The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sports

  • I never bribed Westerhof

    I never bribed Westerhof

    Former goalkeeper of the Super Eagles Peter Rufai has distanced himself from the bribery allegation by former coach Clemens Westerhof.

    Westerhof recently revealed that players of the Super Eagles paid heavily to get a call-up to play for the Super Eagles. Rufai, who was part of the team that won the 1994 Nations Cup played in Tunisia denied ever taking part in bribing the coach.

    ” I never bribed Westerhof or any other coach in my playing career,” he told futaa.com. “I was on-top of my game, and the best in my playing days, so I wonder why I will bribe to play when I was the first choice.”

    Rufai added that he has always given his best to ensure the team do well. “I always give 100 percent for the success of the team.

    “I’m not aware of any such bribe,” Rufai informed futaa.com.

  • Kwara pays athletes’ outstanding allowances

    Kwara pays athletes’ outstanding allowances

    The Kwara Government has paid all the outstanding allowances of the state athletes ahead of their trip to the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos.

    Coach Tunde Kazeem, Director of the State Sports Council, disclosed this on Thursday in Ilorin, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Kazeem said that all the athletes and officials were in closed camping for 10 days, ahead of the sports fiesta, tagged “Eko 2012,” holding from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9 in Lagos.

    He boasted that the state would improve on its performance at the 17th edition of the fiesta in Port Harcourt in 2011.

    NAN recalls that Kwara finished in the 18th position on the medals table in Port Harcourt, having won 23 medals, including five gold, six silver and 12 bronze.

    The director said: “The entire requirements in terms of allowances and equipment have been met. I want to thank the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed, for providing us the enabling environment and giving us the moral and financial support to excel at the Games.

    “Any time from now, the chairman of the sports council and I will be attending an international seminar in preparation for the competition in Lagos,’’ he said.

    Kazeem disclosed that the state would compete in 15 sports events with 113 athletes, saying that Kwara would only compete in those events where it had a comparative advantage.

    “You know that sports nowadays, especially sports festival is no more a jamboree. You only go with those sports where you have a comparative advantage; where you have the strength to mop up some medals.

    “This is the reason we are going with 15 sports out of the 27 and by the grace of God, we hope that we are going to improve on our past effort.

    “The athletes and officials are ready to proceed to Lagos. We intend to leave on Sunday morning,’’ he said.

  • Keshi to consider commitment ahead of club form for AFCON

    Keshi to consider commitment ahead of club form for AFCON

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has said he will pick players for the AFCON based on their commitment before their form at their various clubs.

    It promises to be a Titanic battle for squad places in the Super Eagles for next year’s Nations Cup in South Africa, and Keshi has now revealed how committed a player is to the country’s cause will be top consideration when he picks his final 23-man squad.

    “It’s not how well you play for your club, but the 120 per cent you give me when I invite you that will be crucial in my decision,” he said.

    “We have a lot of our players starting for their clubs now and that is very good. Ahmed Musa, Mikel Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Ike Uche, Brown Ideye and others and this is what I want because it keeps them fit and in shape.”

    Keshi admitted he would face a selection headache ahead of the AFCON because many of his players are now doing well in Europe.

    “Selection headache? Yes, to an extent because all the players are doing well,” he said.

    The Eagles are expected to open a training camp for players from the domestic league on December 17 in Abuja before they fly out to Faro, Portugal, to intensify training for the Nations Cup.

  • NFF to spend $30m next year

    NFF to spend $30m next year

    Officials have disclosed that Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has proposed to spend N4.8 billion (about $30 million) next year.

    General secretary of the Federation Musa Amadu told the House of Representatives committee on sports on Wednesday NFF plan to spend N4.8 billion in the coming year even though they have been handed an appropriation of 1.8 billion.

    “We made a proposal of N4.8 billion for 2013, but we got an envelope of N1.8 billion and out of which N1.5 billion is for sporting activities,” he said.

    Amadu also declared that the NFF in 2012 prosecuted 54 international matches, won 33, drew 11 and lost 10.

    The NFF are expected to return to the house with detailed copy of their 2012 expenditure and 2013 proposal next Tuesday after the committee on sports ordered them to do so.

    The committee has also asked the football federation to produce a detailed breakdown on how they intend to spend the N1.8 billion appropriation for 2013.

    “We want you to go back and re-present a very detailed submission. And your submission would tell us the breakdown expenditure that you incurred in the 54 matches you have played so far,” house committee on sports chairman Godfrey Ali Gaya demanded.

    “We need you to add whatever sponsorship you have got so far plus what was appropriated to you as a total amount available to you. And for that total amount show us a thorough breakdown of expenditure match-by-match, let it include your ticketing, the bonuses or allowances of players, number of officials taken to the matches. We want to have it within the next seven days.”

  • CAF, South Africa ready for Nigeria — Ojo-Oba

    CAF, South Africa ready for Nigeria — Ojo-Oba

    Former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and CAF top official, Bolaji Ojo-Oba, has voiced it loud and clear that the Confederation of Africa Football, the main organizer of the 2013 Africa Nations Cup, and host South Africa are super ready for the forthcoming Africa’s biggest football tournament.

    “CAF is ready for South Africa and South Africa is ready for CAF so we are expecting a befitting and fulfilled tournament in all its ramifications,” the Director of Elite Athletes in the National Sports Commission told SportingLife in Abuja.

    He further assured on the competition. “We are expecting a good tournament since South Africa organized the last 2010 World Cup and FIFA the world football ruling body gave high marks for the country for organizing a very good tournament. The facilities are there, they only need to put one or two touches there. So we should not entertain any fears, Countries should go and prepare well for the competition because CAF and South Africa are ready to host the competition.

    “CAF has always organized good tournaments and the last edition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea was a huge success and there was no hitch so the one holding in South Africa should even rates better at the end of the competition. Everything is on ground in SA as I speak with you now. The host country presented five good stadia and there are four groups that would compete in the tournament. So I am confident and can tell you everything is on course,” Ojo-Oba told SportingLife.

    Ojo-Oba also used the opportunity to assure soccer loving Nigerians that their darling Super Eagles would be ready to do the nation proud under handler, Coach Stephen Keshi but should not rate the chances of the team now in the competition since the technical crew are still working on the team. He said Eagles qualification alone is commendable because the team rates as one of the best 16 in the continent of Africa that has 53 countries.

    “The Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the 2013 AFCON as one of the best 16 teams in the continent of Africa of 53 nations and by that alone is commendable. One does not cross the river until he has gotten to the bank, so we need to wait patiently for the Eagles preparations and wish them well when they being their campaign starting from January 19th, 2013.

    “For now the team is in the process of being built so we should just pray for the team’s success. I believe they are going to do well in the competition,” he assured.

  • Don’t blame Women’s League for Falcons failure — Onyedinma

    Don’t blame Women’s League for Falcons failure — Onyedinma

    Chairman of the Women Pro League (WPL), Dilichukwu Onyedinma, has said that the state of the Women’s Premier League WPL does not in any way affect the failure of the Super Falcons.

    Onyedinma was speaking in reaction to the opinion that the state of the WPL was responsible for the Super Falcons failure at the just concluded African Women Championship. NFF National Women team coordinator Aisha Falode believes that a better WPL would have translated in a better Super Falcons.

    The WPL chairman has, however, told futaa.com that such claims are false.

    “Yes, we can say the league is not in the best shape it should be and we are working at it- but is not enough to heap the blame of the failure of the Super Falcons on the WPL, “she said.

    “The players at the U-20 and U-17 level comprise only of local players and they have gone on to show us that they are the best in Africa. They have also made an impact in the world, so we cannot say that the WPL is to be blamed if the senior team fail, ” Dilichukwu told futaa.com.

    She has further promised that all is in place to make the WPL and enviable league.

  • 2013 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : Pillars slam late NPL kick-off

    2013 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : Pillars slam late NPL kick-off

    Kano Pillars Coach Baba Ganaru has raised an alarm that the uncertainties around the start date of the 2012/13 Nigeria Premier League season may affect his team’s campaign in next season’s CAF Champions League competition.

    Coach Ganaru opined that the absence of competitive matches for the Kano aristocrats may be a factor against them when Africa’s elite club competition gets underway next year.

    “The problem in the League is a big problem for us,” Baba Ganaru said.

    “By January the Champions League will be starting and we are not even sure when the League will even kick off here; this can affect any team if you are not playing competitive matches,” the Coach complained.

    While the League is on hold, Pillars have taken to playing friendly matches but Coach Baba Ganaru confessed that this is not the same with playing competitive matches in the League.

    The Nigeria Premier League was initially billed to start for December 1 but problems around the League management has seen the date postponed indefinitely.

  • Enyimba to have pre season at Otta

    Enyimba to have pre season at Otta

    Former league champions, Enyimba international of Aba will next weekend leave for the Temperance Guest House and Resort in Otta for the final part of their build-up for the 2012/2013 NPL season.

    The technical adviser of the Aba Millionaires, Salisu Yusuf said that all plans have been concluded to ensure that the team has a hitch-free close camping exercise as the once dreaded Peoples Elephant commence the long road to reclaiming lost glory.

    The former assistant coach of the Super Eagles told SportingLife that his mission to Aba was to ensure that the club gets at least a continental slot at the end of the season.

    “We are leaving for Otta next weekend to have our pre season camping exercises there. All plans have been concluded and the players and the technical crew are awaiting the day set for the departure with eagerness.

    “We must bring back the Enyimba spirit of old and that is the reason why I have set my sights on getting a continental slot at the end of the season,” Yusuf said.

    Enyimba finished in 4th position at the end of last season and narrowly missed out on a place on the continent for the second season in a roll.

  • south africa 2013 African Cup Of Nations: Eagles list must be submitted January 9 — CAF

    south africa 2013 African Cup Of Nations: Eagles list must be submitted January 9 — CAF

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set January 9, 2013 as deadline date for the submission of final Super Eagles squad list by Coach Stephen Keshi for the African Nations Cup in South Africa.

    SportingLife gathered that the final 23-man squad must be sent to its Cairo headquarters by midnight of January 9, it has been confirmed.

    Nigeria and the other 15 finalists are entitled to have a 23-man squad and a delegation of a further 17 officials.

    List sent late will see the countries being fined by CAF and a player subtracted from their list.

    This happened to South Africa in 1998 when it delayed sending its list to CAF and were only allowed to participate with 22 players, forced to leave striker Pollen Ndlanya out of the squad as a result of an embarrassing administrative botch up.

    CAF have long scrapped a rule which demanded preliminary squad lists from participating countries.

    They used to ask for a list of 30 players and then a final list of 22 on deadline day but scrapped the regulation some 20 years ago now.

    Squad sizes have been increased from 22 to 23 in line with FIFA’s changes for the World Cup.

  • NFF set to replace Ikhana

    NFF set to replace Ikhana

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will soon reach a decision on the vacant position in the national women’s football team.

    Kadiri Ikhana resigned as head coach of the Super Falcons on November 12 following a dismal outing at the 2012 African Women’s Championships (AWC) in Equatorial Guinea.

    The Super Falcons finished the competition in 4th place following successive 1-0 defeats against South Africa (semi-finals) and Cameroon (third place play-offs) in the tournament.

    It was Nigeria’s worst outing in the history of the competition.

    First vice president of the NFF, Mike Umeh said a decision over the appointment of a new coach would likely be reached at the end of the year.

    “First things first, I want to apologise for the failure of the Super Falcons at the tournament. However, we must realize that out of eight editions of the competition, we have emerged champions on six occasions so we cannot blame God that we did not win it this time around,” Umeh told supersport.com.

    Umeh also spoke on the federation’s plans to name a replacement for Ikhana.

    “Like you know, this is not a unilateral decision. The board will meet and we will proceed from there. We expect to meet before the Christmas celebration and then we will proceed from there,” he said.

    Umeh further revealed that a member of Ikhana’s backroom staff could be elevated to become the new coach of the team.

    “Only Kadiri Ikhana resigned as member of the technical crew so we could decide to elevate another member of the technical crew but ultimately, that is a decision of the board,” he declared.

    Justin Madugu, Bala Mohammed, Charity Enwerem and Rita Nwadike are the present members of the Super Falcons technical crew.