Hayatou, Musonye welcome South Sudan football into African family - Daily Nation

The Confederation of African Football president, Issa Hayatou and Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations secretary general, Nicholas Musonye, have sent congratulatory messages to South Sudan Football Association following their first ever elections.

“Caf is confident that your expertise and leadership will greatly benefit South Sudanese football. Caf is delighted as well that all actors of South Sudan football came together on this historic event,” Hayatou said in his message.

“Football has the power to bring people together and I urge SSFA to work together with Sudan to bridge their relationship,” Musonye said.

SSFA held a General Assembly, in Juba on Monday where the first president of the association, Chabur Gor Alei, and an executive board were elected.

South Sudan was formally accepted into the Caf body on February 10 in Libreville, Gabon.

Cecafa will formally endorse the South Sudan association as part of their family during their congress in November.

Musonye, however, said South Sudan could now participate in all Cecafa competitions.

Regional football will not be new to South Sudan. Its capital, Juba, jointly hosted the 2010 Cecafa Under-17 championship with Khartoum.

At the same time, Lyon manager Remi Garde says he has been offered an extension to his contract which ends this month by club president Jean-Michel Aulas.

Garde, who took over from Claude Puel in June, 2011, confirmed on Thursday: “Yes I’ve met the president, and it went very well, he officially made me a proposition to stay on.

“I will study it, that’s where we are at the moment. There are things to clarify but yes, we are going in that direction, probably for two years.” Garde, originally signed a one year deal.