Super Falcons forward, Asisat Oshoala has joined Spanish side FC Barcelona.
Oshoala joined the club on loan from her Chinese club, Dalian Quanjian F.C.
Expressing her delight on her twitter handle, the former African female player of the year said “Delighted to join @FCBfemeni on loan. 2019 let’s go.”
Ahead of their second match of the ongoing African Women Championship in Ghana, Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala has declared that the team will fight to the finish to earn resounding victory against Shepolopo of Zambia.
The Dalian Quanjian of China forward apparently disappointed that Falcons failed to fly in the opener against Bayana Bayana even as he contributed in small measure to the dismal outing, described the forthcoming match as a make or break encounter, highlighting the make and break in capital letters.
Taking to the social media the former Arsenal and Liverpool ladies ace said “It’s MAKE or BREAK day for us ” she declared 
Shepolopolo posted a tantalizing performance at the weekend defeating Equatorial Guinea 5-0. The Zambians were not only determined and fast on the ball but garnished effort with impressive finishing that attracted accolades from their fans.
If Oshoala and her teammates are to achieve their dream of bouncing back, they will not only need to create chances but must learn to take the chances created.
Already coach of the team Thomas Dernneby is already under fire with former Coach Godwin Izilien urging the NFF to show the Swede the door.
Thomas Dennerby, the new Head Coach of Super Falcons, on Tuesday promised to rebuild and improve the senior national women football team, saying “I won’t be a flying coach’’.
Dennerby, while speaking at his unveiling by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the National Stadium in Abuja, said he was taking up the post as a challenge.
“I am honoured and excited to be here. It is a big challenge and I look forward to doing my best
“I believe in hard work, building up a network with domestic and professional coaches abroad.
“My philosophy is to get best out of every player and the coaching staff. The best way to improve the team is to work together and I am looking forward to work with the members of staff,’’ he said.
Dennerby, who would be assisted by fellow Swede Jorgen Petersson, also has Olarenwaju Oni and Maureen Madu as assistants and Tunde Omobolanle as goalkeepers’ trainer to work with.
He however warned that he was going to place huge demands on his players to do their best in every training session or game and being professional every single time.
“Even when eating, sleeping, being fit and all, this is what I demand.
“I have a strong will-to-win attitude and I am sure that the players have such attitude. So, I look forward to doing my job.
“I am not going to be a flying coach, I am going to live here,’’ the coach said.
On his part, NFF’s Second Vice-President, Shehu Dikko, who represented the federation’s President, Amaju Pinnick, said the federation ensured it chose a qualified and well-experienced coach for the team.
“ Over the years we have achieved so many successes within the African space, but it is time for us to move to the world stage.
“Everybody knows we have the passion, belief and quality, and all we need is a little push both administratively and technically to shake the world.
“This is what led us to Dennerby. We found him as someone, who is well experienced and valuable to what we want to achieve, following his successes as a coach.
“ So, I believe that we have the right man. With the right support, this project will lead us to where we want to be among the world powers of football.
“We hope to be able to participate well in every tournament and be among the key contenders in all events and that is what Dennerby is here to do,’’ he said.
Also present at the unveiling were reigning African Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala and Falcons teammate Onome Ebi, amongst others.
The city of Accra, Ghana’s sedate but attractive capital is the venue for another watershed in the history of the African Football Awards as the event begins another quarter –century life under a new headline sponsor.
AITEO Group, Nigeria’s leading energy solution company and Official Optimum Partner of the Nigeria Football Federation, signed a contract with the Confederation of African Football in Lagos in October 2017 and is bankrolling the event for the first time.
Nigeria’s specific interests in Thursday’s event can be found in the Women African Player of the Year award (with Asisat Oshoala again in contention), Men’s National Team of the Year (where the Super Eagles, first African team to qualify for Russia 2018 and also with a match to spare from a so –called ‘group of death,’ is involved) and the Women’s National Team of the Year (featuring the Nigeria U20 girls). Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, is in the race for Coach of the Year award and flew into Accra on Wednesday afternoon.
Also on Wednesday afternoon, CAF President Ahmad, in company with FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, CAF 1st Vice President Kwesi Nyantakyi and Nigeria’s CAF Executive Committee member Amaju Pinnick, paid a courtesy call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo at the Flagstaff House. They were accompanied by CAF Secretary General Amr Fahmy and Deputy Secretary General Anthony Baffoe.
From the inaugural Awards in 1992, there have been 16 winners including four Nigerians (one of them, Rashidi Yekini, now of blessed memory), while John Mikel Obi (now Super Eagles’ captain) was runner –up in 2013 and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama came third in 2014.
For many Nigerian football fans and aficionados, one of the biggest mysteries of the Awards is that former Super Eagles’ captain Jay Jay Okocha is not among the 16 previous winners. Many still feel he was good enough for it in 2004, when he was the Most Valuable Player of the AFCON and had a year to treasure with Bolton Wanderers in the English Premiership.
However, it is a new day and another event in Accra on Thursday night, with all the living 15 previous winners, including Nigeria’s Kanu (the first man to win the African Player of the Year award twice), Emmanuel Amuneke and Victor Ikpeba to turn up at the Accra International Conference Centre.
They will be joined by Liberia’s President-elect George Oppong Weah (who is the only African to have won the World Player of the Year title, and did a treble by also winning the European Player of the Year award in the same 1995), former Black Stars’ captain Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew (winner of the maiden award in 1992), four –time winners Yaya Toure and Samuel Eto’o Fils, two –time winners Didier Drogba and El-Hadji Diouf, and Frederic Kanoute, Patrick Mboma, Mustapha Hadji, Emmanuel Adebayor, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Riyad Mahrez, who won in 2016 but is not in contention for the 2017 gong.
Only Cote d’Ivoire, with Drogba’s double and Toure’s quadruple, have taken more titles than Nigeria.
It is also the first time in the history of the event that all previous winners have been invited.
Also for the first time ever, football fans and the general public were presented with the opportunity to have a say in the selection process for the African Player of the Year and Africa’s Finest XI. Public voting opened on the CAF website on Sunday, 24th December 2017. The outcome will be tallied with results from the earlier phases of the selection process for the contenders. Voting for Africa’s Finest XI has been on CAF Facebook.
This year, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane (both of English Premiership giants Liverpool, and whose countries, like Nigeria, are both headed for the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia) are in contention with 2015 winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Oshoala is in the race with Cameroon’s Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene and South African Chrestina Kgatlana.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
1992: Abedi Pele (Ghana)
1993: Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria)
1994: Emmanuel Amuneke (Nigeria)
1995: George Weah (Liberia)
1996: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
1997: Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)
1998: Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)
1999: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
2000: Patrick Mboma (Cameroon)
2001: El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2002: El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
2003: Samuel Eto’o Fils (Cameroon)
2004: Samuel Eto’o Fils (Cameroon)
2005: Samuel Eto’o Fils (Cameroon)
2006: Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire)
2010: Samuel Eto’o Fils (Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)
2012: Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)
2013: Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)
2014: Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
Come January 4, the identity of the 2017 African Women’s Footballer of the Year will be revealed at the awards’ Gala in Ghana’s capital, Accra and Nigeria’s golden girl and two-time winner, Asisat Oshoala, is eyeing an encore, reports MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN
Super Falcons and Dalian Quanjian forward, Asisat Oshoala, has turned winning soccer awards to an art so much so it can been seen in the light of Vince Lombardi’s famous saying that ‘winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.’
Since coming out of her teens, she has bestrode the football ‘s landscape like a colossus by winning the most sought-after African Women’s Footballer of the Year award on two occasions and with other eight individual awards in both domestic and international competitions – including the golden boot and player of the tournament at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2014.
Come January 4, Asisat would battle Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa & UWC Ladies) and Gabrielle Aboudi (Cameroon & CSKA Moscow) for her third continental crown when the identity of the 2017 winner is revealed at the CAF/ Aiteo Footballer of the Year Gala in Accra, Ghana
“I feel very happy and excited going for the third African Women’s Footballer of the Year award; it is good for me as a person as well as Nigerian football,” the 23-year-old Asisat stated in an interview with THE NATION.
In the year under review, Asisat was crowned the Chinese Women’s Super League (CWSL) top scorer after her goals saw Dalian Quanjian claim the CWSL title for the 2016/2017 season: “Of course, it’s not all about winning all the time because being shortlisted showed a certain level of consistency on my part and I’m really happy about that but I will really be happy to win African Women’s Footballer of the Year award for the third time.”
Incidentally, CWSL’s side, Dalian Quanjian, is the third high profile side Asisat would turn out for after joining the overseas train in 2015.She is the first African to play in the Women’s Super League in England following her transfer from Rivers Angel to Liverpool Ladies and was described as ‘one of the best young players in the world’ by the then club’s manager – Matt Beard.
It was when she was with the Reds Ladies that she was rewarded with the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year for 2015 following a poll held online, as well as via mobile phone and handheld devices and she received the most votes to become the winner ahead of four other contenders including Veronica Boquete (Spain), Nadine Kessler (Germany), Kim Little (Scotland) and Marta (Brazil).
“Going to England is not just about me, it’s about Nigeria as well,” Asisat reportedly admitted. “A lot of people wouldn’t have thought that a Nigerian player can go out to play for a team like Liverpool Ladies so I think it will have a big influence. Most people follow the Premier League, but they don’t really know much about the women’s league here. Now, because I’ve joined, they’re going to start following the WSL.”
But after a brief stint with Liverpool Ladies, she was on her way to Arsenal Ladies where she won her only silverware in England after helping the Gunners pip Chelsea to the Women FA Cup before berthing in China.
“Yet it’s true for people who don’t follow women’s football well to think that I may not be in the limelight after leaving England for China,” she further explained. “But Asian countries are doing very well as far as women’s football is concerned. Women’s football is at the very top level in Asia, particularly in China. Maybe people are looking at the men’s game to judge women’s football which is at the top level in China. I’m really having a good time in China and I’m not disturbed about what people say.
“Playing in China has given me the opportunity of meeting different people as well as some of the top female footballers around the world. It is also an opportunity of learning another different culture. “This is just my first season in China and I can say it wasn’t a bad start for me; altogether I can’t quite remember the number of goals I had in all the competitions but I scored 12 goals in the league to win the top scorer award.
“It feels so good to emerge the top scorer in only my first season in China where I had to compete with some of the best female footballers from around the world and I mean players like Cristiane ( Rozeria de Sousa Silva) and Rafelle Sousa , so I’m proud of winning this award in the presence of some of these top players ,” she stated.
Asisat worked her way to the top and she reckoned that former Super Falcons’ striker, Mercy Akide, now married to top sport journalist, Colin Udoh, was one of her biggest motivators while she was furrowing through the maze.
“Growing up, I think Mercy Akide was one of the top players we had and I really looked forward to be like her,” she confessed. “Though I didn’t get to meet some of these people but watching their tapes, they inspired me a lot. I met some of them in the national team and they really nurtured me and they have really added value to my career.”
Never the type to forget little kind gestures, Asisat singled out Onome Ebi, her Super Falcons’ teammate, as one of the many people that had influenced her on and off the pitch, no wonder they do things in common like Siamese twins.
“Ever since I met Onome Ebi, she has been nurturing me both in and outside the field. In fact, I wouldn’t say Onome is my friend but she is my sport’s mum,” Asisat revealed. “We are really close; and she knows everything about me. I have confident and trust in her as somebody I can seek advice from anytime I want to do anything and she has been guiding me so well. Apart from my dad and mum, she is like the next person to me.”
Yet, the lion-hearted striker had to rebel against the wishes of her parents to kick-start her career with the beautiful game of football.
“Yes, it is true that I had the same issues with my parents because they never wanted me to play football because they felt football is not something for a girl-child,” remarked Asisat. “This is what happens to the girl-child in the society but I was determined on my part. I’m really happy about the stage I’m today and that shows I was able to handle the responsibility my parents gave to me.
“It was a big responsibility and my parents are now very proud of me. I can speak to parents so that they can allow their children combine sport with their education,” remarked Asisat who has established a foundation to offer assistance and mentorship for the girl-child.
“If not for football, I would have been a lawyer today,” she continued. “I think I have the spirit (of defending the rights of others) right from my days in the secondary school. Some of my best subjects then were government and literature but along the line, I had to quit education to be a professional footballer.
“I’m happy doing things for kids, especially the girl-child and I’m happy with the way everything is going and with the kind of support I’m getting from people around me. I’m really concerned about the upbringing of the girl-child because I actually grew up in a rough area. I knew how things work and I know I’m in a good position to speak for the girl-child as well as helping them out in the best way I can.
“Being a professional footballer is similar to working in a corporate environment, you have to be disciplined and focussed. It’s like a normal day-to-day job but the most difficult time was when I was struggling with my parents on the choice of career. Ever since I don’t think I had any issue that so disturbed me,” explained Asisat who went to town with the hash-tag #HappyGirlAlways on her Facebook profile.
“It is true that I smile a lot playing football but I’m sad anytime I lose a match,” she said. “It is difficult for me to think of anything that can make me sad outside of football because I’m always a happy person.
“I’m a natural person; being happy just makes me happy and I can’t honestly say this is what makes me happy. I think you should know what makes you happy because when the thing stops, you will become a sad person. Everything comes so natural to me. Money doesn’t make me happy but I’m working and getting paid,” she noted.
Asisat has had an impressive career and three years ago, she was named best player and was the highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. She was also named best player and second top goal scorer with the Super Falcons team who won the 2014 African Women’s Championship.
“One of my happiest moments as a footballer was winning the first trophy with the Super Falcons for my country at the African Women’s Championship in Namibia and that was in 2014,” she grinned.
“It was really a special moment for me because I just broke into the senior national team and I was one of the youngest players in the team. There was pressure here and there with some saying I didn’t have the experience to cope at that level, but I was given the opportunity.
“I was so happy with my contribution to the success of the team. I scored in both the semi-final and final. I took my chance and that’s why I’m here today.
“It was also a great honour to be decorated with the MON (Member of the Order of the Niger); it is a big privilege to be recognised by my country as a young girl. This, I think, would also serve as good inspiration to younger generation coming up,” she offered.
Nevertheless, this happy-go-lucky Asisat would not admit that she is a soccer celebrity.
“I don’t think I’m a celebrity yet and I’m happy that people appreciate my game. The usual thing they tell me is that they appreciate my game and they would ask after my friend, Onome.”
It is said that there’s a difference between beauty and charm but Asisat’s beauty tips is weird. “My beauty tip is simple: I eat, sleep and mind my business. I don’t poke my nose into other people affairs. I eat good and my best food is fish and rice. Maybe amala (yam flour) too.
“I love casual wears but if need be, I go on corporate dress too. I’m an all-rounder, I wear just what I feel like wearing whenever I wake up. I’m not attached to specific designs. I love wearing good perfume too and sometimes I mix them together but the best for me is Coco Channels. I pick as many stuff I like when I go to perfume shop. Books? I’m not a book person.
I’m not reading anything for now; I’m off season and I want to enjoy my holidays.
“My fans and admirers should expect a better Asisat in 2018; a hard working person who wants to be a perfect example for the kids,” sounded of Superzee – the nickname she hinted means the super girl.
Female footballer and Nigerian international, Asisat Lamina Oshoala MON has queried the exclusion of female nominee as voting for the BBC’s African Player of the Year prize opens.
The BBC African Footballer of the Year (previously known as the BBC African Sports Star of the Year and the BBC African Sports Personality of the Year) is an annual award given to the best African footballer of the year as voted by the BBC radio listeners.
The advocate for women in football believe there are sensational female footballers who emerged from the continent and are making significant impact in the round leather game both at their club side and at international level.
BBC on Saturday in London during a special live launch broadcast announced the five-man shortlist for BBC African Footballer of the Year which has since been greeted with mixed reactions in Nigeria and other African countries.
Reacting on the nomination, the Nigeria’s Super Falcons striker and Dalian Quanjian F.C. forward, who was recently crowned Chinese Women’s Super League ‘Best Striker of the season’ for 2017 took to her tweeter to query the nomination of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, Victor Moses and Mohamed Salah.
She said, “How long are we going to continue complaining about ONE SIDED AWARDS?” She emphases part of her complain in cap-slog adding “ONLY MALE PLAYER AGAIN.” And the obviously disappointed former BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award holder ended her reaction by saying “WHAT A SHAME.”
You would recall that in 2015 the 22 year old Nigerian won the maiden BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award voted for by football fans around the world as She beat Spain’s Veronica Boquete, German Nadine Kessler, Scot Kim Little and Brazilian Marta to the honour.
“I would like to say thank you to the BBC, to my fans around the world and to everyone who voted,” she said after emerging the first of its kind female award hosted by a global broadcaster.
The former Liverpool player may have expected that female category for the African Player of the Year should be created which would have gone a long way to boost hardworking female players in the continent or reserve a spot in the five-man shortlist for female players.
The only Nigerian in five-man shortlist for the BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2017 is Chelsea right-back, Victor Moses. He is also on a 30-man shortlist for the CAF African Footballer of the Year Award.
The winger won the English Premier League with Chelsea last season, also leading Nigeria to the World Cup in Russia. He could become the first Nigerian player to win the award since Jay-Jay Okocha emerged winner in 2004.
BBC will announce the winner of this year’s award on Monday, 11 December.
Reigning African Queen, Asisat Oshoala has promised to award scholarships to the best talents at the first-ever Asisat Oshoala Lagos State girls secondary schools football clinic, slated for November in Lagos. Oshoala also stated that the five-day event will have scouts from Arsenal, China visit Lagos to train secondary schools girls.
The 5-day education and football clinic tagged “#Lagosgirlsfootball” is endorsed by the Lagos State Sports Commission led by Deji Tinubu , the Lagos state Football Association and its also supported by the office of the First Lady of Lagos state, Bolanle Ambode.
According to Oshoala, the project is part of her effort to develop the game of Women’s football in Lagos.
She said: “The project is my give back program for the society , part of my foundation programme to develop the game of Women’s football in Lagos, Nigeria. When you educate a girl , you have educate a nation , kick out prostitution out of Lagos, kick out early pregnancy on the side of girls , they can play football and still go to school.
Education is not only in the class, kick out badoo in Ikorodu , we need the government to support the huge project, I can’t do it alone, we are doing the project in support of the Lagos Sports Commission and I want to use this medium to commend Deji Tinubu for standing by me and also her excellency Mrs Bolanle Ambode.
About 5000 girls from different secondary schools are expected to take part in the competition. Balls, boots, jerseys, school bags and other educational and sports equipment are to be distributed to all participants.
Asisat promised to make the clinic an annual event while also adding that , she would take the most valuable player from the clinic to either UK or China to study and also play football.
Aisha Falode, a member of the CAF Media Committee, on Friday, said that the influx of players to the Chinese Super League proved that Asia was fast becoming dominant in football.
The ace broadcaster said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
She said “even in women’s football, Asians have come a long way and have always shown consistency.”
Falode explained that the Chinese League was as competitive as any league in the world.
According to her, Asisat Oshoala’s movement to Chinese side — Dalian Quanjian FC — is an indication that China is warming up to take the lead in women’s football in particular.
She added that “Asian countries always get to semi finals in most of the age grade women’s competitions.
“If the competition is not stiff, the likes of Asisat Oshoala won’t move there; she understands that as a player, there is need for healthy competition.
“They get to the last 15 and in the last three, they are not pushover, what you have in Europe is because there is media attention there.
“Even the men’s league, some big names are already moving to China; then again, the financial gain is making the league more attractive.
“When you play well, you get handsomely rewarded, football in Asia is more attractive now, both in terms of competition and in monetary gains.”
