The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CHAN

  • Oliseh lists 23 for CHAN

    Oliseh lists 23 for CHAN

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Saturday in Abuja said Head Coach Sunday Oliseh has named the Super Eagles B squad for the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.

    The Federation, in a statement by its Assistant Director (Communications), Ademola Olajire, said the coach released the team’s final list of 23 players for the championship.

    It said the list has goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Austin Oboroakpo and Chima Akas, 2016 Olympic team midfielders Usman Mohammed and Yaro Bature, and forward Chisom Chikatara, among others.

    “The list also has Enyimba International FC’s winger Ezekiel Bassey, former junior international Ifeanyi Mathew and Sunshine Stars’ trio of Paul Onobi, Prince Aggrey and Tunde Adeniji.

    “Former junior international goalkeeper Femi Thomas, Shooting Stars’ central defender Jamiu Alimi and former Supersand Eagles’ ace Bartholomew Ibenegbu have also been included,’’ the statement said.

    It further said the Eagles B team, alongside technical and backroom staff, left the country on Saturday afternoon for Cape Town in South Africa.

    “There, the squad will stage a 10-day pre-Championship training camp, and play two friendly games against Angola and Cote d’Ivoire, who are also CHAN-bound on Jan. 6 and Jan. 11 respectively,’’ the statement said.

    The Federation said further in the statement that coach Oliseh had arrived in South Africa ahead of the delegation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s Super Eagles B had finished third at the third edition of the African Nations Championship held in South Africa in 2014.

    The Eagles will campaign in Group C of this year’s championship alongside 2011 winners Tunisia, Niger Republic and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo, Kigali.

    The championship holds from Jan. 16 to Feb. 7.

    The Full List:

    Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba International FC); Okiemute Odah (Warri Wolves)

    Defenders: Austin Oboroakpo (Abia Warriors); Kalu Okogbue (Rangers International); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Rangers); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Christopher Maichibi (Giwa FC); Samson Gbadebo (Lobi Stars)

    Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Yaro Bature (Nasarawa United); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Ibrahim Salau (Shooting Stars)

    Forwards: Osas Okoro (Rangers); Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars).

  • CHAN warm-up: Eagles tackle Angola Jan 6

    CHAN warm-up: Eagles tackle Angola Jan 6

    The Super Eagles will face Angola on January 6 and then Cote d’Ivoire on January 11 in warm-up matches all in South Africa ahead of the CHAN in Rwanda.

    Eagles spokesman Toyin Ibitoye disclosed that the dates for the test matches against fellow CHAN-bound teams have been confirmed.

    The Eagles are due to fly out to Lagos this morning before connecting their flight to South Africa later in the afternoon.

    They will be based in Pretoria, which is on a higher altitude than Johannesburg.

    The CHAN will begin on January 16 in Kigali and Nigeria are drawn against Niger, Tunisia and Guinea in the group phase.

  • CHAN 2016: Eagles vow to emulate Eaglets, U-23 team

    CHAN 2016: Eagles vow to emulate Eaglets, U-23 team

    Super Eagles’ Team B players, coaches and officials have vowed to emulate the Golden Eaglets that won the FIFA U- 17 World Cup a record fifth time and Dream Team VI that emerged the Champion of the 2015 edition of the Africa U- 23 Cup of Nations by also winning this year’s Africa Nations Championship slated to commence January 18th, 2016 in Rwanda.

    “The Chief Coach Sunday Oliseh is joining the team in South Africa. There had been regular communications between him and his assistants that have been in charge of the team here in Abuja. He monitors everything that goes on here in Abuja and the good news is that he is happy with everything that goes on here. His assistants have filled in very well for him in his absence.

    “As we travel tomorrow (today) he would join us in Pretoria. So there is no cause for alarm.

    “This time around I mean the last two weeks of our preparations that he is coming to join us now is even the appropriate time for him to come so that we can perfect our strategies for the tournament,” team media officer, Toyin Ibitoye disclosed.

    He also said that the team is focused on doing well in Rwanda and that the issue of bonuses and allowances won’t distract the team in any way. “We are not allowing bonus issues to distract us now. We are focused on going to CHAN. We know what it means to go to Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) and win. So that is the thinking now for everybody.

    “But the Nigeria Football Federation has been doing a lot keeping us in camp. We know the NFF is facing a tough time in terms of funding like the nation is also facing. So we are not bothered or distracted by whether there are funds or no funds. We just want to go to Rwanda and do well, “ the team’s spokesperson also disclosed.

    As regards the target of the team for CHAN, Ibitoye replied:  “The Chief Coach has said that the team would take the matches one game at a time. I think that is the philosophy. The most important thing for the Chief Coach now is to win the first game against Niger Republic and pocket the three points at stake. He also eyes victory in the second game. Maybe that will be good enough to qualify us for the second round. So it is one game at a time. So I am optimistic that we will go all the way that is play up till February 7th, 2016 and by the grace of God do what the Golden Eaglets have done and also do what the Dream Team VI have done which is winning and bring glory to Nigeria.”

  • CHAN Eagles hit Pretoria today

    CHAN Eagles hit Pretoria today

    NIGERIA’S Home-Based Eagles will jet out of Abuja via an Arik Air flight today to Pretoria, South Africa to intensify their preparations for this year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.

    Nigeria, who claimed bronze in the last edition in South Africa kick-start its campaign against Niger Republic on January 18th at the 22,000 capacity Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali.While in the Rainbow Nation, the team will tackle Angola’s Palancas Negras and Ivory Coast Elephants in a tune-up game on January 6th and 11th respectively before hitting Kigali two days before the January 16 CHAN kick-off date.

    Nigeria, who is in Group C, will also face Tunisia and Guinea too.

  • Usman Mohammed out of CHAN

    Usman Mohammed out of CHAN

    Midfielder Usman Mohammed is set to become the second Nigeria player to opt out of next month’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda ahead of a move to Norwegian club Lillestrom.

    Warri Wolves striker, Gbolahan Salami, was the first Eagles player to stay away from the CHAN training camp in Abuja because he hopes to sign for a foreign club next week, africanFootball.com reports.

    Usman is still with the Eagles in Abuja, but his representative has insisted he will not fly out with the rest of the team on Saturday for a training tour of South Africa.

    “We have agreed a deal with Lillestrom along with top Norwegian agent, Atta Aneke and Usman will not be travelling with the Eagles to South Africa because he has to report to Lillestrom on January 15,” the player’s representative told africanFootball.com.

  • Salami may shun CHAN for Euro move

    Salami may shun CHAN for Euro move

    Warri Wolves striker, Gbolahan Salami, is likely to opt out of next month’s African Nation championship in order to sign for a club in Europe.

    Salami is the only player missing from the Eagles training camp in Abuja with officials suggesting he is in the process of completing a transfer overseas, africanFootball.com reports.

    “We have 25 players in camp now with Salami the only player yet to rejoin the camp. It’s likely he is working on a transfer abroad,” a team official told africanFootball.com on Tuesday.

    Salami was top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League this past season with 17 goals, but he has not hidden his desire to play in Europe.

     

  • Salami, Akas fail to beat Eagles’ deadline

    Salami, Akas fail to beat Eagles’ deadline

    Warri Wolves striker, Gbolahan Salami and Chima Akas from Sharks are the only players yet to rejoin the Super Eagles CHAN training camp.

    24 players trained twice on Sunday with officials disclosing that Salami and Akas did not beat the Saturday night deadline issued by the coaches because of travel difficulties, africanFootball.com reports.

    “We had 24 players in our first training on Sunday with only Salami and Chima Akas still being expected after they encountered some difficulties coming down,” the top team official, Patrick Pascal, told africanFootball.com.

    The Eagles will fly out to Pretoria, South Africa, for a training camp on January 2.

    The team will play two warm-up matches against CHAN-bound Angola and Cote d’Ivoire.

  • Rwanda 2016: CHAN Eagles return to camp

    Rwanda 2016: CHAN Eagles return to camp

    • First training session held yesterday

    The super Eagles resumed training yesterday after the players were given Friday off to celebrate the Christmas period with their family and loved ones.

    The Media Officer of the team, Toyin Ibitoye told SportingLife that the players returned to their Abuja camp on Saturday ahead of the team’s first training session after the break yesterday.

    The Eagles’ Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf confirmed the team’s first training when he was called by our correspondent yesterday.

    He said the players have all arrived and the first training session was held yesterday as they count down to their departure  this weekend for South Africa.

    The Eagles are expected to face the Ivorians and the Angolans’ CHAN teams in South Africa before flying to Rwanda the venue of the fourth CHAN competition.

  • Eagles won’t lose form after Xmas – Agu

    Eagles won’t lose form after Xmas – Agu

    Super Eagles goalkeeper coach, Alloy Agu, has said the side will not experience loss of form after the Yuletide break.

    The team is expected to embark on a Christmas holidays on Wednesday and return on Saturday to continue with the preparations for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Kigali, Rwanda, in January, supersport.com reports.

    Agu said the players are professionals and will not lose focus on the daunting task at hand while with their respective families.

    “I want to believe that they players know what is at stake, I equally believe they have Nigerians at heart as well as their expectations at the forthcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.

    “We understand that family is important especially this festive period. That’s why we are allowing them few days to celebrate festivity with their families.

    “We agreed on the need to stay focus while the Yuletide holidays last and to come back better players to continue on the programme for CHAN.

    “They are core professionals and we do not expect them to abuse the rare privilege,” he told supersport.com.

     

  • CHAN Eagles can lift the trophy – Anyansi

    CHAN Eagles can lift the trophy – Anyansi

    The Chairman of  Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee, Felix Anyansi has stated that the home base Super Eagles will surpass the last record of third place in the  edition held in South Africa having been in action for the Glo Premier League just ended last month.

    Anyansi  said football was a game that is not predictable but with hard work and appropriate  preparations, one can boast of reaching the semi-final.

    “Though no one can rule out destiny when it gets to that stage. But reaching the semi-final and final without the trophy shows that the team has played well.

    He also confirmed  that his committee approved the choice of camping in Pretoria, South Africa due to similar weather condition with Kigal, Rwanda, the venue of the CHAN competition schedule for early January, 2016.

    “Apart from camping in South Africa, the team will play quality friendly matches before departing for the competition, Anyansi confirmed.

    Meanwhile, the home-based Super Eagles is to go on two days Christmas break – December 24, 25.  The break may be optional for the players as the team will resume training on the 26th  by 4 p.m.

    Sportinglife gathered that the Chief Coach, Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh is in constant touch with the team daily and may join the team in Pretoria, South Africa.  The  team will depart for the training tour first week of January,  2016.