 Welcome once again on another fine Friday, where we bring you all the sports news that you would have wanted to hear. Actually, my name is Edio Goen, I'm joined on set with Brian Mushiri. It's amazing to see you here. Yeah, true, it's been quite a week in the name of sports. It's been quite a week in the name of sports, but we're here. Let's see how it all goes in this lovely weekend as well. How did you anticipate that the Premier League would end? I think with the Premier League we didn't have any other sort of anticipation or outcome. We just knew City would just do it, but tough for Liverpool to come in second. The highest ever points for a second place team in the EPL. So it's pretty big for them as well. Indeed, we have so much in the name of sports for you and to begin with we want to bring the local news. And Shuja, the rugby sensational team have travelled to the UK for the London series hoping for a better result as they play to avoid relegation. Shuja Ahua ran 13th in the 7th World Service series. Just 2 points away from relegation have been disappointing in most of their previous matches. Kenya will be facing a tough table as they face Fiji, Samoa and later on France. With the first match being played early Saturday morning and the following games being played on Sunday an action pact where the losers will meet the losers and the winners will go head to head. Now this will be a tough match when you think about it, don't you? It's a tough group for us always. When you see you've been put in there with Fiji, you've been put in there with Samoa, you've been put in there with France. It's a tough one for Kenya and also you look at what we have gone through, the struggles we have gone through in terms of Kenya rugby. It's a tough one but this one certainly they need to do something. But we are no longer underdogs. We can no longer use that time to actually refer to ourselves. We have been in the World 7 series for quite a while now and right now although we did start very badly and that was due to players not being paid and going on a revolt or a strike or so. We can no longer use that as a defence because right now we are actually facing relegation and we might actually go off if we do lose all the games that we are to play this coming series. Yes but yes we are a powerhouse. It's true and they know that in the international scene. But the way you start will always somehow have an effect on how you're going to end it. Yes so if you can actually have the table you see we are around 13th. 13th on the table and as we are 13th we are even top 10. We are not even in the top 10 but it's a 20 team table so 13 is really not a bad number but it's the relegations that's the problem because we are actually just two sports away from relegation and if we do get relegated it will be really tough for us to actually come back. United States are doing well, Fiji are doing well in New Zealand. These are actually teams that have actually won in the London series. So we do expect them to be there. But seeing Kenya at number 17 is really not something that we do expect especially considering Scotland are just newcomers in their ranking. Yes there we are at number 13. We exactly interchanged with Australia at this time last time in the season. Yes Spain are newcomers actually when it is a problem. Yes but I'm saying we interchanged with Australia because at this point last time we were number 7 with 100 points and Australia were number 13 with just about the same points that we did. We do have at the moment. So actually this is the worst season we have actually ever in our history. It's the worst season that we have ever put up. Let's hope you know the pain of being relegated. After being relegated coming back to the big time is hard. It's really difficult and it takes time. It takes a lot of time and a lot of commitment and a lot of organization for the players. But most people credit this kind of the results that we have been having from Kenya, Kenya always pulling out from there. Yes it's all about the sponsors. We always have that conversation of it's sponsors, sponsors did this, this, that. But why don't we have a system? Yes the players went on to revolt. Why they were not paid? Why we have a government? We have a ministry of sports or ministry of culture. We have sports funds. We have sports funds. We don't have to really entirely defend it. Yes. But the rugby 7s team, the Kenya national team actually put up a very strong squad consisting of both experienced and youth players so that they can actually try and fight their way out of the relegation sports that they might be adding if they actually lost the games. Now moving on. Gormaia officially crowned 2018-2019 Sports Pesa Premier League Champions with 2 matches to spare despite being frustrated at a 1-1 draw by relegation threatened and Vihiga United in Wednesday's tie at the Kenyatta Stadium. This is Gormaia's third consecutive title in an unprecedented 2018 crown. The trophy will be handed over to Kogalos on Saturday Machakos during their away match at the 14th place post arranges. Now this is quite something for Gormaia. When the system started they were actually not even in the top 3 and then they fought their way back and then they came and win it. And then a conversation began, they're going to lose it. Where? Where? Where? No. And then they actually proved us wrong. First of all I actually think all other Kenyan Premier League teams need to pull up their socks like seriously. You cannot have a Gormaia side that has international duty in terms of calf that has continental duty sorry in terms of calf, international duty in terms of sport Pesa. And then they come over after flying throughout the whole world to come back and beat you. This guy, it's absurd. So what you try to say is our Premier League right now, our teams that are in the Premier League right now are really not performing to the expectations because Gormaia has played more games than them and they still have the energy to come back and win the Premier League. Yes and that also comes in with the aspect of funds. We need to jazz our study. There's that aspect of the 12th man when you're in the field. Look at Gormaia's fund base. It's so big such like as your other player when you're playing for Gormaia and you see your funds in the stands you want to give it to you all. And when this other team, we need to fill our stadium support that team that is just around there. But when you think about it, last week Gormaia played against AFC Leopold. AFC Leopold has just as much as a grace fund fund squad as much as Gormaia. And when you look at the way when you look at the game AFC Leopold really still didn't perform as to people's expectations considering the fund base that is backing them up. So for a team like AFC Leopold that has the same fund base. Yeah, okay. It still cannot perform again as to Gormaia. What would you say about that? Now you see that now moves on to another level. Organization in the field. The problems at AFC those who are inside the team will tell you there's a lot of wrangles in the board in the chairmanship in the everywhere. There's a lot of wrangles in between the team. So it kind of leads to an organized system. You look at Gore. Yes, we know this is our coach. This is our leadership. This is our leadership. And everyone has a clean rolled out whether they need to work inside of that team. Yes. Well, this is the third time that they have been this third time in consecutive that have been handed the crown. So they are taking the Premier League trophy home. So next season the Premier League has to buy a new trophy. Wow. I hadn't thought about it that way. Next season the Premier League has to buy a new trophy because Gormaia is taking this one home. And also on the same story Gormaia coach Hasan Okte has been named April Fidelity Insurance Coach in the month award winner in Okte's second monthly award three months having won it in February also. The TAC guided Kogalo to baging five wins two draws a walk over which came after the month Kenya failed one of the fixture. What would you say about this? Now personally I've really looked at Okte's performance since he came to Kogalo and I've seen the growth that he has come in. But when I compare it with the previous coach I think his progress has been kind of sort of slow. That's how it has to seem when you get into someone's with bigger shoes than you. That's what you expect. He is certainly a nice coach. Yeah sure. Remember all those Akulis that you just mentioned going by him. He's the kind of coach who would not quite shout inside the dressing room but will get in the players' heads and that's at times what you need in a soka pitch. Just get into your players' heads once in a while. Well the Gormaia coach becomes the fourth recipient of the award ongoing 2018-2019 season after Western Steamer Paul Ogai Mother United Francis Kimanzi and John Baraza of Sofa Paka. This is something. These are big coaches in Kenya as far as Premier League is concerned. Well moving on to the next story Asamoa Jan has made a rapid u-turn to his previous claims to actually retire from the national team. On his decision to retire from the Ghana Nationals team and he will now play on the African Cup of Nations after being told by the president and get this. It's in the best interest of the nation for you to reconsider your decision. Those were the president's words. How motivating when the head of states actually comes out and defends you in that kind of manner you know. Yeah one thing I actually question about the thing Asamoa Jan had a role with the team because of the captaincy issue. Yes. According to my understanding. Yes. Now here is the thing. You are a senior player. At this point does it even matter if you actually become the captain? Yes there has to be something like that because. Most capt player. Well you would say it's a level of lack of professionalism. But you would feel as a human being you would feel I mean how do you just come and captain someone else who has fewer cups than I do. I've been here. I've built this squad. We've gotten to what the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup with this team and I was part of this. Then you come and captain someone else that is younger than me. You would feel. True. There is this thing. Well the 33-year-old has scored 51 goals in 106 matches. Say when he was asked about it he said a presidential request cannot be disregarded. That was his take when he was asked why did you come back? Would you? Would you disregard something like that? I personally wouldn't. Mkubu alisema. Mkudusia alisema. Asamwe Jan has scored in six consecutive national cup finals as well as three world cup between 2006 and 2014. And it will be a great addition to the Garland National Squad as it brings a great amount of experience and pace. Yes. When you have someone like that on your squad it quite rightly overlies the aspect of he's probably slower because age is catching up and everything but you now get to a point where you start looking at the factors that this person is going to bring in experience in your squad. He's going to bring in that sense of leadership in your squad. So at some point when you have guys like Asamwe Jan having them come back to their squads and actually be the leaders in these dressing rooms that's the kind of thing that they are looking for and look at the stage they are buying for the African cup of nations no joke the whole world is watching now. My question was my actual question was he wanted to retire because he was denied the captaincy. This might or in many ways should be his last cup of nations. Yes it could. It should be his last cup of nations. Now why would anyone in his right mind actually give away a chance of going to his last cup of nations a chance to actually give something to your nation before you actually retire just because of something well some would call it petty but I would just say something as small as captaincy because you don't have to be a captain to actually be a leader. You can lead the team without even the band. It's true, it's true but there is that now would you consider him as a captain if he didn't have that band outside. Yes sure we know he is an experienced player but there is someone else with that captain's band on his arm. You know there was a time there was a time when you look at when you look at a team structure there are senior players and then there are the youthful players. Now the youthful players always look up to the senior players and the senior players know each other because they have played together for so long and the respect that they give each other won't be in regards to the band but in regards to the experience and the amount of time that they have played in the field together. So when I look at some more jan situation I think he would have got in the respect either way not just from his teammates but from African general everybody knows him more jan. Ideally in the world when it comes to character they say that 60% of it is a show then 40% is the actual thing. So if your 60% is we see you as the national leader and the captain of the squad and everything that is what we satisfy us that we are seeing you there as a captain and I think that is the mentality that is carrying around here. Well moving on to international news we have a tight match tomorrow when Barcelona face off Valencia. Now this will be a very interesting match now the Spanish giants will clash with Valencia in the Copa del Rey finals this Saturday at Sevilla. The Copa del Rey Spanish is the oldest tournament and has been highly contested among Spanish teams. Barcelona host the most wins with 30 being followed by Atletico Bilbao 23 Real Madrid has 19 and Atletico Madrid has 10. When I was looking at the statistics about Copa del Rey when it started Atletico Bilbao the first team to actually win it and won it twice consecutive before Real Madrid came and won it four times in a row. Now this is one of like the FA this is Spanish this is Spanish and when you look at it we Africans may not give it the respect that it deserves but in Spain it's a very big trophy It's a very emotional trophy as well Now one thing I look at when I see these two teams is they were both eliminated in the Europa in the Europe competition both of them by English teams Yes now that's a big one I have to say that that's a big one Particularly when you look at the statistics that are there Barcelona could sell a probably a league double so far Let's see how it all plans out but I think Barcelona should be able to win it comfortably tomorrow Well Valencia have put up a run they actually scrambled a win to actually qualify for the Champions League next season despite being knocked out of the Europa they made a fight and they were contesting the position with Gatafe they ended up actually scrambling that scrambling that One thing I like about Valencia is the amount of the amount of consistency they have put on this season their wins have been really encouraging and they have been coming in a rate that you would actually appreciate in regards to their previous seasons well one thing that has actually really disappointed as was severe but then again we will go What do you see? Well LNMC will be fit for the match We will see to miss the final again after the club announced that he will be on operation on any operation and it will take about six weeks for the Uruguayan international to actually recover Now this would be a very big loss when you think about it It's a big blow but also it gives the young lad giving the chance to get in there to do his best Up there you have guys like Denis Suarez you have Osman Dembele it gives you a chance you see that's how the stars actually came up the youth stars actually come up and you put in there to sit in for a star you go in there and you do your thing I am looking forward to actually Malcolm having a start but then again that's what we would see about how that goes Now one thing I have really realised about one thing I have realised about Barcelona is whenever they play it's like the game is still until today the game is still centralized on Messi So had it been Messi who missed the match would you still be saying that Barcelona would win it comfortably I don't quite think so Let me just take you back to the whole conversation of Messi and Cristiano when it comes to Argentina and Portugal So they say with Argentina the Argentines wame kubali that Messi ni omukubua we just oil ourselves up back here but with Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal the aspect of yes I have Nani who can run to the left I have all these other guys Akina Louise in the back so it's never quite as oil so with Barcelona and as Messi as a player, as a leader the aspect here is a leadership that he brings to the squad he would say you know what this is what I play this is the kind of game that I give but you guys also have to back it up watching an interview by Rakitich and he says playing with Messi and Suarez you can play yourself up because these are guys who actually make you work for the ball so yeah I think Barcelona still would take it home easily okay well it will be a type contention tomorrow and we are looking forward to actually which teams comes on top after Barcelona failed to actually win the Champions League for what this is how many, 5 years 5th year running or something moving on to Europe competition an Arsenal supporter petitioned to have the Europa League final again moved from Baku to the Wembley as he reached 13,000 signatures all this comes after numerous complaints from both fans and players for the venue location to be relocated due to security and travel cost logistics yes I was looking at that conversation earlier this guy Henrik Mikitarian couldn't even make, can't even go there because he's Armenian Armenian and as Bijan have and there's a lot of tangles about for an interview by the secretary of state in Armenia and they were all basically kind of coming to say you know what in the next time we are putting in a petition to UEFA that let not politics be the hindrance to why the beautiful game cannot be played because politics surely cannot be the reason why we all suffer as fanatics as soca fanatics well both teams have stated that in the venue as they struggle to see how they both get to benefit from the match that their most fans won't make it according to reports from the two teams they are struggling to sell the tickets 6000 tickets actually had to be returned 6000 tickets had to be returned let me just tell you 6000 is a lot that's like more of 10,000 at the beginning they were actually complaining that 6000 tickets are few considering the stadium hosts about 64,000 and they are only being given 6000 each they were complaining that that's few now it turns out the 6000 they cannot even sell it because people are complaining about travelling and the safety yes I think when it gets to that point you see your safety is very important and one ticket cost season ticket one ticket for the finals cause the season ticket for the now you see it gets ridiculous when it gets to that point when you look at the boycott it said in addition to the numerous and predicted logistics issues that have precluded the majority of fans of both Arsenal and Chelsea from attending Europa League Finals you have had decisions to host the match in Baku he really was complaining yes and it's a whole of conversation it actually reached 13,002 have signed yes I wonder what happens if they make it to 15,000 does it get relocated at this late stage it could it could get relocated because it's a law you see if the law is the law you have to go through the law well let's wait and see now one of Chelsea's players has been on form this season Hazard has been named the Premier League's playmaker of the season as well as making history at the Chelsea end of the seasons award scoping the player of the year award players player of the year award the season 2019 becoming the first blues to collect three awards in the same year yes this is the first blue but I really don't think I really don't see the hype in Hazard but when the season began Hazard wasn't really playing as the player that we expected him to be and when the season progressed he started picking up but even then he was still on and off there were some games that you'd actually feel like Hazard is lacking but he helped the team actually get to number 3 I actually think Hazard is a good player his balance is exquisite he's just wonderful when it comes to dribbling when it comes to shifting of pace he's just good but I however think Chelsea we as Chelsea have been over relying on him because about 48% of the goals that have come to Chelsea have been courtesy of Hazard so that's about half you cannot rely half of your goals and expect to actually win expect to because all I need to do as the other coach nikuwe kuhazard kumfuko because when you look at the other teams Liverpool have Mane they have Salah, they have Fominio when you go to Arsenal they have divided between Abu Mayang and La Cazette when you go to Man City there's just a number of them when you go to Tottenham it's still Sun and Hurricane so you do actually make a sensible point you see with all these other teams that you've mentioned it's all about a system it's an oil system that you can see Liverpool have an oil system City have a system that they don't have categorically to rely on one person Aguero was out for a couple of matches they were still good but now you look at Chelsea all the systems are being relied on one person Hazard is among the nominees for the PFA Premier League fans player awards and up against Hazard Man City Rahim Staling Benardo Silva Liverpool's trio Virgil Van Dijk and Sadio Mane these are two people who are actually contesting against Hazard for the Premier League player of the year award that's hard to call it's very hard I certainly don't think Hazard is going to even take it Personally I would go with Van Dijk he has been consistent he was actually consistent did you see what he did to Danny Rose he is alone and he still managed to that was amazing but the one thing I actually love about him is the way he actually falls back to defender and actually helps also in backing up goals and sometimes he actually plays as a defensive midfielder if you actually watch the Liverpool games Yes, you see with Van Dijk he is very good with picking up those long passes you have Salah you have Mane up there who can run all you need to do is someone who can pick a pass just kutoka katikati that's all you need I like the selection decision because when you look at the players that have been selected to actually contest against each other are people who actually made sense Sergio Aguera has been consistent except for the injury time Bernardo Silva has been fantastic when you look at the game Rahim Staling I used to have a lot of issues against Rahim Staling but this season he has actually proved to me that he can actually be the dependent player you see with the last season and a couple of the previous seasons you could see him struggling in front of the goal he would miss an open goal and he would see if Guardiola go live in to the man but it's interesting how Guardiola has had faith in Staling because when you look at Guardiola's history he never gives a player that much chance he is starting to change because I also had an issue with how he used to handle players look at the issue of Yaya Toure you cut the issue of Eto when he was at Barcelona most people are actually saying Premier League has humbled Guardiola absolutely the first season he came here and he finished at number 3 that's when he knew this Premier League has humbled Barcelona they are saying that when you look at the way he is playing his system has actually changed and even his mentality in how he approaches other teams has changed that is it I keep saying here that the Premier League is the hardest league in the world because you have 6, 7 teams that could possibly challenge and win that title and like all those other leagues where we see probably we know the top 2 or 3 we can guess by the beginning of the season well it's been quite the week in the name of football and a lot has happened in the name of sports as well well tomorrow Kenya plays a very, very tough our Shujia team actually Nongelelia rugby at this point Shujia will be playing a very tough group where they have to face Fiji, France and we have to give them the support that they would actually expect us to give them back here at home next week we actually have the finals for the Europa we will be facing Chelsea in the Baku Europa finals we do have the finals for the Champions League next week on Saturday tomorrow we have Valencia v. Barcelona and also the Italian League will be continuing as well as the Kenyan Premier League that's all from us from the Sports News Desk I am your host Eddie Ogowe you can find me at all my social media platforms at Eddie Ogowe and this has been Brian Mushiri follow me as well on all social media platforms at Brian Mushiri on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram well it's good bye from us thank you