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Bacary Sagna talks up France’s World Cup chances

By WTOP Staff

JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

RIBEIRAO PRETO, Brazil (AP) — While France coach Didier Deschamps has been pointedly playing down his team’s expectations at the World Cup, defender Bacary Sagna is now doing the exact opposite.

France takes on Nigeria on Monday in their last 16 clash and Sagna is already thinking much further ahead.

Asked if France’s World Cup will be considered a success if it reaches the quarterfinal stage, his response was quick and blunt.

“No. It would be a success if we go all the way. As players we aspire to go as far as possible, we aspire to win trophies and for me it would be a failure not to win the Cup,” he said Friday. “We’ve set ourselves certain objectives. First of all we wanted to get out of the group stage. Now we want to go all the way, so to stop against Nigeria would be a failure.”

Such bold talk is surprising, especially given how cautious Deschamps has been in trying not to raise hopes too high after an encouraging start, which saw France thrash Switzerland 5-2 and top Group E with seven points.

Deschamps cautioned after the Switzerland win that fans should not get too carried away.

Noel Le Graet, the French Football Federation president went even further, warning that it would be a “bit pretentious” to say that France is good enough to win the tournament.” He added that “we don’t have the confidence of the Germans or the Brazilian team. We can’t compare ourselves to the big nations yet.”

After the 0-0 draw against Ecuador on Wednesday, in which a sloppy France side missed a lot of chances, they seemed to have been proved right.

But Sagna, who made his 42nd appearance for France against Ecuador, has clearly seen enough cause for optimism.

“The objective is becoming and more and more precise,” he said, with a view to raising the trophy on July 13. “It’s become the main objective because we’re four games from the title and we want to do it.”

Spain, Italy, Portugal and England have been knocked out of the tournament, leaving Germany, Netherlands and France as the leading European teams left.

“We’re lucky enough to be playing in the last 16 and that’s not everyone’s case,” Sagna said. “A lot of big teams have gone out.”

He is challenging Mathieu Debuchy to start at right back against Nigeria.

“Not so long ago I was playing every game and now it’s Mathieu. I don’t have a problem with it at all,” Sagna said. “Obviously I’d like to play, as everyone would, but 23 of us can’t play.”

Sagna, who helped Arsenal win the FA Cup last season, is counting on French fans to turn out in numbers at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia — as they did when around 10,000 cheered on Les Bleus on at the Maracana against Ecuador.

“What has struck me the most has been the relationship with the fans,” he said. “In Rio it was like we were at the Stade de France, it makes the players feel confident. We know that France is also appreciated by the Brazilians, and hopefully that will be the case on Monday.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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