John 'Shoes' Moshoeu passes on

KICK OFF has been informed that one of South Africa's greatest ever footballers, John 'Shoes' Moshoeu, passed away today after a long battle with stomach cancer.

Shoes, 49, was one of the stars of Bafana Bafana’s victorious 1996 Africa Cup of Nations team and held a special place in the hearts of South African football fans.
We at KICK OFF deeply mourn the passing of a legend, whose greatness was amplified by his modesty and kindness.
Moshoeu began his career in Diepkloof with local amateur side Blue Whales before joining Kaizer Chiefs’ reserve side. After failing to break in to the first team, he joined Giant Blackpool where he teamed up with the likes of Fani Madida and Jury Bantwana.
In 1991 he helped Blackpool reach the infamous JPS Cup Final, where he ended up on the losing side against Dynamos.
Moshoeu returned to Amakhosi for his second spell in 1993 before leaving for Turkey, where he had stints with Genclerbirligi and Fenerbahce.
His return to South Africa saw him re-uniting with Amakhosi for his third and final spell and he helped the team win back-to-back League titles under Ted Dumitru.
Moshoeu's form also saw him selected for the 2004 African Nations Cup at the age of 38.
Shoes was a true role model, and his passing is a great loss to football. Our condolences to his family and friends.
RIP John Lesiba Moshoeu

Pogba proving popular

The agent of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba claims his phone is ringing off the hook with clubs all over Europe wanting to sign the Frenchman.

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Paul Pogba could be a hot property this summer

Pogba has been strongly linked with a move to Paris St Germain this summer while former club Manchester United as well as neighbours Manchester City and Premier League leaders Chelsea are also reported to be interested in signing the 22-year-old.
"Since the start of the year, I have received over 2000 phone calls for him (Pogba)," Pogba's agent Mino Raiola said to Italian newspaper La Stampa. "I receive 20 calls a day and at least a few of them are to negotiate, but the right offer has yet to arrive.
"I believe if the right offer comes along for Pogba and for Juve, then the transfer will take place.
"But the biggest challenge will be for the Bianconero club to rebuild the team with that money."
Pogba has been a big hit since arriving at Juve from Manchester United in 2012.
The France international is tied to the Turin giants until June 2019.
Pogba played a major role in helping Juventus clinch their third successive Scudetto last season, scoring seven goals and setting up seven more in 36 Serie A appearances for the Bianconeri.
Juve, who are still competing on three fronts this season, are currently without Pogba's services after he suffered a hamstring injury last month and was ruled out of action until May.
The Turin giants are 15 points clear at the top of Serie A with seven games remaining.
They are also in the final of the Coppa Italia and are alive in the Champions League.
Juve travel to Montecarlo to face Monaco on Wednesday in their quarter-final tie holding a 1-0 advantage from the opening leg.

Fenerbahce manager Ismail Kartal has advised Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike not to be provoked if he is insulted  by their supporters during today’s Super Lig clash against Bursaspor.

The Nigeria international overreacted by attempting to get himself subbed off the last time the Yellow Canaries played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium after he was booed by the fans for missing an empty goal.

“You have to stay calm in this situation. Some groups of supporters will protest at you consciously.

“These people react to our president in every match but this time it may come upon you. Do not be provoked,”coach Ismail Kartal said in a statement, according to the online edition of Fanatik.

Emmanuel Emenike is expected to be named in the starting line - up for the 20th time this season, based on Fenerbahce’s last training session.

Bamford wants Chelsea chance

Striker Patrick Bamford has urged Chelsea to let him compete for a first-team place next season.

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Patrick Bamford scored as Middlesbrough knocked Manchester City out of the FA Cu

The 21-year-old, crowned Championship player of the year on Sunday, has been superb on a season-long loan at promotion-chasing Middlesbrough this term, scoring 19 goals in 41 appearances.
Bamford has spent the past three seasons on loan in the lower divisions, playing for MK Dons between November 2012 and January 2014 and then Derby at the end of last season.
The England U21 international has a year left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and he warned the Blues of his reluctance to sit on the bench next term.
“I want to play for Chelsea, I hope I do get that chance and I think I can compete,” he told Sky Sports.
“A lot of people said I left Nottingham Forest for the wrong reasons, but that wasn’t true. I wanted to play for a top team like Chelsea.
“However, after two years regularly playing out on loan, going back and sitting on the bench wouldn’t really help me.
“So it’s down to those at the top at Chelsea to decide what will be the best for my career and what to do next year.”
Bamford joined Chelsea from Forest in January 2012 but has never made a first-team appearance, instead scoring 21 goals in 44 appearances for MK Dons.
He then bagged eight in 21 for Derby as they reached the Championship play-off final last season.

Use Hazard in the centre'

Tony Gale believes Chelsea’s Eden Hazard would be an even better player if he was used centrally.

Eden Hazard: Chelsea attacker has scored 18 goals this season

The Belgian international is a strong favourite to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award after scoring 18 goals for the league leaders.
His manager, Jose Mourinho, recently placed Hazard alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the three best players in the world after he got the only goal of the game as the Blues beat Manchester United on Saturday to extend their lead at the Premier League summit to 10 points.
But while Hazard has been a key player for Chelsea in a left-wing position, Gale told The Morning View that the 24-year-old would have even more of an impact if he was used as a No 10.
“I think he’s been excellent,” he said. “He’s had consistency of the highest order and Mourinho has got a good work rate out of him.
“He doesn’t like doing the tracking back but he has been doing it, and I still don’t think he’s in his best position.
“I think his best position will be just behind the striker and maybe if Chelsea play a 4-2-3-1 then he can be that one in behind.
“He’d be even better then but the way Mourinho plays, he wants it to be a little bit tighter and that’s why he plays on the left.”
Hazard is on the player-of-the-year shortlist alongside club-mate Diego Costa, Harry Kane of Tottenham, Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea and Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool.
Stuart Pearce, also speaking on The Morning View, believes another deserving name in that frame is Kane, who took his goal tally to 30 in Spurs’ 3-1 win at Newcastle United on Sunday.
It has been an outstanding season for the 21-year-old and one which has also included a goal on his international debut.
Pearce said: “Harry Kane would be someone to rival him (Hazard) but I think if Harry is the young player of the year and Eden Hazard is the senior player then everyone will be quite happy.”

Kane heads PFA Awards list

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has been nominated for both the Players' Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year accolades at the forthcoming PFA Awards.

The six nominations for this year's PFA Player of the Year award

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The 21-year-old is nominated for the main award alongside Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez, Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea and Chelsea duo Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.
Coutinho, Hazard and De Gea are also shortlisted for Young Player of the Year with Raheem Sterling of Liverpool and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibault Courtois completing the list.
Hazard was nominated in both categories last year and won the Young Player prize but missed out on being named Players’ Player of the Year to Luis Suarez.
Chelsea Ladies pair Eni Aluko and Ji So-Yun are nominated for the women’s award alongside Arsenal’s Kelly Smith and England trio Karen Carney, Lucy Bronze and Jess Clarke.
Birmingham City duo Aoife Mannion and Freda Ayisi are shortlisted for the Women’s Young Player Award. Chelsea’s Hannah Blundell, Notts County’s Amy Turner, on-loan Manchester City striker Nikita Parris and Arsenal’s Leah Williamson are also nominated.
The nominees were voted for by players from 100 clubs involving the Premier League, the three divisions of the Football League and the the Women's Super League.
Men's Players' Player of the Year shortlist
Diego Costa (Chelsea)
David De Gea (Manchester United)
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Men's Young Player of the Year shortlist
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)
David De Gea (Manchester United)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
Women's Players' Player of the Year shortlist
Eniola Aluko (Chelsea)
Lucy Bronze (Manchester City)
Jess Clarke (Notts County)
Karen Carney (Birmingham City)
Kelly Smith (Arsenal)
Ji So-yun (Chelsea)
Women's Young Player of the Year shortlist
Freda Ayisi (Birmingham City)
Hannah Blundell (Chelsea)
Aoife Mannion (Birmingham City)
Nikita Parris (Manchester City)
Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
Amy Turner (Notts County)

Sterling, Ibe in new shisha pics

Raheem Sterling has become embroiled in a fresh controversy after images have appeared showing the Liverpool striker holding a shisha pipe - alongside team-mate Jordon Ibe.

Raheem Sterling: More controversial images have appeared in a national newspaper

Pictures - reportedly taken in September last year - published in the Daily Mail on Wednesday morning show 20-year-old Sterling sitting alongside teenager Ibe in a London bar, with both holding shisha pipes.
This is the third set of pictures involving Sterling. He was first pictured in the Sun with a shisha pipe at the weekend, and on Monday night video footage was released showing the England star appearing to inhale the legal high nitrous oxide and then pass out.
Reds boss Rodgers has already said he will talk to Sterling about the reports concerning his off-field behaviour.
Liverpool have not commented on the latest pictures.
Deputy chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, Bobby Barnes, speaking on Tuesday, believes Sterling has made a mistake but has urged understanding.
Barnes said: "Nobody would condone the use of these types of substances whether legal or otherwise as footballers are seen as role models.
“It does send a message to young people that if it's good enough for footballers then it's good enough for them and that is not desirable.
"But you have to bear in mind that we ask an awful lot of young players growing up in the public eye.
“Many of us look back at things we have done in our teens and early 20s and wish we hadn't done them.
"Players have to be aware that there is camera on every corner and they are very much in the spotlight.
"He's a young man, growing up in public eye and he's made a mistake. Let's not be too hard on the boy.
“He is under a lot of pressure and people think because he has a lot of talent he's also supposed to have diplomacy and wisdom.
"In the main he's doing a very good job, he's at a good club and has a good manager and I'm sure Brendan will put his arm around him and at the same time make him aware of his responsibilities."
The matter adds to the controversy and currently surrounding Sterling amid a wrangle over a new contract.
Sterling has already angered supporters by admitting he had rejected a £100,000-per-week deal in an interview that was not sanctioned by the club.