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Tag: Chukwu

  • Chukwu roars: Eagles’ job not Keshi’s birthright

    Chukwu roars: Eagles’ job not Keshi’s birthright

    Former Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has asserted that the side’s head coach is not a birthright or preserve for former handler, Stephen Keshi.

    The out-of-contract Eagles gaffer on Wednesday lost his concerted bid for the Burkina Faso hot job as the 2013 AFCON runners-up preferred the German, Gernot Rohr for the Stallions.

    The Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive board has not been firm on whether or not to offer the former Mali and Togo gaffer a new contract.

    Chukwu said the NFF should be firm and prompt on the Eagles job and stop the hide and seek game with the former Nigerian strongman.

    “NFF should stop using Keshi as excuse for their indecision on Super Eagles coaching job. It’s wrong for the NFF to be waiting on Burkina Faso to name a coach before deciding whether or not to hand Keshi a new contract. Super Eagles job is not an exclusive or permanent work place for Stephen Keshi or any other coach.

    “I don’t think Keshi is really too heavy a burden for the football house to deal with rather they’re just trying to make something out of nothing. If truly they want Keshi they should go ahead and hand him a new contract and if they don’t want him they should forthwith tell Keshi we don’t want you.

    “If they offer Keshi a new contract all good and fine, at least, the side will have focus and the job at hand can get off the ground immediately,” said the former Harambee Stars coach to supersport.com.

    Keshi-tutored Eagles failed to qualify for the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

  • CHUKWU TO NFF: Get Eagles a coach now

    CHUKWU TO NFF: Get Eagles a coach now

    Looking at the pace of Nigeria’s tumbling from FIFA’s rankings to 43rd in the world now, former Super Eagles Chief Coach Christian Chukwu has urged the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to effect the appointment of a new Super Eagles Coach immediately if the Federation so wishes.

    Chukwu also advised that they should start contract discussions with the out of contract coach of the team Stephen Keshi if the NFF wishes too.

    The concerned football coach said getting a new coach for the senior national team was taking too long and  further delay may be dangerous since other African countries have coaches that have mapped out various programmes for their teams while the Super Eagles has none for now.

    “Time does not wait for anyone and before you know it another qualifying series for the next Nations Cup will soon start. The Super Eagles is the major problem for now. The earlier a new coach is appointed, the better for the team. The new coach has to know the team and start grooming them immediately and delay may be dangerous. If the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) wants to re-appoint Stephen Keshi as the team’s new coach let them do so now because any further delay is dangerous,”, Chukwu told Sportinglife yesterday.

    He, however, expressed confidence in the abilities of the coaches handling the U-23 national team, the Flying Eagles and the Golden Eaglets adding that the three teams will make Nigeria proud in their respective assignments.

    “Personally, I don’t have fears about our junior teams they have been doing well in their various programmes and tournaments. I am particularly impressed with the performance of  the Flying Eagles and the U- 23 national teams handled by Manu Garba and Samson Siasia at the Super 6 tournament.

    “I am also more impressed with the performance of Siasia’s team against the U- 23 national team of Tunisia. It shows that the junior teams and their handlers are working hard to make Nigeria proud, so no fears at all for the age grade teams. It’s only the Super Eagles I am entertaining fears about”, Chukwu disclosed.

  • Chukwu slams AFCON strikers

    Chukwu slams AFCON strikers

    Former Nigeria coach Christian Chukwu feels the strikers at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are responsible for the alarming amount of draws the tournament has produced.

    No fewer than 13 matches at the Equatorial Guinea showpiece have ended level pegging, while the highest goal margin so far was Algeria’s 3-1 win over South Africa in the opening match of Group C.

    Chukwu has since claimed the strikers were failing to convert their chances, because of a lack of confidence.

    “We don’t have good attackers at the tournament. In the game between Zambia and Tunisia, for example, the Chipolopolo had more scoring chances than their opponents but they failed to utilise them,” he said.

    “The Tunisians, on the other hand, had a couple of chances which they converted and won the game. It appears the defenders are more alert than the strikers, but the problem actually is that many teams have stopped playing African football the way it used to be.

    “In African football, there’s a quick transition from the midfield to the attackers who waste no time in shooting for goals.”

    Chukwu, the first Nigerian captain to lift the AFCON trophy after a 3-0 victory over Algeria in the final of the 1980, conceded that domestic football has changed from its traditional approach to a more modern style.

    “Many of the teams now play more like European clubs by holding on to the ball for too long and allowing the opponents to recover at the backline. This style will reduce the number of goals in any match and subsequently make it boring,” he added.

  • Chukwu okays Eagles, Yemen clash

    Chukwu okays Eagles, Yemen clash

    Former Nigerian manager Christian Chukwu has affirmed as quite in order the Super Eagles warm-up match against Yemen in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    The Eagles are due to confront the Asian side who were an immediate replacement for Sudan on Saturday at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai.

    Chukwu said the key for most friendly matches is the purpose and not essentially the quality of opposition.

    “A friendly match as the word depicts is clearly a friendly match and the essence is what matters and not the opposition per se. The key here is the purpose as it serves as the preliminary stage of the rebuilding of our national team with the home-based players so it’s quite good for our national team.

    “Of course, it’s normal to start the rebuilding process of any team with the least players then you take it up from there. The encounter will give the players more international exposure as well as afford the coaches the opportunity to test the pattern they hope to introduce into the team in the nearest future.

    “So it’s not all about victory though nobody will want to ordinarily lose any match be it competitive or friendly.

    “The players are expected to defend the country’s pedigree as well as leverage on the opportunity to boost their own profile and enhance their market value.

    “The friendly match is quite right as it’ll help us to form a formidable national team in the long run,” said the former Nigerian captain and strongman to supersport.com.

    Eagles on Sunday in Abu Dhabi lost 0-1 to star-studded Ivorian side in another test match lined up for the side by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as part of the rebuilding process.

  • Ebonyi youths endorse Chukwu for Governor

    Ebonyi youths endorse Chukwu for Governor

    Even as some politicians are kicking against the principle of adopting a sole candidate for any position in Ebonyi State in the coming general elections, the Ebonyi Youth Assembly (EYA), an umbrella body comprising youths in the state, yesterday unanimously supported the decision of some stakeholders to adopt the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, as the consensus candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 governorship election.

    Addressing journalists in Abakaliki, the National President of the group, Comrade Chinedu Ogah, applauded the wisdom of the leaders and founding fathers, who he said entrenched the spirit and principle of an unwritten charter of equity in their hearts.

    “The decision to adopt Professor Onyebuchi Christian Chukwu will undoubtedly go a long way in eliminating bitter rivalry, rancour and bad blood amongst the constituents. Above all, it will serve to drastically reduce the heavy costs and bickering associated with electioneering campaigns.

     “Professor Chukwu is unquestionably a very talented man who has brought intellectual creativity, robust professional capacity and unimpeachable integrity to public service for nearly three decades. This is his fifth year in charge of the federal ministry of health and on no occasion in all those years has his character, competence or extra-ordinary ability been called into question,” he said.

     The youths, who similarly announced adoption of Governor Martin Elechi as the PDP candidate for the senate seat in Ebonyi Central Senatorial District for the 2015 National Assembly elections, urged both Prof. Chukwu and Governor Elechi to answer the historic call without hesitation.

    The group urged other aspirants to heed the voice of the wisdom and the decision of Ebonyi elders and stakeholders by supporting the candidature of Prof. Chukwu, saying that since power had gone to Ebonyi North and Central, it was only moral, equitable and just to rotate the governorship slot to Ebonyi South senatorial District.

  • Chukwu blasts ! Eagles not organised

    Chukwu blasts ! Eagles not organised

    • Disappointed over team’s display

    Former gaffer of the Super  Eagles Christian Chukwu has expressed his disappointment with the current team after they failed to pick a win after two AFCON qualifiers against minnows Congo Brazzaville and South Africa.

    The African Champions fell 2-3 at home against a Congolese team that only made it to the group stage because of the disqualification of Rwanda and laboured to a drab goalless draw against the Bafana Bafana of SouthAfrica in Cape Town.

    This has drawn a lot of criticisms from Nigerians and Chukwu who has been on the Eagles hot seat in the past added his voice to the issue in a chat with Brilafm Lagos, he said: “Our team (Super Eagles) is not organised. Our midfield is not creative and our attackers are not finishing because our midfield don’t feed them with the right balls.

    “Our defence was not cohesive and you could see that the South Africans made several incursions against us.”

    The Super Eagles are currently placed third in Group A with just a point after two matches behind South Africa and Congo Brazzaville.

  • Chukwu: Nigeria still faces infection risk

    Chukwu: Nigeria still faces infection risk

    Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has warned that Nigeria is still at risk of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), despite its containment.

       He said though only one patient is receiving treatment, the virus could still find its way to Nigeria, if there is a case of Ebola anywhere in the world and there is free movement of persons among countries.

    Addressing State House Correspondents yesterday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Chukwu said Nigerians should not celebrate yet, until the last case is eliminated in the world.

    Chukwu explained that of the 13 Ebola cases recorded in the country, including the index case, five persons had died. These included the index case.

    The minister said seven patients were successfully managed and discharged while a patient is still under treatment.

    He said Nigeria was not panicking over the disease and would not close its borders.

    Chukwu said: “Nigeria has been successful in the containment of the disease, but we have not eliminated the disease. As long as there is any case of Ebola virus anywhere in the world and people are allowed to travel, we are still at risk.

    “We are not banning mass gatherings and we are not panicking because of the disease. More people have even died from accidents than Ebola since the disease came to Nigeria. Ebola is not the greatest killer of Nigerians.

    “We don’t want to panic, but we still need to be careful. This is because we are still at risk, until the last case is eliminated. Since we have one case of Ebola, it is still an epidemic because it is deadlier than other diseases.”

    The minister said the government shifted schools’ resumption date for primary and secondary schools till October because children may not be as careful as adults about acts that could cause the virus infection.

    He said the screening of visitors and Nigerians returning to the country was being intensified at the entry points.

    Chukwu urged Nigerians to remain careful and imbibe behaviours that would keep the virus at bay.

    The minister explained that the N1.9 billion fund approved by the government as intervention against the EVD would be expended through the Ministry of Health and its corporations to fight the disease.

    The fund, he stressed, was not meant to be distributed to states, like the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

    According to him, the N200 million approved for Lagos State was outside the N1.9 billion, adding that the money was meant to assist the state to recoup what it spent on the disease.

    On why some patients die and others survive, Chukwu said this would depend on individual’s immunity.

    The minister added that those with good immunity have higher chances of surviving.

    He said the sister to the late senior consultant at First Consultant Hospital in Obalende, Lagos, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, tested negative to the virus.

  • Chukwu: Eagles can’t depend on Emenike alone

    Chukwu: Eagles can’t depend on Emenike alone

    Former Nigeria coach Christian Chukwu says the Super Eagles should not depend on Emmanuel Emenike alone for goals, and praised the defence for their solidity.

    Emenike was the team’s top scorer at the African Nations Cup, and also during qualifying, despite missing a number of games due to injury.

    Chukwu says the team should look to the Confederations Cup where they struggled for goals without the Fenerbahce man and find goals from elsewhere.

    “It should not be just about Emenike,” he told KickOffNigeria.com.

    “It is the whole team. Everybody must contribute to scoring goals.”

    Many have pointed to defence as one of the Super Eagles’ weak spots, with a lack of experienced defenders being a major issue. Chukwu, a former international defender himself, disagrees.

    “I think our defence is not too bad. If you watch our qualifying matches, we didn’t concede that many goals,” he said.

    “Where we have problems is our attack. We haven’t been scoring many goals.

    “And you know modern football has changed from the way it was when we played. Even if you call yourself defender, everybody is defending, everybody is attacking.

    “But everyone still has a specific job. So if you are defending, you defend 60 percent and attack forty percent.

    “Where we have a problem is to convert our chances. That is our major problem,” he concluded.

  • Keshi won’t lack NFF support — Chukwu

    Keshi won’t lack NFF support — Chukwu

    Former Nigeria coach and member of the NFF technical committee, Christian Chukwu has revealed that Stephen Keshi will be given all the necessary support needed to do well in next month’s FIFA World Cup.

    Chukwu, who captained Nigeria to their 1980 Africa Cup of Nations win, said all hands will be on deck to ensure the country doesn’t get disgraced in Brazil while appealing to the Super Eagles players dropped from the 30-man provisional squad to accept it in good faith.

    “The problem is that everybody cannot be invited and this doesn’t mean that those that are not invited are not good players, some are even fantastic players but unfortunately there is a limit the coach can invite,” Chukwu told Goal.

    “The preparation is going on well and [the technical department] will follow to the letter the programme of the coach so that we won’t have any hitch and we like to enjoin everybody to pray and support the team henceforth.

    “Now the list is out, let’s concentrate and let there be no distractions from anywhere so that we can achieve our aim at the World Cup.

    The Enugu Rangers legend also revealed he has been giving the former Mali and Togo national team handler useful tips on how not to select wrong players for the competition which kicks off in June.

    “We have been discussing and he knows that the FIFA World Cup is important than any other person.

    “If he does well, it means he has sold himself to the world which implies that he can be employed by English Premiership sides or any other big country seeking for him.

    “For the players also, their performance will sell them after the World Cup. So, we have told him all we need to tell him and we will continue to advise him so that he will be successful in Brazil,” he concluded.

    In a related development, former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde has called on fans and stakeholders to support the team selected by Stephen Keshi for this summer’s World Cup.

    However,  the former Shooting Stars boss told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the players selected in the provisional list reflect the choice of the coach of the team, and the pattern of play he intends to adopt.

    “The team list is the choice of Keshi as the man in charge who knows what pattern he wants to use for the matches at the World Cup in Brazil,” Onigbinde said.

    Onigbinde added that he is in no position to question the invitation or non-invitation of any player, as he has not watched most of them play in recent times. He, therefore, called on stakeholders to desist from making criticisms, urging them to continue to support the team.

    “All we can do is to wish the players and their handlers well at the World Cup,” he said.

  • Molde FK 4-1 AIK Stockholm; Chukwu, Igboananike on scorers chart

    Molde FK 4-1 AIK Stockholm; Chukwu, Igboananike on scorers chart

    nigeria’s Daniel Chima Chukwu and compatriot Kennedy Igboananike scored in both half as Molde FK defeated AIK Stockhom 4-1 in a pre-season friendly in Spain.

    The encounter was organised in Spain as a part of a pre-season friendly tournament porpularly known as Copa del Sol in Spain.

    Both teams are just starting preparations for the new season, because Scandinavian countries start competition in the spring, not in the autumn like most of the European countries.

    Nevertheless it was a very one-sided encounter and Molde were a far better side. Chukwu scored in the 22nd minute and it was first goal of the game. After a free-kick he headed smartly and lobbed surpised keeper. Before the break Molde bagged another goal.

    At the beginning of second half AIK netted a contact goal through Igboananike.

    Some websites even announced that he received a red card, but it is not true. Two AIK players were sent off, but none of them was 24-year old former Djurgarden player as Robert Quaison and Celso Borges were the victims. After that Molde were able to score two more goals.

    Kick-off of league competition in both Norway and Sweden is scheduled for the last weekend of March.