Golden Eaglets skipper allegedly turned 18 about seven years ago

The U-17 World Cup, currently taking place in Nigeria, has been rocked by allegations the host nation’s captain, Fortune Chukwudi, is actually somewhere closer to 25.

Before the tournament, FIFA had made attempts to stamp out ‘age cheating’ by using MRI scans to determine a players age through bone density, but on Sunday a former Nigerian international revealed he’d seen Chukwudi playing youth team football as far back as 02/03:

“In the 2002/2003 season, I was chairman of Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt. I decided to have a feeder team of fresh school leavers not older than 20 years.

One of my key players then is the current captain of our so-called Under 17 Golden Eaglets. By his own admission at that time, that is seven years ago, he was 18 years old.

28 days to go until the window is flung open

It’s only four weeks until the January transfer window opens and all eyes turn eagerly towards Manchester City in the hope they they will pump some money around and get a merry-go-round started. What better time than now then for The Spoiler to bring back it’s daily transfer rumour round-up? Here are the latest whisperings that we’ve heard:

Dean Ashton to the highest bidder
Everybody is expecting a FIRE SALE! at West Ham next month but which player do the Daily Mirror think is on top of every Premier League club’s wishlist? Not Robert Green, who starred against Arsenal and Liverpool, nor Matthew Upson, who has established himself as England’s third-choice centre-back. Instead it’s injury-prone pizza fan Dean Ashton, who may not play again this season, who West Ham are supposedly expecting £18 million for.

The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Any sale would surely happen in the summer and for a seven-figure fee

Emile Heskey to Aston Villa

Fulham star gatecrashes the pants party

Another great spot by the MOTD2 gang.

[Off The Post]

The best spot kick showboating ever seen

Knocking a dead ball into the goal from twelve yards should be the easiest thing in the world for a professional footballer, but as Jenas, Chimbonda, Yakubu and Jagielka learned last night, it’s tough under pressure. Maybe they should have tried to emulate one of these classic efforts:

Johan Cruijff gets some help

Francesco Totti backheels it

Gonzalo Pineda pulls off a cheeky chip

(more after the jump)