No Disrespect To MoYS Intended - Dede

Black Stars attacking midfielder, Dede Ayew, has disclosed in an exclusive interview with Sportscrusader.com that his, and other players’, move to fund their airfare to Accra is not to meant to spite the Youth and Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuije.

Ayew, in collaboration with a couple of his national teammates, are paying for the airfares of some members of coach Avram Grant’s 23-man squad after news broke of a reported financial difficulty facing the ministry, making it difficult to fly the players from their various European bases to Accra.

The uniBank brand ambassador, who will not be involved directly in the game due to an injury picked up against Chelsea in his debut game for new side, West Ham United said; “This act is not to dishonour the minister or anyone, but rather, to show our desire and love to wear the national colours and do battle for Ghana.”

uniBank’s brand ambassador will be with the team to offer morale support and advise when called upon.

No Disrespect To MoYS Intended - Dede

Afcon Qualifiers: Dede To Be Part Of Black Stars

Ghana Black Stars deputy captain and uniBank (Ghana) Limited’s brand ambassador, Dede Ayew, has confirmed in an interview with Sportscrusader.com that he will be part of the Black Stars contingent in Accra for Ghana’s last AFCON 2017 qualifier vs Rwanda.

The West Ham United record signing picked up an injury during his debut game against Chelsea.

But the uniBank brand ambassador, whose level of patriotism, has never been in doubt, will be flying to Ghana to offer morale support to the team as they vie to complete the qualifiers with a 100% record.

 

The Hammers have failed to reveal the date for his comeback, despite having confirmed Dede will not need surgery to heal the injury.

Afcon Qualifiers: Dede To Be Part Of Black Stars

Afcon Qualifier: uniBank Brand Ambassador Rallies Players To Pay For Airfare

UniBANK brand ambassador, Andre Morgan Dede Ayew, is leading a campaign for Black Stars players to personally fund their airfare from their various foreign bases to Accra, to honour the team’s last Afcon qualifier against Rwanda.

The Sports Minister is reported to have clearly stated that, his outfit is cash-strapped and as such, advised the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to consider giving call-ups to some locally based players – considering the fact that, Ghana has already sealed qualification to Gabon 2017.

Dede, who is recovering from an injury, has taken the initiative to pay for a number of the first team’s players.

Teammates, Baba Rahman, Afriyie Acquah and others have also opted to fund their return trips to Accra.

The uniBank Brand Ambassador, in an interview with sportscrusader, mentioned that, his gesture is not to suggest that, the domestic players are not good enough to represent Ghana in the qualifiers.

Afcon Qualifier: uniBank Brand Ambassador Rallies Players To Pay For Airfare

uniBank Appoint Dede Ayew as Brand Ambassador

uniBank (Ghana) Limited, commonly known as uniBank, an indigenous private bank in Ghana has named Ghana Black Stars deputy captain, Andre Ayew as the bank’s brand ambassador on a five year deal.

 

The two parties after a smooth negotiations decided to put pen to paper and make their newly found relationship official.

The Swansea City midfielder who finished his debut season in the English Premier League (EPL) as the club’s top scorer in all competitions will use his fame, image and value as a player to help boost that of the Ghanaian owned bank outside the shores of the West African country.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the bank Dr Kwabena Duffuor Jnr said after the signing, “they are looking forward to a fruitful relationship with the former Marseille play-maker whose values are in line with the bank.”

The financial benefit details of the contract were not disclosed; the short but memorable ceremony was witnessed by officials of the award-winning bank and Maya Ayew – mother of the Ayews and wife of former Ghana Black Stars captain and arguably Ghana’s best ever player, Abedi Ayew ‘Pele’.

Current Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan and first ever Ghanaian coach to qualify the Black Stars to a World Cup final, Kwesi Appiah, were previous ambassadors of the official bank of the senior male Ghana national team on a two year deal each.

uniBank is one of the twenty-eight (28) commercial banks licensed to operate in Ghana.

uniBank Appoint Dede Ayew as Brand Ambassador

Ayew Honoured at Winning SWAG Gong

Swansea City and Black Stars forward, Andre Ayew was today officially presenter with his accolades by the Sports Writer Association of Ghana (SWAG) for winning the 2015 Sports Personality and Footballer of the Year.

The deputy Black Stars captain won the awards beating off competition from national team colleague(s) captain Asamoah Gyan and 2014 SWAG personality and Footballer of the Year, Harrison Afful.

 

At a special event organised at the Headquarters of headline sponsor of the 41st SWAG Sports Personality Awards, MTN Ghana, th3 former Olympique De Marseille attacker was presented with the gong by president of SWAG, Kwabena Yeboah.

 

And Swansea City’s top goal scorer of the 2015/16 expressed delight and acknowledged been honoured to be bestowed with such laurels.

“I am happy to have won the award. This is the second time am winning the footballer of the year and the first time winning the personality of the year. I am really honoured.”

Ayew Honoured at Winning SWAG Gong

Ayew Double Sees Off Liverpool

Andre Ayew scored twice as Swansea comfortably beat a much-changed Liverpool side 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.

Jurgen Klopp made eight changes from the midweek Europa League semi-final first leg and despite fielding the youngest ever Liverpool team in the Premier League, they lacked energy against a Swans side looking to mathematically secure their top-flight status.

Ayew opened the scoring just after the 20-minute mark, before Jack Cork doubled the advantage with a fantastic curling effort fired into the bottom corner.

Half-time substitute Christian Benteke pulled one back for the Reds, but Ayew restored the lead two minutes later and the visitors ended the game with 10 men after Brad Smith was sent off.

Liverpool stay in seventh on 55 points – four behind Manchester United and West Ham – while Swansea have sealed Premier League football for another season and move up to 13th with 43 points.

Ayew Double Sees Off Liverpool

Dede Won"t Be Missed - Avram Grant

Ghana Black Stars head coach, Avram Grant revealed in his press conference the absence of Swansea forward, Andre Dede Ayew is a worry but won’t be missed.

 

The Black Stars will host the Mambas of Mozambique on Thursday at the Accra sports stadium in an African Cup of Nations qualifier for the 2017 nations cup.

Ayew who missed his club’s last two matches through injury has been ruled out of the two legged tie due to an ankle injury suffered in training.

Dede Ayew celebrates scoring a goal for Ghana

Grant who was speaking at a press conference prior to day two training at the Accra sports stadium admitted concern with the absence of his deputy skipper.

He said,” Dede ayew was in my plans but got injured and can’t play. He will be missed as a valuable addition to the team but there’s equally good replacement for him and so with any other player.”

Dede Won"t Be Missed - Avram Grant

Ghanaian Players In Midweek European Action

England

West Ham United vs Aston Villa

Jordan Ayew got booked for  a silly foul on West Ham United left back, Aaron Creswell. The game was going as planned for the bottom placed Villa but with ten men it was difficult to see how they travel back to the midlands with even a point. Goals from Antonio and Cheik Kouyate gave the hammers all the three points.

 

Leicester City vs Liverpool

Daniel Amartey is still waiting to make his debut for Leicester city since he completed an £8m move to the English premier league side. The Foxes defeated Liverpool by 2-goals to nil as they retained their firm grip of top spot. Jeffrey Schlupp is a couple of weeks away from returning to first team action for Leicester city.

 

West Brom vs Swansea City

Ghanaian forward, Andre Ayew played 82 – minutes of Swansea’s 1 all draw game away to West Brom at the Hawthorns. The Welsh side took the lead through Icelandic international, Gylfi Sigurdsson with some few minutes left on the clock it looked like the Swans will win their second game in succession after beating Everton but West Brom’s record signing, Salomon Rondon ensured that didn’t happen.

 

 Italy

Sassuolo vs AS Roma

Alfred Duncan started for Sassuolo as they hosted Serie A giants AS Roma. The versatile Ghanaian international lasted 87 minutes as a lone goal from former Chelsea forward, Mohammed Salah gave the capita based club all three points.

Ghanaian Players In Midweek European Action

Revelation: "Spiritual Assistance" Is The Secret Behind Ghana"s 1995 FIFA U17 Glory - Awudu Isaaka

Spirituality  Does Exist In Football – Awudu Issaka

Mallam Issaka Salia’s revelation alleging Rashid Sumaila is responsible for Jerry Akaminko’s career threatening injury pre-world cup 2014 in a friendly match against Netherlands has opened up closets of spiritual assistance seeked by heads of the national teams and its players.

 

Many have accused players called into the various national teams of consulting ‘black magic’ to help their course of retaining their spot when they are called up into the teams. Its been difficult to prove as many players refuse to comment on but in the long run do when things begin to fall apart in their life post footballing career.

 

Awudu Issaka, nicknamed the dribbling magician was a prominent member of the U17 team that brought Ghana glory in 1995 but his career that many predicted will be a fruitful and successful one didn’t go as planned.

In an interview with Kumasi based radio, Boss fm 93.7, Issaka revealed the secret behind their success story in Ecuador and why they were confident before the tournament even commenced.

“In 1995 before we travelled to Ecuador for the FIFA U-17 world cup, we visited a man of God named, Servant Isaac at Akim-Oda who fore-casted that we’ll win the tournament. He then cursed his Church to collapse should we return to Ghana without the FIFA U17 world cup trophy and this statement meant he (the man of God) knew what had seen,” he said.

 

“Upon arrival in Ghana with the trophy the playing body especially the players had deals outside and as a result the praise that he was expecting from us was absent and from thence he cursed the team and I made to believe it is a contributing factor to the current decline of the national U-17,” he added.

 

Ghana is yet to replicate the success story in 1991 and 1995.

Revelation: "Spiritual Assistance" Is The Secret Behind Ghana"s 1995 FIFA U17 Glory - Awudu Isaaka

Preview: Ghanaian Players In European Action This Weekend

Ghanaian Players In European Action This Weekend

As the year has began Ghanaian players are well informed of the opportunity available to represent the senior national team – the Black Stars in African cup of Nations and FIFA world cup qualifiers later this year as such their club performance will be a yard stick to measure their preparedness to play for Ghana.

 

In this weekend round of games, English premier league will be hold sa the world’s oldest cup competition, The FA cup takes centre stage.

The city of Milan will be the venue for Europe’s biggest game of the weekend as Inter Milan face Ac Milan in the Milan derby.

The Spanish la liga will see a top of the log clash between FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

 

England

Dede Ayew and his Swansea city team mates will have the weekend off as the Welsh club will not be copetiting in the Emirates FA cup after losing lower league side, Oxford united in the third round. The Swans won their first game away in a long while against Everton in week 23 of the English premier and will be next in action when the premier league returns in mid-week against, West Brom.

 

Aston Villa – Manchester City

Meanwhile Dede’s younger brother, Jordan Ayew will hope to continue with his consistent first team selection under manager, Remi Garde when 2012 FA cup champions, Manchester City travel to Villa park. Aston Villa have won just twice in their last five competitive matches and Manchester City’s three wins in 5-games isn’t too convincing and considering the citizens’s calibre and crop of players available.

Italy

AC Milan – Inter Milan

Ghanaian midfielder, Kevin-Prince Boateng will hope he makes manager, Sinisa Mihajlovic’s team for the Milan derby on Sunday. The Rossoneri go into the game as the in-form team with three wins and two draws in their last 5-games whilst their city rivals boast of a win, two draws and two defeats in their last 5-games. Inter Milan are placed 4th on the table and with 8-points separating them from 6th place AC Milan a defeat in the game will the 7-times UEFA champions league winners move to 5th place and also reduce the points difference to 5.

Carpi – Palermo

Isaac Cofie’s Carpi will play host to 14th place Palermo and with the away side recording two defeats in a row in their last two matches the home side should be in confident mood to annex all three points and salvage what is gradually looking like relegation sealed fate. The versatile Ghanaian midfielder missed Carpi’s one-all trip to Inter Milan last week and will hope to put in a similar and stellar performance at home.

 

Atalanta – Sassuolo

Yussif Chibsah played 87 minutes when his Sassuolo side hosted Atalanta last weekend in the coppa Italia and will hope his performance on the day will guarantee him a starting berth when they travel to the same opponent but this time in Serie A action. Sassuolo are just 9-points off a champions place and will be motivated to focus on grabbing all the three points.

Chievo Verona – Juventus

Isaac Cofie missed Chievo’s last game against empoli which ended one-all and will hope to be in manager, plans. Chievo have not won against the old ladies of Italian football, Juventus.Kwadwo Asamoah missed Juve’s 1-0 victory over AS Roma and have an enviable record of six wins in a row. The ghanaian midfielder is rumoured to have raptured his knee injury and might miss the game. Juventus edge Chievo in the head-to-head meeting with four wins and two draws in their last five meetings.

Udinese – Lazio

Agyemang Badu played in Udinese’s 1-4 defeat away to Palermo and saw yellow in the game but the memory of been the captain on that night during the thrashing can be cast back when Udinese defeat Lazio in this weekends Serie A clash at the Stadio Fruili. Udinese are on a bad run of form with three defeats in a row and will have to start picking up maximum points.

Bologna – Sampdoria

Godfred Donsah played 72-minutes in Bologna’s 0-2 victory away to Sassuolo las week and will look forward to kick odd from there when they host 17th placed, Sampdoria at the Renato Dall Ara stadium.

Greece

Platanias – Panathinaikos

Michael Essien will hope to inspire his Panathinakos side in this weekends clash against Platanias after scoring his first goal for the club in the Greece super league against, Levadiakos. Panathinakos lie 3rd with 35-points after 19-matches played in the 2015/16 league season.

Preview: Ghanaian Players In European Action This Weekend

Transfer: West Ham Target The Signing Of Ghanaian International

English Premier League Side Targets Black Stars Midfielder

English premier league side, West Ham uniited have made fellow premier league side Swansea City’s forward, Dede Ayew a primary target as they set their sets on finishing in the top half of the table and qualify for Europe.

 

 

Andre Ayew has been in fine form since joining the Welsh based premier league team and is the top scorer for the club. The Ghanaian forward could be tempted with a move away from the Liberty Stadium with the Swans involved in a relegation battle and just one point above the relegation zone and with just a handful of matches remaining the light looks bleak for the Swans.

Swansea City forward, Andre Ayew

The Hammers already have a familiar face in Dimitri Payet who like Ayew signed from French club, Olympique Marseille. The pair were team mates and will be welcome news for Ayew to settle in quickly should the move materialise.

 

Transfer: West Ham Target The Signing Of Ghanaian International

Dare: I"ll Win The African Cup With Ghana - Ex Black Stars Player

Give The Black Stars Job And I’ll Win The AFCON – Kotoko Legend

Former Black Stars player Abdul Karim Razak has professed his admiration of been the head coach of Ghana.

 

Razak, who also played for clubs in the UAE, Egypt and Ivory Coast, was ranked by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2007 as one of the confederation’s 30 best footballers of the previous 50 years.  Nicknamed the ‘Golden Boy’, he has played as Ghanaian international representing the Black stars 70 times and scored 20 – goals during that period.

Flashback: Abdul Karim Razak back in the 70s in national colours

The Ghanaian legend in an interview with footballcruader.com declared his wish to win the African cup of nations – AFCON as a coach after recording that feat as player and will accept with open arms (the head coach post of Ghana) should he be tasked with managing the senior male football team of Ghana – Black Stars.

 

He said, “I have done a lot at club level which has been very successful and I thank God for that, and now my focus is to coach the national team and show the world what God has given me, and to put Ghana on the map.”

 

“The only job I know in this world now is coaching, and my focus now is coaching the national team,” he enumerated.

 

Razak scored the only goal in the semi-final game against Tunisia that saw Ghana book its place in the final victory over Uganda in the 1978 African Cup of Nations to record their 3rd continental title.

Dare: I"ll Win The African Cup With Ghana - Ex Black Stars Player

Review: How Ghanaian Players Fared With Their Respective Clubs In Mid-Week

Ayew Scored, Wakaso Booked And Partey Hopeful To Start For Madrid

Many Ghanaian players were involved in mid-week action for their various European clubs. In Spain the copa del rey continued whilst arguably the best league in the world, the English premier league continued with some mouthwatering games. In Italy where the exodus of Ghanaian players keep growing the Serie A action was replaced with games in the Italian cup.

 

footballcrusader.com reviews how Ghanaian players fared with their clubs and also how their individual performances helped their clubs as well.

England

Andre Dede Ayew scored a screamer after he received a long pass from goal keeper, Lukasz Fabianski and after he drove into the Sunderland box the forward drilled a rasping left-foot drive that flew past Vito Mannone into the far corner of the net.

Dede Ayew in action against Sunderland

Earlier on the Ghanaian international was brought down and a penalty awarded to the Swans, Gylfi Sigurdsson took full advantage and scored from the spot kick.

 

Italy

Kevin Prince Boateng started his first game after returning to AC Milan to the club for the second time.

Isaac Cofie in action for Carpi

Though he was a substituted in the 58th minute, the Ghanaian midfielder helped the Rossoneri become the first team to qualify into the Italian Cup semi finals after defeating Isaac Cofie’s, Carpi by 2 – goals to 1 at the San Siro on Wednesday. The 24 year old Cofie was an unused substitute in the game.

 

Spain

Las Palmas qualified into the semi final of the copa del rey after beating Eibar 3 – 2. Mubarak Wakaso like always cant seem to stay away from the books of the referee after he was booked with just 37 minutes into the game. Las Palmas qualified on 6 – 4 aggregate.

Atletico Madrid midfielder, Alex Partey

Alex Partey will hope to be in action when his Atletico Madrid side host Rayo Vallecano in the second leg of the Spanish Copa Del Rey after drawing the one all in the first leg.

Review: How Ghanaian Players Fared With Their Respective Clubs In Mid-Week

Third Tiime Lucky?: Dede Ayew In Another Award Battle

Ayew And Gyan Shortlisted For SWAG Honours

Andre Dede Ayew has been shortlisted once again for an award and this time his immediate opposition is national team mate and captain Asamaoah Gyan after the pair were shortlisted for the sports personality of the year award by the sports writers association of Ghana (SWAG).

 

Harrison Afful will compete and defend his crown along with his national team colleagues Asamoah Gyan and Dede Ayew after the trio of Ghana black stars players were shortlisted for footballer of the year award.

Renowned coaches, Ashantigold’s Bashir Hayford and Black Queen’s Yusif Basigi will compete with Gyan and Ayew for the ultimate accolade.

For the Premier League Player of the Year, Ashantigold’s Eric Opoku, Liberty’s Kennedy Ashia and WA Allstars’ Richard Ofori will lock horns to see who emerges as the best.

 

The event will be held  on the 28th of May, 2016 at the State Banquet Hall, Accra.

 

Sports Personality of the Year

1. Andre Ayew

2. Asamoah Gyan

3. Yussif Basigi

4. Bashir Hayford

Footballer of the year (male)

1. Andre Ayew

2. Asamoah Gyan

3.Harrison Afful

Footballer of the year (Female)

1. Portia Boakye

2. Samira Suleman

3.Janet Egyiri

Premier League Star

1. Eric Opoku

2. Kennedy Ashia

3. Richard Ofori

Third Tiime Lucky?: Dede Ayew In Another Award Battle

Just A Matter Of Time: Ayew Shouldn"t Lose Hope - Golden Boy

Dede Will Win Sooner Than Later – Ghana Legend

Andre Dede Ayew came third too Yaya Toure and Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng at the GLO/CAF awards ceremony in Abuja on Thursday.

 

The annual event is organised to celebrate and recognise individuals, teams and legends for their contribution to the development of the game. Gabon and BVB Dortmund striker, Aubamayeng beat favourite Yaya Toure to the crown to many surprise if not disappointment and has had many question why and how Toure and perhaps Ayew lost.

Former Ghana international, Abdul Razak (Golden Boy)

Toure has expressed his disappointment when he returned to his club side, Manchester City in an interview to the Mirror newspaper but Andre is yet to speak but many Ghanaian greats have spoken on his behalf.

‘Golden boy’ and Ghanaian legend Abdul Karim Razak has added his voice but his is more of comforting and encouragement for the 26 – year old Swansea city attacking midfielder.

In an interview with Boss FM 93.7 in Kumasi, Razak said,”every country is performing well in football now. We (as Ghanaians in reference to players) need to up their game and perform better than they are now.

Ayew might have lost today but that should not keep him down, it should rather motivate him. t won’t be long before he has his hands on it (CAF African footballer of the year award).”

 

 

He added, “Sammy Kufuor (former Bayern Munich and Black stars defender) came close in 2001 (when he lost it to Senegalese forward, El Hadji Diouf) and now him (Dede), so he should just keep the performance and will soon be recognised as king of African football.

Just A Matter Of Time: Ayew Shouldn"t Lose Hope - Golden Boy

Reaction: Dede Ayew Was Robbed Of African Player Award

CAF Robbed Ayew And Toure – Black Stars Legend

Gabonese captain and Dortmund forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng was announced the king of African football at the GLO/CAF African footballer of the year awards gala in Abuja. Lagos.

 

The Gabonese striker tagged, ‘Africa’s Neymar’ pulled 143 votes whilst his nearest competitor and four-times African footballer of the year, Yaya Toure had 136 votes. Ghanaian midfielder and Swansea City top goal scorer pulled 112 votes.

Footballl fans have been discussing on Social media and many football pundits alike have also been doing same asking, how Aubamayeng beat favourite Yaya Toure who was tipped to win the accolade for a record fifth time and Ayew who had an outside chance should Toure not win.

 

Ghanaian football legend and former black stars captain, Odartey Lamptey expressed his disappointment at how in his opinion the pair – Dede Ayew and Yaya Toure were ignored. In a radio interview with Kumasi based Boss FM 93.7 FM, he said,”I don’t know which criteria is used to determine the winner of the African footballer of the year award. Personally I think the favourites for the award were Dede Ayew and Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng, I say so from how smartly they were dressed.

Former Black Stars and Aston Villa player, Odartey Lamptey

“Dede performed better at the AFCON hosted by Equatorial Guinea and was Ghana’s top goal scorer at the tourney. Yaya Toure started slowly but in the quarter and semi finals, the Ivorian was a force to reckon with . Aubamayeng did qualify Gabon to the tournament alright but his performance and that of his team did not march what Dede and Yaya had with their respective nations.”

 

Odartey added, “at club level Dede performed well with Olympique de Marseille in French ligue before joining Swansea City in the English premier league on a free transfer. Toure had an equally good season with Manchester City in the EPL in the 2014/15 season. Aubamayeng did well with Dortmund, he scored goals and performed well in the German Bundesliga. That not withstanding the battle was between Yaya Toure and Dede Ayew.”

 

The former Aston Villa player concluded, ”If Dede had won no one will question the decision because Ayew and Toure were the only deserving winners because they’ve been the most consistent African footballers during the year under review.”

Reaction: Dede Ayew Was Robbed Of African Player Award

Full List Of 2015 GLO CAF African Footballers Award Winners

Full List Of 2015 GLO CAF African Footballers Award Winners

footballcrusader.com reviews the winners of the night during the 2015 GLO CAF African Footballer of the Year awards ceremony in Abuja, Lagos.

African Footballer of the Year

Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang, Gabon

African-based Player of the Year

Mbwana Aly Samata, Tanzania

Women Player of the Year

Gaelle Enganamouit, Cameroon

Youth Player of the Year

Victor Osimhen, Nigeria

Most Promising Talent

Etebo Oghenekaro, Nigeria

Coach of the Year

Hervé Renard, Cote d’Ivoire

Referee of the Year

Bakary Papa Gassama, Gambia

African Legend

Charles Kumi Gyamfi, Ghana

Samuel Mbappé Léppé, Cameroon

National Team of the Year

Cote d’Ivoire

Women National Team of the Year

Cameroon

Fair play award

Allez Casa fans group of Senegal

Club of the Year

TP Mazembe, DR Congo

Full List Of 2015 GLO CAF African Footballers Award Winners

Finally: Manchester United Finally End Winless Streak

Rooney And Martial Score To Defeat Swansea City

Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial scored for Manchester united to bring Manchester united victory in all competitons after 8 winless streak.

Wayne Rooney back heels to restore the lead for Manchester united

The Red Devils defeated their nemesis, Swansea city by 2-goals to 1. After a goalless first half, Anthony Martial put United ahead in the 47th minute when he clinically headed home from Ashley Young’s cross. It looked like being another frustrating afternoon for the hosts when Swansea equalised with 20 minutes to go through Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Anthony Martial heads in United’s first goal

Wayne Rooney restored the lead when he cleverly flicked in Martial’s cross to end his two-month wait for a goal and become the second-highest scorer in both Premier League and Manchester United history.

Gylfi Sigurdsson wheels away in celebration after equalising for Swansea city

Swansea went close to an equaliser with the last action of the match as goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski incredibly headed narrowly wide, but United held on for their first win since November 21, which relieves some of the pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.

Finally: Manchester United Finally End Winless Streak

New Boss: Ayew To Have Dutch Boss At Swansea

Dutch Legend Linked To Vacant Swansea Post

Ajax manager and Dutch Legend, Frank De Boer has been linked to the vacant post at Swansea city.

 

The Welsh team parted ways with club legend and manager, Garry Monk after 11 – games without a win and have seem to recover from their slump with a win and three draws from games played since the former Welsh international’s departure.

 

Many managerial names have been banded around with the job and no surprise De Boer’s name has emerged again after negotiations with former Marseille and Atletico Bilbao boss, Marcelo Bielsa failed to materialise. Ffank De Boer was initially touted to take over in the summer.

 

The former Netherland’s international said in an interview when he was quizzed about the prospect of coaching the 2008 League cup champions, “First you have to see what the plan is at a club and what I and the people I would take with me could add to it. The last club I was linked with was Swansea City. I have had no contact with them at this time.”

 

The 45-year old boss added, “what if these people paint me a pretty picture that they are in that category of clubs with which I could do something beautiful? Like clubs such as Tottenham and Liverpool. Those are the sort of clubs with which you would want to work. But the most important thing would be the feeling I get.”

 

Alan Curtis will manage the side against Manchester United on Saturday.

New Boss: Ayew To Have Dutch Boss At Swansea

Verdict: Aston Villa Is Improving - Ayew

Ayew Tips His Side To Get Much Better

Ghana Black stars and Aston Villa striker Jordan Ayew is looking ahead his sides to must win clash when the Villians host West Ham in the English Premier League on Boxing Day.

 

The Claret and Blue have won just one in their last 13 games in all competitions, and currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League log with seven points but Jordan Ayew claims that the club have been on an improving with the recent run of drawn games.

Ayew, 24, said, “I think we’re getting better and better. We are aiming for three points in the next game now. Then we will start again in the next match. I think we’ve been working hard all season – showing that fighting spirit – but the luck hasn’t been on our side.”

Jordan Ayew is joined by fellow striker Rudy Gestede to celebrate a goal for Aston Villa

The youngest son of arguably Ghana’s best player, Abedi Ayew ‘Pele’, added, “now, things are changing bit – by – bit. We have to keep on this direction and hopefully, this coming weekend will be a very nice present for our supporters and the club. It’s West Ham now and we will keep on fighting and look to win the game.”

Verdict: Aston Villa Is Improving - Ayew