Nigeria Premier League

Roger Federer reveals dream Laver Cup doubles pairing for 2024

Roger Federer was a shining star at the 2024 Laver Cup even though he never hit a ball in anger and now he has picked out the two players he would like to see in Team Europe for next year’s competition in Berlin.

Team World clinched a one-sided competition as their star turns Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe won a doubles match against Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev, sealing a 13-2 win in a match that lacked the drama of previous Laver Cup contests.

Federer’s presence and on-court interview was a highlight of the weekend, but there were some suggestions that the Laver Cup may struggle to maintain its place in tennis without players of his ilk taking part.

With Team Europe lacking star names like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, captain Bjorn Borg has a tough task to field a competitive team against a strong Team World side led by captain John McEnroe.

There may now be some questions over what comes next for the Laver Cup after a one-side contest in Vancouver, with Federer certain to play a central role in what comes next.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion has been a key figure in the organisation of the Laver Cup over the first six editions of the event and he confirmed how much the event meant to him as he opted to bring down the curtain on his career at the 2022 edition in London last September.

Speaking after Team World’s dominant win in Vancouver, Federer admitted Team Europe need more of their star names to shine and he suggested he wants to see Djokovic and Alcaraz play on the same team in Berlin next year.

“I think we will have a much better team as Team Europe and I think the energy will come back to our side,” Federer told Eurosport.

“I would like to see Novak coming back into the team and Alcaraz. To have Alcaraz and Novak on the same team, I’d love to see that.

“Sasha Zvereva has been such a big supporter of the Laver Cup so hopefully he can play in Germany.

“Tsitsipas and Rune will be big players for Team Europe if they play and hopefully someone else breaks through and gets a chance to be a pick for for Bjorn Borg.”

Federer went on to admit he misses elements of tennis since his retirement, even though he is enjoying a different pace of life with his wife and four children.

“Secretly, I miss it,” he continued. “I miss seeing the happy faces of people that hopefully I was able to entertain.

“I guess you like to be the centre of attention at times, but on the other hand, it doesn’t matter that I’m not any more.

“It’s good with the way my life is right now. The Tour was good to me. I loved every moment, but I am happy with my life now.”

Federer also defended the event in Vancouver, as he insisted the fans who packed the stands enjoyed the three days of competition.

“I thought it was a success,” he added. “A lot of people came, it was pretty much a sell-out.

“A great stadium, an unbelievable city and no hiccups along the way. I thought it was perfect.

“It’s great to be back and in the tennis family again.

“I watched every match, I was very busy around the event and it has been a lot of fun.

“Now I can’t want to bring tennis back to Germany. We had big events there in the past and I’m looking forward to going there.”

The Laver Cup needs an injection of inspiration after an uninspiring few days in Canada and the return of Europe’s big hitters on German soil a year from now could be the tonic it requires.

Nigeria Premier League

Ogunmodede reflects on Emo Stars’ win over Abia Warriors

Emo Stars technical adviser Daniel Ogunmodede admitted his side was fortunate to secure a 3-2 victory over Abia Warriors in Ikenne on Wednesday.

Abia Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Ayodele Eziekel and Anthony Ijoma. However, Emo Stars responded with three goals from Olamilekan Adebayo, Jabbar Malik, and Franck Mawuena to clinch the win.

Ogunmodede acknowledged that his team had underestimated their opponents but managed to turn things around. “The game was tense and shocking in the first half on our home ground. Not every time you will be lucky against a great team we played against,” he said in the post-match interview.

“We underestimated the qualities of our opponent, and we were punished for it. But luckily, we identified the problem and readjusted to get the victory.”

Emo Stars will now aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign

Nigeria Premier League

Kano Pillars eye maximum points in midweek showdown with Ikorodu City

Kano Pillars are determined to secure all three points in their upcoming fixture against Ikorodu City in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The Sai Masu Gida will face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Wednesday.

Usman Abdallah’s side is upbeat and focused ahead of the match, with the players in high spirits.

“Done and dusted with the shake-ups ahead of our NPFL25 Matchday 21 clash against Ikorodu City this Wednesday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos,” Kano Pillars wrote on X.

“The boys are in high spirits and determined to secure maximum points as we aim to continue our impressive run this season.”

Kano Pillars currently sit in eighth place on the league table with 28 points.

Nigeria Premier League

Brown Ideye criticizes NPFL standards, calls for major improvements

Enyimba striker Brown Ideye has expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), stating that significant improvements are needed to elevate its standard.

Ideye, who rejoined the league in December 2024 after signing for Enyimba, has made appearances in both NPFL and CAF Confederation Cup matches, scoring two goals so far.

Sharing his thoughts following Enyimba’s 2-0 defeat to Kwara United in a rescheduled matchday 16 fixture in Ilorin, Ideye voiced concerns about the league’s challenges.

“The system is getting worse; the league is not improving. I feel like we have a long way to go,” Ideye remarked during an interview.

Despite enjoying his time at Enyimba, the former West Brom striker emphasized that much remains to be addressed in the league.

“My time at Enyimba has been wonderful, but there are a lot of things in the league that need improvement and haven’t changed yet,” he added.

On the poor performances of Nigerian clubs in CAF competitions, Ideye highlighted critical areas requiring attention.

“In terms of traveling, feeding, hotel accommodations, and player relaxation — it’s all bad. Nigerians are not ready for continental competitions. We need to put our house in order before going there, instead of embarrassing ourselves.”