Neymar insists Ballon d´Or Win Is No Obsession

Neymar

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar insists team trophies are more important to him than winning a first Ballon d'Or.

The Brazil international joined from Barcelona in a world-record €222million transfer last month, in a move that many considered to be motivated by a desire to escape the shadow of Lionel Messi and challenge for football's top individual prize.

Neymar's form for the Ligue 1 side has certainly added weight to any hopes of winning the award, the 25-year-old having taken his tally to five goals and five assists in as many games after inspiring PSG to a 5-0 thrashing of Celtic on Tuesday.

However, the former Santos man says his focus is on helping the team to enjoy success, rather than claiming individual accolades.

"Of course a football player wants to win the Ballon d'Or," he said after the Champions League win in Glasgow. "But I don't have to think about it. I have to think about what's better for our group, our club.

"This is a great team and, if we keep going like this, we have a big chance of doing it [winning the tournament].

"I'm very happy to start with a win. Of course, it's not only about getting goals, but that's the most important. That's what we came for. I'm very happy with this game," Neymar said .

Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe were also on target, with PSG's formidable front three showing signs of developing into a fearsome trident.

Neymar, however, says they are still getting used to playing alongside one another.

"They are two great players, " he said of Cavani and Mbappe, who signed from Monaco last month. "We are getting to know each other.

"Cavani is an extraordinary striker, Kylian is a guy who likes going ahead, going for the ball. We'll get to know each other more and more.

"It's easy when you play with intelligent players. We still don't have a full understanding between us: through a look, a movement, we're still missing a little understanding, but we'll get better step by step."

Neymar had something of a running spat with Celtic defender Anthony Ralston and the pair did not shake hands after the final whistle, but the 18-year-old says there was nothing serious behind the incident.

"I was just walking by and [Marco] Verratti was there as well, it was just a moment," he said. "He said what he said and I said something back and that was it.

"To be honest, I don't care about that side of things at the end, I don't want to dwell on that too much.

"I didn't fear him at all. I knew I was coming up against him. I went out and faced him head on.

"It was a good test for me to see where I am at, what level I am at. I am my biggest critic. I'll go analyse the game and see what I can do better."

Source: Opera Sports

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IT IS AN ERROR TO DEVELOP APTITUDE AND NEGLECT ATTITUDE– Timothy Karikari

Timothy Karikari

Head of Shared Services at Global Media Alliance Broadcast Limited and an Alumnus of University of Ghana, Legon, Timothy Karikari has advised students to deliberately develop attitudes desired by employers to succeed at the workplace or required for entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the University of Ghana mentorship session held over the weekend, Mr. Karikari admonished students to pursue their career goals with diligence, hard work, commitment and humility.

“These attitudes are for life and whether you are an employer or an employee, they are critical to your success and growth,” he said. Timothy Karikari  bemoaned the current reports of alleged corruption in the public and private sectors of the country and encouraged participants to uphold the good old values; honesty, loyalty and integrity.

He further stressed on the need for employers to focus on attitude in recruitment and ensuring that candidates with the right attitude are employed at all times because aptitude even though important, can be attained with the right supervision but a wrong attitude is difficult to correct.

He cited many examples of great talents and intelligent individuals especially in media, entertainment and sports who failed in the long term because of the lack of acceptable attitudes.

The mentorship seminar is an annual event organized by the University of Ghana coordinating branch of the National Union of Presbyterian Students- Ghana (NUPS-G) to develop continuing students of the union.

This years’ edition was held on Saturday 9th September, 2017 with presentations on career development and mentorship. The second speaker of the seminar was Mr. Michael Okyere Asante; an Assistant Lecturer at the Philosophy and Classics Department of the University of Ghana.

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