The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bewarang

  • Russia 2018: Super Eagles midfield needs right combination, says Bewarang

    Bitrus Bewarang, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director, has urged Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, to strike the right balance in the team’s midfield ahead of the World Cup.

    Bewarang gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja while reacting to the Super Eagles 0-1 loss to the Czech Republic national team in pre-World Cup friendly match.

    The match, played in Austria where the Super Eagles are camping for the World Cup, was the final warm-up match slated for Nigeria before the team departs for Russia.

    A Tomas Kalas 25th minute strike condemned the Super Eagles to their second consecutive defeat, having lost 2-1 to England in their previous friendly match at the Wembley Stadium on June 2.

    Bewarang, who was a former Super Eagles Assistant Coach, said Nigeria’s midfield had to be more mobile.

    “I feel that we need to get the right combination in our midfield. We need speed and more mobility in the midfield so that the attack could function better.’’

    Coach Rohr made two changes to the team that started against England on June 2, with Wilfred Ndidi and John Ogu given a nod in place of Joel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi.

    Bewarang, a former Plateau United Coach and General Manager, however, expressed the belief that with 10 days to Nigeria’s first match against Croatia, the coach had to stabilise his team.

    “I think the coach has been trying to build a team and I believe that now he has seen all the players from the various friendly matches.

    “With 10 days left before Nigeria’s first match, I am sure what is next for him will be to stabilise the team.

    “Hopefully, by the time we play our first match on June 16, we will be able to get the result we desire,’’ the former Green Eagles player said.

    He, however, said he was optimistic that the Super Eagles would perform well in Russia.

    “As a coach I always believe that we should always expect the best from our players.

    “Our players under Rohr have been doing well in terms of passion and dedication.

    “That is why everybody has the confidence that they will do better than in previous competitions and I believe that too,’’ Bewarang said.

    NAN reports that the Super Eagles managed to win only one of their five pre-World Cup warm up matches.

    A Victor Moses penalty in the 61st minute gave the team a narrow victory over Poland in Warsaw on March 23, before they fell to a 2-0 loss to Serbia four days later in London.

    The Super Eagles also drew 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo in Port Harcourt on May 25 before subsequent defeats by England and Czech Republic. (NAN)

  • Bewarang begs Eguavoen, others:

    Bewarang begs Eguavoen, others:

    Have more faith in Nigerian League

    Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Bitrus Bewarang has pleaded with former Sunshine Stars coach Austin Eguaveon and others who unceremoniously resigned from their coaching job because of the actions of the referees to be a little patient with the system.

    The former Super Eagles coach was said to have angrily left his job with Nigeria Premier League sude, Sunshine  Stars of Akure because he could no longer cope with excesses of the  referees.

    Reacting to the action of Equaveon, Bewarang begged the Edo born coach and the other coaches who felt disenchanted with the performances of the referees to be a little patient with the system.

    “I understand how they feel about seeing their efforts been frustrated by bias officiating. But the issue is this, if all the coaches leave the league because of that who will now coach the boys.

    “They just have to be patient because there is no perfect system anywhere in the world. The fact is that we all have to stay put and help the system even though they feel dissatisfied,” he said.

    The head of the NFF technical department assured that they are working hand in hand with the Referees Committee to ensure that the best referees are retained in the league while the bad eggs among them are done away with.

     

  • Bewarang tips Plateau Utd to do well in NPFL

    Bewarang tips Plateau Utd to do well in NPFL

    Plateau United General Manager, Bitrus Bewarang has assured that his team would surely give a good account of itself in the elite division of the league.

    Bewarang, whose team is returning to the Premier League after six years absence, said Plateau United is now back to where it rightly belongs. Quoting his words, the former Super Eagles assistant coach said: “First and foremost, we are very grateful to the government and people of Plateau State for their support. They have persevered with us all these years, and we want to promise them that we would surely do them proud. This is where we rightly belong, and would do everything humanly possible to sustain it,” he said.

    Bewarang, who is the National President of Nigeria Football Coaches Association, boasted that Plateau United was the first team among the league clubs that paid the enhanced players  N150,000 monthly salary. “We have been paying that amount since 2008, and we cannot go down on that now. We are going to ensure that we properly motivate our boys so that they can compete favourably with other teams in the league.”

    Bewarang was full of praises to the leadership of the NPFL for bringing sanity into the league, while advising them to ensure that they improve on the areas of lapses noticed during the 2014/2015 league season.

  • BEWARANG DARES TAIWO: Name bribe-taking coaches

    BEWARANG DARES TAIWO: Name bribe-taking coaches

    The National President of The Nigeria Football Coaches’ Association, Bitrus Bewarang, has challenged Nigerians that have concrete evidence against any Nigerian national team coach that collected bribe before inviting players to the national camp to make such fact available now.

    Bewarang, who is the General Manager of Plateau United, said his association has decided to take those accusations very seriously, to, among other things, bring sanity to the profession in the country. Hear him: “These accusations are becoming many, and if nothing is done now, it would soon get out of hand. We are now challenging those making the accusations to come forward with their facts. They should make them available, and let us work on it. If not, such persons should keep their cool and should stop all the blackmail”.

    The former Super Eagles coach said he was pissed off by the recent accusation by a former national team defender, Taiye Taiwo, who said that he is not ready to bribe coaches to be invited to the national team.

    “Does it mean that Taiwo has been bribing his way to national teams all this while?”  Bewarang wondered. “If that is the case, he should be able to make available more facts on all these.”

    He continued: “And why is it now that he is not being invited that he is making such claims? This is a player who grew from the wings, and passed through many coaches, coming out to make such a statement. We are not taking it lightly, he should come up and substantiate his claims.”

    Bewarang did not fail to express his displeasure on how some of the national team coaches are appointed without any input from the Coaches’ Association, saying that although it is the duty of the NFF to employ whoever they want as the national team coach, they should request for the technical input of the Association before such appointments are made, because it is a “national assignment”, as such a Coach serves as the ambassador of the country whenever they go for international assignments.

     

  • Morocco cannot stop Eagles, says Bewarang

    Morocco cannot stop Eagles, says Bewarang

    The National President of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), Bitrus Bewarang has boasted that the Atlas Lions of Morocco do not have the ability to stop the Super Eagles in the quarter-final match of the on-going African Nations Championship (CHAN) holding in South Africa.

    According to the former Super Eagles coach, the home-based Super Eagles are composed of players that are determined to make names for themselves; and no team can stop them for now. “The boys are very determined, and will continue to improve as every game progresses. So, it would be difficult for the Moroccans to stand in their way to winning the trophy.”

    Continuing, Coach Bewarang, who is the General Manager of Plateau United FC of Jos, said: “We must all commend the team for their performance so far, and urge them not to rest on their oars until they win the trophy for the first time for the country.

    “I will specifically commend the Head Coach of the team Stephen Keshi for his efforts in turning the team round within the shortest possible time. We are very proud of him, as he has restored the hopes of indigenous coaches in the country. We are confident that he has the capability to win the trophy for the country.”

    He however cautioned the team to approach the match against the Moroccans with all seriousness, and ensure that they do not fall for the antics of the North Africans at this stage of the championship.

  • Bewarang cautions Keshi

    Bewarang cautions Keshi

    Former Super Eagles assistant coach Bitrus Bewarang has warned Stephen Keshi not to give in to mind games from Malawi’s coach Tom Saintfiet.

    There have been exchange of words by coaches of the two nations in recent weeks, which culminated in the Malawian FA lodging a complaint with Fifa, in which they accused Keshi of making racially sensitive comments against Saintfiet.

    Bewarang has, however, urged Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi to avoid unnecessary distractions by concentrating fully on this weekend’s encounter.

    “I am happy this match will take place soon, but what I am not happy about is coach Keshi trying to fall into mind twisting tactics the Malawi coach is trying to put him through,” Bewarang told Nigerian Pilot

    “Let him not get angry because when he gets angry that can destabilise him and make him lose focus as regards the pattern of play or the kind of tactics he wants to employ in the game.

    “It is important for the team and the technical crew to fully concentrate on the task ahead.”

  • Bewarang wants a positive Plateau Utd

    Plateau United General Manager, Bitrus Bewarang, has reiterated his optimism that his club would grab the available three points against their today’s opponents TEAP of Abuja at the Old Parade Ground.

    Bewarang in a chat said Plateau United would ensure they torment their rivals on the pitch to ensure they scoop the available points at the expense of their host.

    The former Super Eagles’ coach who doubles as the President of the Nigerian Coaches Association said he anchored his confidence on the fact that his players have been well motivated towards ensuring that they brighten their chances of elite division ticket at the end of the season.

    “We are going to get a decent result at Abuja by the grace of God. My boys are raring to go and they have been well motivated ahead of the tie.

    “We are very optimistic that we shall not be beaten by TEAP on Saturday(today),” Bewarang disclosed.