The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • Moses remembers dead parents

    Moses remembers dead parents

    • Says they would have been proud of him

    Chelsea winger Victor Moses, who fled to England after his parents were killed in sectarian riots, hopes to crown his debut at the African Cup of Nations by helping Nigeria win the trophy.

    Moses has come a long way since his father and mother were slain in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna, forcing him to abandon his homeland at the age of 11 and begin a new life in a strange environment.

    “Wherever they are, they should be proud of me,” Moses, 22, told British media last year when he remembered his parents, Austin, a Christian pastor in Kaduna, and mother, Josephine.

    On the tournament in South Africa, he was positive. “I am confident of a good outing in South Africa,” he says of the three-week African football showcase to be staged at five of the 10 stadiums used for the 2010 World Cup.

    “We have prepared well and, having missed the last tournament, wish to make Nigerians proud by the end of this one. This is my first African Cup of Nations and I want to make it a memorable one. I want to play in every match, score when the opportunity presents itself and help players in good positions to also score. When all these things happen, the supporters can be sure that we are going to bring back the trophy,” said Moses.

    Nigeria have won the tournament twice with their last triumph being in Tunisia 19 years ago. Few would argue against a third victory now that Moses has proven to be a valuable addition.

  • NFF wants Amaechi to head AFCON delegation

    NFF wants Amaechi to head AFCON delegation

    The Nigerian Football Federation has appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amechi, to head the delegation to the African Nations Cup kicking off in South Africa on Saturday.

    Sources in Port Harcourt told futaa.com that the pair of NFF chairman Aminu Maigari, and the head of technical committee, Chris Green, were at the Rivers State House in Port Harcourt on Monday, to put the request to the governor.

    The sources further confirmed that the governor politely turned down the request.

    He was said to have told the NFF officials that he is too busy at the moment to take on such an assignment that will remove him from his desk for the entire durations of the Eagles stay at the tournament.

    He only promised to be at the first game of the Super Eagles, and the Final, if they make it that far.

    The reasons for trying to appoint the Governor as Head of Delegation is not clear, given his past scathing remarks about the way the NFF handles its finances.

     

  • CAF picks 2013 tournament song

    CAF picks 2013 tournament song

    THE AFRICA Football Confederation (CAF) has picked the song ‘Sela-Sela’ (Dance Together) by the international artists Wes Madiko and Zahra Universe as the official song of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, tagged South Africa 2013.

    The U.S. media company On-Spot Enterprises, through its record label Arusa Music Entertainment, will handle all the various steps until the release of the single, a local PR firm told the press on Saturday.

    “It is our goal to make the official song of the Africa Football Cup of Nations be heard around the world to share in the challenges, triumphs, and spirit of community that comes with the sport of football. And especially in this, the largest tournament of football on the African continent,” says Rod On Jr, Chief Executive Officer and president of On-Spot Enterprises.

    The song, ‘Sela-Sela’, has lyrics in English and Bantu and talks about the celebration and joy among all people, breaking down barriers that would hinder peace and unity.

    It is a mix of many genres including pop, electro-house, dance, R&B, and African, making it very appealing to a wide range of listeners worldwide.

    The continental tournament kicks off Jan. 19, with an opening match between host South Africa and Cape Verde.

  • BOTCHED ATTEMPT How Osaze sent ex-international to beg Keshi

    BOTCHED ATTEMPT How Osaze sent ex-international to beg Keshi

    THE LAST may not have been heard about the different attempts made by Super Eagles outcast, Osaze Odemwingie’s to make the final cut for the Africa Cup of Nations which gets underway this Saturday in South Africa.

    SportingLife has gathered that an ex-international (names withheld) was among the emissaries used by the England based forward to beg Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi for a recall to the national team.

    A competent source informed that the ex-international was keshi’s classmate at St. Finbarrs College, Lagos and also a one-time Football Association chairman from the South West.

    He flew to Abuja the day before the list of 35 players was made public to parley with Keshi to forgive Osaze. Unfortunately for him, his request was turned down by the Eagles boss who made him understand that his decisions were based on facts and not on sentiments.

    “He was extremely surprised that Keshi would turn him down as he expected that as classmates and playmates he would listen to him,” the source said.

    Osaze who has since apologized for his outburst for his exclusion has only played just once under Keshi.

  • Glo to Eagles Make Nigeria proud

    Glo to Eagles Make Nigeria proud

    LEADING Telecommunication operator, Globacom, has called on the National team, Super Eagles to make Nigerians happy by putting up superlative performance during the forthcoming African Cup of Nations scheduled to begin in South Africa on Saturday, 19th January, 2013.

    Globacom in a press statement issued in Lagos on Monday advised the Eagles to tackle every match from the group stages with determination and zeal to win, adding that this will guide them progressively to the final stages of the competition.

    “The group matches are very crucial and the Eagles must emerge victorious to lead the group,” the statement added.

    Globacom therefore advised the team to work very hard and defeat the Burkinabe’s in the first match in order to make the subsequent group matches less cumbersome.

    The Company also acknowledged and commended the rebuilding process undertaken by the Stephen keshi-led technical crew.

    “We are monitoring the preparation being made by the Nigeria Football Federation and we are calling on Nigerians to support the team right from the first match against Burkina Faso,” Glo added.

    The Telecoms giant wished the Super Eagles a successful outing in the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

    Globacom is the major partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and official sponsor of Nigerian national te

  • Ejide returns today

    Ejide returns today

    Trained with  Psysiotherapists

    THERE was celebration among coaches in the Super Eagles’ Faro camp in Portugal on Monday when doctors informed them that goalkeeper Austin Ejide could return to train with the main team today.

    Disclosing this exclusively to SportingLife on telephone from Faro on Monday, Eagles media officer Ben Alaiya revealed that Ejide trained alone with the team’s pysiotherapist on Monday and went through the drills to test his fitness level without complainng of any strains to his hamstring.

    “Hopefully, Ejide should be back in training Tuesday (today), if what we are seeing him do with the pysiotherapist is anything to be taken seriously. Indeed, he has completed many drills that he couldn’t do when he first sustained the injury. The hamstring is such that if you are not fit, you cannot do any training drill that would involve it. We are excited about his quick recovery and we hope that he returns like the doctors have declared.”

  • YOBO WON’T PREDICT EAGLES’ TIES

    YOBO WON’T PREDICT EAGLES’ TIES

    •Says ‘it’s one game at a time’

    NIGERIA captain Joseph Yobo has refused to make any Nations Cup predictions and says their immediate focus is to get out of the tough group they are in.

    The Super Eagles are in Group C with Zambia, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.

    Yobo believes that Nigeria can reach the AFCON final, but adds that it all depends on taking one game at a time. “Let us not get beyond ourselves, though. The focus for now is one getting past the group stage and only then should we think about the quarter-finals and, hopefully, the semi-finals and final.

    “Winning the trophy is not going to be easy, but I promise we will give it our best shot. I urge Nigerians to keep praying for us and to believe in this team,” Yobo said on cafonline.com.

    “We hear back here (in Portugal) that many Nigerians are beginning to have doubts over the team. There is no cause for alarm. The essence of these friendly games is to test players’ pairings, team formation and make corrections,” he said.

    “Personally, I think we have achieved a lot already because the team is bonding real fast. Remember we have not lost a game from our last three friendlies and we won the last one. We have like eight days before our first game and I think that is enough time for us to put finishing touches to our preparation.” He therefore said the team’s dream to win a third AFCON crown is still very much intact. “I think everything is possible by the grace of God. I have been opportuned to be at the last five AFCONs and we only missed out at the last one due to luck or our mistake which ever one you want to call it,” he said. “But you know you can’t predict what is going to happen in a football game, that is why we have been playing friendly matches. There may be surprises at the Nations Cup, but I believe that if we pull through from the group, we will go all the way to the final.” Nigeria face Burkina Faso in their opening game on January 21.

  • Moses hopes for big impact

    Moses hopes for big impact

    NIGERIA striker Victor Moses says he is hoping to mark his debut appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations by helping the team lift the trophy next month. The Chelsea hitman is currently training with his Super Eagles team-mates ahead of the South Africa showpiece, which kicks off at the National Stadium on Saturday. Nigeria begin their campaign against Burkina Faso at the Mbombela Stadium on Monday, and Moses hopes he can have a big impact on the continental showpiece, and help the country forget about their short-comings prior to the 2012 showpiece. “I am confident of a good outing in South Africa. We have prepared well and, having missed the last tournament, wish to make Nigerians proud by the end of it. This is my first Africa Cup of Nations and I want to make it a memorable one. I want to play in every match, score when the opportunity presents itself and help players in good positions to also score. When all these (things) happen, they (supporters) can be sure that we are going to bring back the trophy,” he said.

  • KESHI BOASTS My Eagles can be better than 94 squad

    KESHI BOASTS My Eagles can be better than 94 squad

    THE LAST time Nigeria won the African Cup of Nations was back in 1994 and they also wowed the world at the World cup same year. The team’s captain was Stephen Keshi and he is now in charge of the Super Eagles at South Africa 2013 In an exclusive chat with supersport.com at the team’s Faro, Portugal camp Keshi believes that the potential in this team is good enough to match that of the country’s last winners of the competition.

    “Many Nigerians don’t know how good this team is, I see great potentials in them and they can go places.” He then added with a clear glint in his eyes that: “In Emenike I see a player who can be like Rashidi Yekini and Godfrey Obaobona will grow in his position”.

    Stephen Keshi as a player and captain of Nigeria played in five tournaments reaching the finals in three of them.

    These experiences should come in handy. “Maybe I might be able to help them handle the expectations. My playing will give me the insight in how to handle the younger players – those just starting out and making their way in the national team.”

    In the build-up to the camping and even during it Nigerians have been quite critical, as usual and in their views on the team and the squad make up. You wonder how Keshi handles the pressure of coaching a country where millions feel they can do a better job than the man employed for it.

    “I just make sure I concentrate on the players and make sure they understand and buy into what we want to do. Nigeria is a place that you can never satisfy every person so we just make sure we do our best.”

    However, it would appear that the team is better prepared unlike previous tournaments lately, and Keshi agrees, “we have had no distractions.

    “The NFF have been very supportive and we are just focused on the job at hand.” Since that famous 1994 victory, the team then lost on penalties to Cameroon in the 2000 finals at home, Nigeria has really not come close to winning the competition again. Is there pressure from within the group on the players to win this competition? “I would not put any pressure on my players; my duty is to make them relaxed but with high concentration levels so that they can carry out the tactical plans we have during matches.”

    As a player Keshi exhibited high levels of patriotism when it came to playing for Nigeria but he is aware that things have changed amongst the players who play for Nigeria. “I loved the attitude of the late Rashidi Yekini when it came to playing for Nigeria – he was always the first to arrive and was willing to do anything for the National team, I loved the man.” The current players are different and it is also the fault of the media who hype players to all levels because of what they do at their clubs when they have played probably four or five matches for Nigeria. You need to have played consistently for the national team for at least five years before you can be called a star.”

     

  • Ambrose: Dream come true to play at AFCON

    Ambrose: Dream come true to play at AFCON

    GLASGOW Celtic utility defender Efe Ambrose is delighted to have made the Eagles squad for the African Cup of Nations. In an interview with the official website of the Scottish club, he spoke on the chances of Nigeria winning silverware at Africa’s premier soccer competition.

    ”It’s a dream come true, because I’ve never played in the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s my first time and for me it is important to be among that 23-man list. I used to watch the tournament when I was younger and I remember seeing a lot of good players in the competition. That was nice but being a part of it would be amazing,” says Ambrose to celticfc.net.

    He added: “For us it’s been a long time since we have won the Nations Cup. This is a chance for us to put things right and prove to the world that we are back. We want to be the giants of Africa. I know football has changed, there are no bigger or smaller countries, everybody is equal. Everyone is up for the task, and there is a lot of talent – a lot of countries have a lot of good players. It is going to be a good Nations Cup, and if you are to win it you have to beat the best. You have to work hard, train hard, and believe in yourself.”