NFF Opens Talks With Shehata

Nigeria have confirmed that they have opened talks with Egypt coach Hassan Shehata over the possibility of him leading the Super Eagles at this year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

"We have already contacted Shehata to inform him that he is one of the candidates to take over our national team," Nigerian Football Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire told Egyptian radio.

"We nominated four other coaches for the team's managerial seat. We will sit down with each one of them in the coming few days."

Egyptian FA president Samir Zaher said earlier on Wednesday that Nigeria have until Friday to make a formal offer for Shehata.

Shehata said he wished to have a new experience at the World Cup along with his Egypt assistants.
"It's up to Shehata to choose his assistants, we have no problems with that," Olajire added.
Olajire did not reveal the names of the other candidates but KickoffNigeria.com said Swede Lars Lagerback, Serbian Ratomir Djukovic, French Bruno Metsu and Englishman Peter Taylor would vie for the vacant seat.

Shehata attracted interest from Nigeria after leading Egypt to a third successive Africa Cup of Nations title last month.

Nigeria sacked coach Shaibu Amodu after finishing in a disappointing third place at the Nations Cup in Angola.

Tiger Uncertain On Return

An emotional Tiger Woods has apologised for his "irresponsible and selfish behaviour" and revealed he is uncertain when he will return to competitive golf.

Speaking to a selected gathering of friends, family, acquaintances and media at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, a solemn and shaky-looking Woods made a 13-and-a-half-minute statement in which admitted to and apologised for a series of extra-marital affairs.

He went on to reveal he had been seeking treatment and therapy since the end of December and added that the process would continue from Saturday.

He also repeatedly asked for forgiveness for his actions and made wide-ranging apologies to his wife Elin, family, those in the room, his fans and his business partners amongst others.

However, perhaps most significantly, the world number one refused to confirm when he intended to return to the professional game, acknowledging it might not even be in 2010.

He stated: "I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year."

Of his infidelity, he said: "I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour. Every one of you has good reason to be critical of me.
"I am also aware of the pain my behaviour has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down. I have let my fans down.

"I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. I stopped living by the core values I believed in.
"What I did was unacceptable and I am the only person to blame. I never thought about who I was hurting, instead I thought only about myself.
"I was wrong, I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. I brought this shame on myself.
"I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.
"For all that I have done. I am so sorry. I have a lot to atone for. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity.
"I recognise I have brought this on myself and I know above all, I am the one who needs to change.
"It is hard to admit that I need help but I do. For 45 days since the end of December to early February I was in in-patient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I am facing.
"I have a long way to go but have taken the first steps in the right direction."

"I have a lot of work to do and I intend to do it. As I move forward I will continue to seek help."
Whilst apologetic, Woods also hit out at the media for intrusion in his family's life and also rubbished reports that circulated following the crash outside his Florida home on November 27.

It had been speculated that his wife Elin had attacked him with a golf club, causing the crash, but the American flatly denied those reports, adding: "There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal."

Woods, who had been the target of criticism from some players at this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play, also expressed his gratitude to Accenture (one of his former sponsors) and those competing in Arizona for understanding the timing of statement.

He added that he was hopeful he would one day return to compete with them and thanked them for their continued patience during his absence from the game.

The 34-year-old concluded by saying: "I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again," before going to hug his mother who was sat in the front row of the assembled guests.

Togo Fail In Their 2012 CAN Bid

Togo have failed in an urgent bid to be included in Saturday's 2012 African Nations Cup draw, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration in Sport said on Thursday.

A statement by Lausanne-based CAS said the court had dismissed Togo's urgent request for inclusion because it had been told by the Confederation of African Football that should Togo win its appeal against a two tournament ban it would still be able to compete in the preliminaries, even if the draw had already been conducted.

Togo have appealed to CAS after being banned by CAF from ?the next two Nations Cup tournaments after the team was withdrawn ?from this year's competition in Angola following the death of two members of their delegation in a gun attack.

With CAS only due to hold a hearing in the next months, the Togo Football federation had sought urgent intervention but CAF have said they will be allowed to compete if they will their appeal.
A new draw would be conducted if Togo were successful at the CAS.

Saturday's draw for the 2012 event, to be co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, will go ahead without Togo, a CAF spokesman said. The preliminaries only start in September.

Essien Making Progress On Injury

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien is making good progress in his battle to win fitness after sustaining a knee injury at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola last month.

The Chelsea man tore knee ligaments in training with the Black Stars and was expected to be sidelined for three months at least. But he has already started training with the Blues squad and could be back in match action in a matter of weeks.

Essien has had an injury-ravaged period in his career, having been sidelines for three months last year after tearing a hamstring in a UEFA Champions League match for Chelsea.

NFF Drops Kanu, Yobo For 'Younger Blood’

For next month's World Cup warm-up against Paraguay, Nigeria will parade a far younger team than the one that featured at the recent Africa Cup of Nations following a decision to call up players not beyond 28 years of age.

This means players like skipper Nwankwo Kanu, Joseph Yobo, Danny Shittu and Seyi Olofinjana will not be involved in the Paraguay friendly slated for March 3 in London.

The technical department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will therefore call up players from the country's Under-17 and Under-20 teams for the London friendly.

“We have listed some very young and promising players from the age-grade teams to join those who are already in the Super Eagles, but we are only going to use players not more than 28 years for the match against Paraguay,” said deputy secretary-general of the NFF technical department, James Peters.

“We are therefore considering players like Emmanuel Sani, Fortune Chukwudi and a host of players within the 28 years age bracket.”
Players like Rabiu Ibrahim and Obiora Nwankwo from the Under-20 also have a good chance of making the squad for the Paraguay clash.

You May Be A Contact Point

GOD created everybody and everything to live by contact. No matter how distant a person may be or how detached a thing may be, there is a point of contact somewhere even in the mind. We all live by it in association and group, one having a connection and getting in touch with another in a chain-link relationship. With this, one has something to give or share with another knowingly and unknowingly. But we believe that in humans all contacts should be deliberate and unassuming.

It is the work of GOD that by this relationship one learns from another and imparts to another one's characteristics. Normally, therefore, we are all influenced by all contacts we make and we display the basic character of where we live, our home, village, where we come from, the group we belong, the church we worship, the gang, cult, occult or political party we belong, etc. The values and norms of these contact points are become our values and accepted norms. Sometimes our contact polish us, some time they endirty us, in fact, spoil us. And this establishes the importance of our contact points for good or bad. And we have seen how people change when they have new contact.

However, we now come to believe that if we spend our time always with a fool, the drunk, the wayward, the idolater, the angry, lazy, gossip, selfish, timid, lustful, wicked, deceitful, the thief, the harlot and people like these, we surely learn and copy from them, be inadvertently influenced in thoughts to display their character. Most people believe they can survive these situation no matter how close they are to them, we do not dispute it but GOD warned the returning Jews to be careful of their contact with the other nations round about them so as not to be spoilt by contact. Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns, “Do not be deceived, evil communication corrupt good manners.”

Yes, we can survive as GOD gives us the grace, yet we have witnessed people's mass departure from good to evil in our society due to wrong contact groups society maintains. Contacts were to transform us positively but it not so and our expectant new life in CHRIST is still an illusion, it was to give us strength to launch out into the depths of goodness but our contact help us to do evil the more. It was to enable us get assistance but the assistance we got is often for wrong projections. This is why many of us enjoy contact with the gossip, backbiter, scorner, and cluster around a bad-mouthed person.

We should have contacts that would expose us to goodness, good relationship, good service to GOD and man, proper worship, honesty, truth, obedience, and a culture of humility. But where can we have these contacts? We need a contact group for peace, self-restraint and good linkage. We believe to contact the wise, the skilled, hard working, dedicated and progressive but where is this group that parades these qualities? Who are the people we should get in touch with so that we imbibe their qualitative character? Let us turn to assess the group we belong. We belong to the church but when people in the Church refuse repentance the church cannot be a recommended contact group to transform us into goodness.

The church has now become a wrong contact group where evil and wickedness thrive and where evil contacts are perpetrated spiritually and otherwise. So many people go to church not for repentance but because the church is permissive of their evil nature. And sadly enough, we have seen and known many people who come from the church as their contact point to cause much trouble and commit crimes in the world today. And the tussle within the church itself cannot be emulated for this reason. And the church by contact may cause a societal decadence it does not know. Therefore, the church should be alive above mundane and unCHRISTian behaviour.

There is nothing that forestalls the goodness of the society and destroys its roots than the prevalence and zealous patronages of evil, wicked and rough groups of contact within the society containing those who do not seek or speak peace. Many people have preferred contacts with the cults for strength and elevation in committing crimes and for social ascendancy. They use this contact point to steal, rob, kidnap, call for war, rig election, foment trouble of all sorts. Look around and you will see many contact groups also who get collective strength to agitate, oppose as become self-seeking. Many others are in the occults for higher spirituality which is not godly and they are expanding, calling unwary members into their nets.

What can these people offer for emulation if one contacts them? Groups of evil contact are become very popular in the society today and they operate as if GOD is not alive and as if GOD is not interested. They seem to be very useful and important in the society so that politics and government cherish them and believe in these groups than in GOD. But what decency can they offer for emulation if they succeed by foul means?

The reality is that the church, politics, government, home, village, in fact where we have our base have given us a character, good, bad or both. But we know that all the crimes and wickedness committed in this world come from these descents groups. And these are where we belong. How can we exonerate ourselves from the crimes committed by our members? The contact group we belong may be the ones damaging this society, it could be our home, church, school, village, political party or government.

Think about what you can teach the society; think about yourself as a contact group, what goodness do you have that can better the society? It does not say of pretence, I mean your person and personal qualities operated from wherever you belong. Can anyone buy those qualities from you at a higher cost? As leaders, we may make sure that where we lead is not seen or suspected as a contact group for criminality otherwise GOD will require our accounts. And hence, if you are a contact point, make sure that you do not sell evil.

By contact with evil, Eve spoilt her husband and that her contact spoilt their relationship with GOD. Today many contacts with other people have dislocated many good relationships with others. By contact with the Philistine Chiefs Delilah's mind was bedeviled to betray her husband to be arrested and dehumanized. So are the contacts our wives have with other women and men that have destroyed husbands and homes. And by contact with the hateful and wicked High Priests Judas was empowered to betray JESUS his master. Who is our contact point? Have we cared to find out for sure? By contact with the old prophet, the man of GOD from Judah disobeyed GOD and died by the prompting of the old prophet. What advice do you give your innocent junior colleague if you are his/her contact point, or some one is learning from you?
The contact you have with another reshapes you into what you never thought you can become depending on what he/she or group it is. Do not tempt the providences of GOD. Do not be carried away by the praises your contacts sing about you.

Do not make devil your contact point otherwise you are for the grave. Make JESUS alone your contact point and He will choose others for you. Remember, your nature and what you give out to another can bless or hurt someone forever. But find out, are you a contact point for others and what type are you to your family, church, workplace, followers and every other person. Just think!

The Rod And Staff Of God (Part 1)

In the Bible a rod is used to symbolize power and authoritydestructive power, such as the “rod of iron”; the rod of discipline; and especially the rod of assistance and comfort as suggested in the theme text.

RODS AND STAFFS

According to the best authorities, the distinction between a rod and a staff in olden times is not clear. In the Old Testament, the two words are often translated from the same Hebrew word “shebet”, and seem to be used interchangeably. It appears that the shepherds of Israel may have had two distinct implements that were used in connection with their occupation mainly as herdsmen. This is indicated in this 23rd Psalm where each is mentioned. The two English words rod and staff apply to one and the same thing, simply a walking stick that was customary for people to use in olden times to assist them over the rough terrain as they traveled. In the New Testament, the English words rod and staff are used several times and always translated from the same Greek word.

The Lord and his disciples each used such a rod, or staff, to assist them as they journeyed from place to place. This is referred to in Mark 6:8 when Jesus sent the twelve disciples out two by two, and instructed them to take nothing with them except their “staff.”
This opening text, puts before our mind the sense in which our Heavenly Father has used the symbol of a rod or staff to illustrate his tender care, protection, guidance, and comfort over all of his people, particularly all those who are dwelling in the “house of the Lord.”

When Jesus sent his disciples out two by two he told them to take “nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse.” (Mark 6:8) The lesson seems to be that having entered upon the Christian waythe narrow and rugged waywe must not depend upon the arm of flesh, or upon temporal things, but our sufficiency is in Christ. He has promised to be with us, to care, comfort, and guide us, helping us over the rough places, even unto the end of the way. The staff, or rod, of the Lord is indeed stronga firm foundationand it will never give way. It will carry us over the most difficult obstacles of our Christian journey, and help us through our most severe trials. Let us learn to lean fully upon it.

IMPORTANCE OF THE ROD OF GOD

The rod of the Lord had been so vital from ages, even though before then was without power and ordinary as in the case of Moses. When it became of God, it was used in the delivery of Israel from Egyptian bondage. Here, it was a simple shepherd's rod which Moses used in tending the flocks. Little did he know it would beget of the Lord.

Almost at 80 years of age, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire and spoke to him out of a burning bush. The Lord declared his intension to bring his people (the Israelites) into Canaan, a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Exo. 3:7-10).

Moses felt inadequate to this great task and questioned the Lord's wisdom in choosing him to be the deliverer of Israel. This was not necessary as He said “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” Jer. 1:5. For sign of proof, the Lord inquired what was in his hand. He said rod; and he ordered him to make good use of it. (Exo. 4:1-4).

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE ROD AND STAFF

Rod and staff as earlier mentioned are for power and authority; and also for assistance and comfort. The men of old made use; and were guided by these instruments. Prophetically, the Psalmist mentioned these to symbolize the Great book “THE BIBLE”. The Old Testament and the New Testament representing the Rod and Staff respectively. In Moses times, literal rod was used in leading the Israelites, but now the word of God Bible. Suffice it to say that Moses and Israelites were types representing Jesus Christ and his believers as the antitypes.

In Moses sign, it is possible to see two conditions symbolically represented that have to do with the whole human family. We know that “the sting of death is sin” (1 Cor. 15:56) and all have “come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The human race have all come under the effects of original sin, and thus come under the curse of God's judgments. The time is coming, though, when the greater than Moses will 'catch the serpent by the tail', bind and eventually destroy Satan and thus release the human family from his beguilement.

This concerns the Lord's people inasmuch as the very purpose of their calling is that they may become part of this great antitypical Moses that will be charged with the responsibility of delivering mankind from the bondage of sin and death during Christ's kingdom. These called-out ones have been begotten with God's Holy Spirit, and thus have the great responsibility to properly use this power and authority as ambassadors of the heavenly kingdom.

It is important to remember that while the Lord's people are not expected to deliver mankind or to convert the world at this present time, nevertheless we must be putting forth this message, preaching the “gospel of the kingdom in all the world for a witness.” (Matt. 24:14) As we 'cast the rod down,' telling the people about how that old serpent, Satan, is the god of this world, and telling them about the great time of trouble we are now in, let us be sure to 'lift the serpent up again' by the tail, and also tell the people about the time when their deliverance will actually take place; and sin, suffering and death will be eradicated from the face of the earth. Pointing out the 'silver lining' behind the dark clouds of trouble is indeed a most wonderful part of our ministry, especially as we know that day of deliverance is near at hand.

THE GREAT QUESTION
The Lord is asking each one of us the question, as he asked Moses, 'What is that in thine hand?' If we have certain talents, abilities, material possessions, knowledge of the truth, let us remember that all of these things have been sanctified with the 'rod' of God's authority through the begetting of the Holy Spirit, and we must use all to his praise and honor in faithful service to him. We feel inadequate at times, and so unworthy of this honor, just as Moses did. We know that in our own selves we come far short. The words of the Lord to Moses in Exodus 4:11,12 should also be a comfort to us, “The LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

The Lord chose Aaron, Moses' brother, to be his spokesman before the people, particularly at the time of their deliverance. (See Exo. 4:16, 17). In these verses, we see Moses representing God, and Aaron the Lord Jesusthe 'Word' of God. Again, Moses had Aaron as his mouthpiece, so also is you for Jesus. We, as the footstep followers of Jesus, have been charged with the responsibility of speaking the words of the Father as faithful ambassadors of the heavenly kingdom. As in verse 17, the Lord particularly pointed out the fact that this rod had been sanctified for use by Moses and Aaron in giving signs related to the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt.