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Tag: Abba Yola

  • 2018 W/Cup: Abba Yola tips Super Eagles to win

    2018 W/Cup: Abba Yola tips Super Eagles to win

    The newly appointed Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) Technical Study Committee Chairman, Abba Abdulahi Yola has predicted that the present  Super Eagles squad  alongside Spain, England,and Brazil will be among the top 4 nations likely  win Russia 2018 World Cup going by the current form of the teams while also qualifying from the group stage without loosing a game.

    Yola who made this prediction in a chat with Sportinglife,  said his conviction came after studying other nations that qualified for the global soccer fiesta in June next year, as the Super Eagles is likely to parade the youngest team with no name but  focus players.

    He said  the only  problem that may stop the eagles from reaching the semi-final of the tournament is the issue of winning bonuses and allowances if not settled before the kick off of world cup  which could affect the team’s performance.

    Read; Police foil robbery in Yola, arrest two

    The former Kano Pillars Utd Chairman, also commended the management of the glasshouse the manner they have handled the super eagles  world cup qualifiers and the support given to Gernot Rohr the eagles technical adviser.

    ”  Frankly the board has done well especially our world cup qualification  matches.  For the  first time the players were motivated and paid as at when due.  Rohr also deserve all the praises, the way he goes about his job without complain, paid or not paid and the manner he manages our players to achieve result”,  Yola stated.

    Read Also:  Super Eagles to Camp in Rabat for CHAN 2018

  • Abba Yola tells Dalung Sit up or resign

    Abba Yola tells Dalung Sit up or resign

    Former Kano Pillars chairman, Abba Yola has blamed a situation where the country’s female football team were forced to stage a protest march to press for their entitlements on sports minister Solomon Dalung.

    Speaking Friday morning on Focus Nigeria, a flagship programme on AIT, former top NSC official Yola, said the weakness exhibited by Dalung, is responsible for the high level indiscipline among Nigeria federation presidents especially NFF president Amaju Pinnick.

    He said a situation where the minister is made to bear the brunt of the many inadequacies of federation presidents is not acceptable.

    He has therefore called on Dalung to stand firm in the face of recent intimidations from federation presidents or chicken out.

    He is of the opinion that the minister should not allow himself to be ridiculed by individuals who feel they are untouchables because of the backing or immunity they enjoy from international bodies like FIFA.

    Abba Yola further appealed to the minister to talk less and act more.

    He said most of the problems the minister had found himself was because of his misguarded comments which have often times, attracted negative public backlash.

    However, the director, Grassroots sports development in the sports ministry Ademola Are in his defense, says the minister was often misquoted by mischief makers who were paid to ridicule him.

  • Abba Yola faults minister’s insistence on NFF poll

    Abba Yola faults minister’s insistence on NFF poll

    Former Kano Pillars chairman, Abba Yola, has questioned the desperation of the country’s sports minister to support a “faulty” process leading to elections to the executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation.

    Both FIFA and NFF have agreed for elections to the NFF executive committee be moved from August 26, but Sports Minister Tamuno Danagogo has insisted the poll must be conducted on that day.

    Yola was one of the major stakeholders stopped from buying a form for the elections, saying “for the past one month I have tried to pick the presidential form but could not do so. And nobody has given me any reason as to why I cannot get the form.”

    In an open letter dated August 23 to the sports minister, Yola contested the fairness of the electoral process, while also narrating his personal encounters with the chairman of the electoral committee, Amoni Biambo, which further questioned the integrity of the entire process.

    Yola, who has been in sports administration for over 30 years, argued the minister has maintained double standards on the NFF electoral process.

    “Your turn around and support the electoral committee to go ahead with the elections as earlier scheduled despite what you told Nigerians about the entire exercise has left many of us in doubt over the integrity of the process.

    “The SGF (Secretary to the Federal Government, Pius Anyim) directive that only those that have written formal complaints should be sold forms to fill and submit on Monday for the elections is inequitable especially coming after the FACT.

    “This directive smacks of a desperate attempt to legitimize a faulty process. Hon. Minister I would like to appeal to you as a lawyer to appreciate the grave impropriety of the SGF’s directives which in the event of litigation will not stand the test of judicial scrutiny.

    “Any decision taken by a public officer must always avoid causing unnecessary embarrassment to the government,” africanFootball.com quoted Yola as saying in the letter.

    He therefore demanded a reversal of the decision for elections to still go ahead on Tuesday.

     

  • Pillars looking for successful outing

    Pillars looking for successful outing

    Kano Pillars chairman Abba Yola has prayed for his side’s good outing in this year’s CAF Champions league.

    The Pyramid City side will face AS Vita of Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC) in the preliminary stage.

    The Pyramid City side will play the first leg away in Kinshasa on February 7, 8, 9 while the return leg will be played at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano on February 14, 15, 16.

    But the club boss said the club is satisfied with the draw, stressing that the Kano-based side will do everything possible to surpass their past record in the competition.

    “We have seen the draws and we are okay with it. We are happy with the draws and we have no complaints. What is expected of us now is to work very hard which we’ve been doing before the draws. We are looking for a successful outing this time around,” Yola said.

    Yola, who also expressed happiness over the club’s training session, said the issue of technical adviser won’t affect the club.

    “The issue of technical adviser won’t affect the team’s plan because we have a coach in charge of the club at the moment. Abdul Maikaba is doing well with the boys and very soon we will name a new technical adviser,” he said.

    Pillars will face the winner of Lioli (LES) vs 1ero Agosto (ANG) in the round of 16 if they qualify from the preliminary stage.

     

    Nigeria second campaigner in the championship, Enyimba FC will battle Anges de Notsé of Togo in the first leg in Aba on 7, 8, 9 February 2014.

    The Peoples Elephants will travel to Togo for the second leg on 14, 15, 16 February 2014. Enyimba will have a date with winner of AS Réal de Bamako (MLI) vs A.S.F.A.R. (MOR) if they advance from the first round.

    The likes of Coton Sport (Cameroun), El Ahly (Egypt), TP Mazembe (RD Congo), Hilal (Sudan), C.S.S. (Tunisia), E.S.T. (Tunisia) are drawn bye in the fixtures.

  • Pillars will be champions again—Baleria

    Pillars will be champions again—Baleria

    Kano Pillars coach, Kabiru Baleria, has attributed the team’s success to the good administrative policy under club’s chairman Abba Yola.

    The Pyramid City side won 2012/2013 league title within seven months that Yola took over the realm of the club. Abba Yola was appointed in April.

    The ex-international also heaped praises on the players and technical crew led by coach Mohammed Baba Ganaru for the team’s achievement.

    “Winning the league title this season was so tough and challenging but despite all odds God gave the trophy to us in appreciation of our efforts. It was a photo finish competition.

    We kept our fate in God till the end of the season and he answered,” Baleria said.

    “I want to commend our club’s administrator under the leadership of Alhaji Abba Yola for his visionary manner he has been driving the club to international standard. He has brought a fresh air into the team since he took over the club.

    “We have to also understand the giant role played by the state government under Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankaso who provided an enabling environment for us to operate with his moral and financial assistant to the team throughout the season. The players and the technical crew led by Mohammed Baba Ganaru also played an important role in achieving this feat. Ganaru has registered his name in the history book of Nigeria football by leading the club to a back-to-back league title. We thanked our fans too for their unrelenting support to the team.”

    The former El kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri star added that the club will prepare well for the coming season to surpass the pass record. He believes the team can repeat the feat again with determination and dedication.

    “We are all aware of what is expected of us from our fans. I know every club will be eying Pillars achievement but I want to assure everyone that we will not relent on our oars. We will work very hard for next season towards ensuring we emerge the league champions again as well as surprise the world by clinching CAF Champions League title. It is very easy with God, dedication and hard work.”

  • No Pillars’ deal for Siasia

    No Pillars’ deal for Siasia

    Kano Pillars chairman, Abba Yola has said the Nigerian champions have not penned down a coaching contract with former Super Eagles manager, Samson Siasia.

    Reports recently have linked the former Nigerian star with the technical adviser job at the Pyramid City side.

    Yola acknowledged that Siasia is a good friend of the house and will be considered for the plum job if he meets the management’s requirement for the job.

    “The management has not sat down to discuss on the issue of hiring anybody for the technical adviser’s job. Certainly, we’ll be in need of a sound technical adviser for our continental and domestic league assignments.

    “But we’re not dropping any member of the present technical crew that fetched the ticket for us. We’re only going to strengthen the technical bench.

    “We’ve been relating with coach Samson Siasia on personal grounds, there is established relationship between Siasia and I, he has visited us at several occasions to watch the side play. But there is no decision yet but if the management finds him worthy for the job why not.

    “Siasia is not the only person who has shown interest in the job, we’ve coaches outside Nigeria who have called us severally to make enquiries once we’re ready to commence the process we’ll make it public and get everybody involved.

    “Only the best will be good for Pillars in their challenge to give Nigerians worthy representation on the continent. Pillars may have been on the continent in two occasions without achieving their aims. We want to make the third attempt count by winning the title for Nigeria,” Yola told supersport.com.

    Kano Pillars are still on holidays and are expected back in camp for the new season in a week.

  • Kwara plans to topple Pillars

    Kwara plans to topple Pillars

    Chairman of Kano Pillars, Abba Yola, has said he does not believe there is a conspiracy to stop his club retaining their championship.

    Yola, whose team lost three points and three goals to Enyimba on Thursday after a hearing by the organising and disciplinary committee, maintained: “I don’t see any hand of conspiracy against Pillars.

    “No amount of conspiracy can stop us if God has destined that we will win the league title.

    “What we see rather are half measures before the rules and this is not good for the league.”

    Kano Pillars are expected to officially table their appeal before the NFF on Monday after they kicked against a decision to award their abandoned match with Enyimba to the Aba club.

    The defending champions are now fourth on the league table with 54 points from 34 matches and four rounds of matches to the end of the season.

    They stand the risk of not featuring in international football should they fail to finish within the top three in the league.