star joins the party

Opera star Andrea Bocelli will perform at King Power Stadium before Saturday’s game.

Ranieri revealed the 57-year-old – who has sold more than 80 million records – called him and offered to perform two months ago.

“He was so happy about what we were doing in Leicester. He said: ‘I would like to come and sing something’. I said: ‘Great, why not?’,” said Ranieri.

“I gave all the information to the club and they made all the arrangements. It is great for all the community.”

BBC

Leicester Stars Must Stay For "One Year More" - Ranieri

Manchester United Must Break Kit Hoodoo To End Trophy Drought

Manchester United can end their three-year wait for a trophy when they come up against Crystal Palace in May’s FA Cup final – but they’ll have to overcome history if they’re to end their drought.

The Red Devils booked their place in May’s showpiece with Anthony Martial’s dramatic late winner against Everton last weekend.

There’s plenty left to play for in the Premier League before the showdown at Wembley but the coin toss for May’s clash has already been made and Crystal Palace will play as the home team.

It means Louis van Gaal’s side will play in their white away kit and a look at previous finals in which the Red Devils have worn white won’t leave Reds with much hope.

The Red Devils have played in white in eight previous finals – and they’ve won on just two occasions.

Manchester United’s record in finals wearing white kit

FA Cup 1909: Manchester United 1-0 Bristol City
FA Cup 1957: Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester United
League Cup 1983: Liverpool 3-2 Manchester United
FA Cup 1990: Crystal Palace 3-3 Manchester United
Cup Winners’ Cup 1991: Barcelona 1-2 Manchester United
League Cup 2003: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United
Champions League final 2009: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United
Champions League final 2011: Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United

United’s first ever FA Cup win came in white when the Reds beat Bristol City in 1909 but they on the next occasion when Matt Busby’s side were narrowly beaten by Aston Villa.

Arch rivals Liverpool beat the Red Devils in an entertaining League Cup victory in 1983, while United’s white kit is perhaps best remembered for its showing in the memorable 1990 FA Cup final with Crystal Palace.

Advantage Crystal Palace? History suggests Man United will struggle in FA Cup final

United overcame Palace in the replay of the 1990 FA Cup final (Picture: Allsport)

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side donned their white strip in the action-packed 3-3 draw at Wembley before overcoming the Eagles in the replay (wearing their home strip) with a 1-0 win.

Van Gaal’s side, though, have not had much luck of late and have lost all three of their previous finals wearing their away strip with Liverpool and Barcelona (x2) coming out on top.

Metro

Manchester United Must Break Kit Hoodoo To End Trophy Drought

We Must Be Consistent To Be Champions – Mustapha Essuman

Experienced midfielder of Accra Hearts of Oak, Mustapha Essuman has urged his teammates to be more consistent in their approach to the campaign as they chase silverware at the end of the season.

This according to him is the only way they can be assured of winning something at the end of the campaign to end the club’s trophy drought over the last few seasons.

Hearts under their Japanese-American coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi, has made a promising start to the season, and, sit in second place with 14 points, three behind leaders Wa All Stars in the Ghana Premier League after seven games.

The Phobians have lost one and drawn the other in their last two games, and this Mustapha believes must be improved upon if they are win something at the end of the season.

“We should be a lot more consistent with our performance as that is the surest way we can become successful at the end of season,” he said.

The Phobians will next play Division One outfit Samartex FC in an MTN FA Cup round of 32 game on Saturday at Samreboi in a game Mustapha hopes Coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi can guide them to success.

“He is a top coach and his work so far has justified why he was brought here,” he said, adding that with the right approach Hearts can win this competition at the end of the campaign”.

“We know the game with Samartex will be difficult as they will be at home,” he added, insisting that “we will not underrate them and will go all out for the win”.

Mustapha therefore urged his colleagues to rise up to the challenge in Saturday’s game and press on for the win to advance to the next stage of the competition.

We Must Be Consistent To Be Champions – Mustapha Essuman

Korle Bu Senior Staff Protest; Insist CEO Must Go

Some members of the Korle Bu Senior Staff Association have embarked on a demonstration to protest what they claim to be attempts by the Board and management of the hospital to intimidate the leadership.

 

 

The threats follow a demand by the staff who want the Korle Bu CEO, Dr. Gilbert Buckle sacked.

 

 

Joy News’ Michaela Anderson reports that members of the association are marching to the hospital’s administration block in solidarity with their members being intimidated.

 

They are expected to reiterate their call for the CEO’s removal claiming that he has been a failure.

More soon

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Myjoyonline.com

 

Korle Bu Senior Staff Protest; Insist CEO Must Go

Only Graduates Must Be Allowed In Parliament – O.B Amoah

Member of Parliament for Akuapim South O.B Amoah is pushing for Ghana’s parliament to peg its minimum entry requirement for fresh legislators at a First Degree.

 

According to him, the seemingly wholesale entry approach being practiced now affects the quality of the debate in the House.

 

Speaking to Nii Arday Clegg on the Morning Starr Tuesday, the former deputy sports minister said parliamentary work is delicate and requires a higher intellect to execute effectively.

 

“I think there should be a minimum qualification to enter parliament. The situation where everybody just enters is not too helpful. Parliamentary work is a serious business.

 

“Let’s start with a minimum First Degree irrespective of your background.

 

“It shouldn’t be that because one is popular in his area then he gets the opportunity to come to the House… that is why you see people getting into the house and then they start schooling,” he stated.

 

But his colleague Fritz Baffour who was also a guest on the show disagreed with the position.

 

In the view of the Ablekuma South MP, it is the responsibility of political parties to scrutinize the quality of the individuals they present to the electorates.

 

“I don’t believe that and I think it should be within the ambit of the political parties. A lot of people do not go through the mill. The political parties should be the ones to evaluate who should stand on their behalf. People like John Major didn’t have a first degree but they worked within the party structures.

 

“The selection process has been thrown to the woods and anybody can come in, and so long as he can pay he goes through,” Baffour stated.

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StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM

Only Graduates Must Be Allowed In Parliament – O.B Amoah