individual,” a statement added.
Huddleston said that “the SGSA will
work hand-in-glove with football clubs,
supporters groups, local authorities
and the police”.
The pilot will involve research being
carried out to evaluate the implemen-
tation of the scheme, which will then be
provided to the government to inform
its decision on whether to have it in
place at all grounds next season. Ken
Scott, head of inspectorate at the
SGSA, said: “We know there is a safety
risk arising from fans who persistently
stand in seated areas, demonstrated in
independent research.
“The advent of new engineering
solutions and the findings from our
research has shown this can be
managed safely.”everything. Now I spoke with him [Den-
nis], of course he wanted to go to play,
but also he wanted to help Watford.”
The NFF had accused Watford of
taking a tough stance in negotiations.
“In-form rapid raider Emmanuel
Dennis, whose English Premiership
club is baring fangs, has been excused to
provide room for Czech Republic-
based forward Peter Olayinka,” the
NFF said in a statement on Instagram.Kevin Miles, chief executive of the
FSA, said: “This is a huge step forward.
This is something we’ve been cam-
paigning on for 30 years. It’s great to see
people being offered the choice on
whether to sit or stand at a match. I will
feel more secure having that safety rail
in front of me. I think that will make a
difference to the confidence of fans in
the stands about their own safety.”Watford keep Dennis but
accused of ‘baring fangs’
Gary JacobWatford have received a boost after
Emmanuel Dennis was omitted from
Nigeria’s squad for the Africa Cup of
Nations, with the country’s federation
accusing the club of “baring fangs”.
The striker has scored or created 13 of
Watford’s 22 Premier League goals and
was included in Augustine Eguavoen’s
28-man squad for the tournament in
Cameroon, which starts on Sunday
week.
Claudio Ranieri, the Watford head
coach, suggested that Nigeria may have
missed the deadline to inform them of
their intention to select Dennis, which
provided a loophole.
After talks between Watford and the
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),
Dennis was left out of the country’s
squad for the tournament. It means
that the 24-year-old will be available to
play in league matches against Newcas-
tle United and Norwich City, also
threatened by relegation, and against
Leicester City in an FA Cup third-
round tie.
Ranieri denied that Watford were
being disrespectful. “I knew they were
speaking to the board and the Nigerian
board and I accept every decision they
find. For me it’s finished,” Ranieri said.
“[Nigeria] have a lot of players and
they changed the manager and they
changed everything. We were ready to
give them the players, but they didn’t do
this. I’m only the coach and I acceptthe times | Saturday January 1 2022 1GS 5
Sport
CATHERINE IVILL/GETTY IMAGESTournament runs January 9 to February 6
Arsenal Thomas Partey (Ghana), Mohamed
Elneny (Egypt), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
(Gabon), Nicolas Pépé (Ivory Coast), Omar
Rekik (Tunisia); Aston Villa Mahmoud
Trézéguet (Egypt), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina
Faso); Brentford Frank Onyeka (Nigeria);
Brighton Yves Bissouma (Mali), Ulrick Eneme
Ella (Gabon); Burnley Maxwel Cornet (Ivory
Coast); Chelsea Édouard Mendy (Senegal);
Crystal Palace Cheikhou Kouyaté (Senegal),
Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory
Coast); Everton Alex Iwobi (Nigeria); Leeds
None; Leicester Daniel Amartey (Ghana),
Nampalys Mendy (Senegal), Wilfred Ndidi
(Nigeria), Kelechi Iheanacho; Liverpool Mo
Salah (Egypt), Naby Keïta (Guinea), Sadio
Mané (Senegal); Manchester City Riyad
Mahrez (Algeria); Manchester United Eric
Bailly (Ivory Coast), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia);
Newcastle None; Norwich None;
Southampton Moussa Djenepo (Mali);
Tottenham None; Watford William Troost-
Ekong (Nigeria), Adam Masina (Morocco),
Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Imran Louza (Morocco;
West Ham Saïd Benrahma (Algeria); Wolves
Romain Saïss (Morocco), Willy Boly (Iv Coast)Premier League
players due at Afcon