• NPFL: GATA CLOSE TO NASSARAWA UNITED MOVE
The Former Shooting Stars and Kukesi striker is at the verge of getting signed at Nassarawa United ahead of the fresh season.

Sources reveals the Solid Miners are ready to sign the player who impressed in his short stint at Kogi United during the 2013/14 Nigeria National League season.
“We are still negotiating and are in advance stage so I can’t say much but we have been talking about handing him a deal,” the source revealed.

Gata almost joined the Lafia based team in the past, but the deal fell through at the advanced stages.

The highlight of his good form for Kogi United in the last campaign was the brace he netted against Kwara United at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium.

• AMOKACHI RAISES FEARS OVER EAGLES FITNESS
The interim coach of the Super Eagles Daniel Amokachi is uncertain about the team fitness against Cote d’ivoire and Sudan friendly clashes in Abu Dhabi later this month.

“Well yeah! What we are working on
right now is to get the players back to
full match fitness,” he said.

“You know the Nigeria league has been off season and most of the players have been on holiday and are now rusty.”
“That is why you have seen that we have been working hard on their fitness. As you know we have only seven days to train for the games which are top class.”
Amokachi, who maintained that Stephen Keshi remains in charge of the team, is expected to pick 19 players from the 24 in camp.

• BLUES GOES FOR NIGERIAN LAD
Birmingham City are poised to sign Anglo-Nigerian teenager Tobi Coker who has been on trial at Wast Hills.

Coker, 16, was released by Millwall in the summer and has attracted interest from Fulham and Charlton in recent weeks. But the youngester has spent a short
period of time under the scrutiny of Blues’ coaches that has proved successful.

• PATRICK WANTS REVIVAL
Former Nigeria international Pascal Patrick hopes the Super Eagles can emerge victorious from their two upcoming friendlies as the country looks
to get its football back on track.

“Those games against Sudan and
Ivory Coast are games that I think
we should win because we have to start the New Year on a positive note,” he told SL10.

“They are not must win games but it will mean a lot to us if we can win those games because it means we will start the football calendar on a good note, which will be a good omen.
“Seeing that we have failed to qualify to the AFCON, these games should mean a lot to us and hopefully we will make them count.”