The Nation Newspaper

Tag: coach

  • AFTERMATH OF MANDELA CHALLENGE WIN: Dolphins coach hails Keshi, Eagles

    AFTERMATH OF MANDELA CHALLENGE WIN: Dolphins coach hails Keshi, Eagles

    DOLPHINS FC Chief Coach, Hassan Abubakar, has commended Stephen Keshi and his team for making the country proud as the Eagles defeated South Africa’s Bafana-Bafana 2-0 in the Mandela Challenge on Wednesday night in Durban.

    The game staged in honour of world icon, Nelson Mandela, saw second half substitute, Uche Nwofor, stealing the show after scoring a brace against Bafana Bafana.

    The former Golden Eaglets boss said: “The Super Eagles proved on Wednesday that they are African champions by defeating South Africa on home soil.

    “Mind you, this is one big game where we have played against a well organised African opposition since we won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in February, so, Keshi and his lads deserve all the commendation as this is the third trophy he has won for the country since he became coach of the national male team.

    “If you recall, he led Nigeria to winning a trophy against Catalonia, AFCON and now the Mandela Challenge, so its a feat for him.”

    The Super Eagles dominated Wednesday’s game from the first blast of the whistle. At a point in the game it was South Africa 28-72 Nigeria in terms of ball possession.

    Abubakar said: “Keshi displayed his competence when he chose not to start Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa; that alone disorganised the South African team who had hoped to mark them out.

    “The Chelsea man, despite coming in in the second half, lived up to the billing as he rattled the Bafana defence on a few occassions.

    “The Eagles defence too was fair as Godfrey Oboabona showed why he’s no longer a Nigerian League stuff, but Europe-bound.

    “However, Despite the defence keeping the South Africans at bay, work still needs to be done in that area.”

  • Kwara Utd coach defends Gbolahan Salami

    Kwara Utd coach defends Gbolahan Salami

    Coach of Kwara United Samson Unuanel says Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) striker Gbolahan Salami is a good player with much experience, contrary to belief of the otherwise.

    Salami was reportedly missing in 3SC’s training at the start of the week and as a result saw his salary cut by half by management of the club. But Unuanel, who prefers to see the positive side of the player, says if a psychologist is provided to counsel and encourage Salami, he would give 100 percent on and off the pitch.

    “Every player has their bad side. I don’t think labelling Salami a bad player is fair enough. I have not had Salami in my team before but each time I play against him, he is a big threat to every defense. He gives his best on the pitch at all times. He is a player with so much experience. If he has a problem, I think it is the responsibility of the club, we the coaches, the FA, the media and fans in general to help him overcome it, so that we don’t lose his talent just like the case of Etim Esin,” he told futaa.com.

    Unuanel sighted the case of Italy international Mario Balotelli who was labelled a bad player in England, but became better when he moved to AC Milan and did well at the 2013 Confederations Cup.

     

  • Nasarawa Utd fans beat-up Coach Dike

    Nasarawa Utd fans beat-up Coach Dike

    Coach Alphonsus Dike was given a beaten of his life by some angry Nasarawa Utd fans after his team lost 1-0 to Enyimba in the Federations Cup round of 8 game.

    It took the efforts of the Nasarawa Utd chairman and some law enforcement agents to restrain the irate fans from inflicting a life threatening injury on the former Golden Eaglets boss, as he was whisked away from the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta to an undisclosed hotel.

    However, a remorseful Coach Dike was quoted to have said by an official who was with him when he was been taken away that: “I am very angry with our supporters.

    “What did I do wrong, I don’t know why I deserve this kind of treatment they subjected me to, I could have been worse.”

  • CONFUSION IN WINDHOEK Namibia Coach resigns 48 hours to tie

    CONFUSION IN WINDHOEK Namibia Coach resigns 48 hours to tie

    There is confusion in the Brave Warriors camp ahead of Wednesday’s crunch 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria with news filtering in that head coach Roger Palmgren has resigned from his position.

    The President of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) John Muinjo announced the resignation of the Swedish tactician on Sunday night barely three days to the clash with the Africa champions, Nigeria .

    According to the NFA, Palmgren tendered his resignation with immediate effect due to ‘serious threats’ directed towards him and his family, as stated in his resignation letter.

    Palmgren was appointed head coach of the Brave Warriors with effect 1 May 2013 and guided the team in an international friendly match against Zambia on 25 May 2013 before taking charge of the Brave Warriors 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Malawi on 5 June 2013, in Blantyre, Malawi where they forced a goalless draw to still have some glimpse of hopes to sneak into Brazil.

    The NFA announced that Ricardo Mannetti, assisted by Ronnie Kanalelo, will be in charge of the team’s match against Nigeria on Wednesday, 12 June at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, in Windhoek.

    “We call upon the nation to continue rallying behind the Brave Warriors in our quest for qualification to Brazil 2014,” the NFA said in a press release.

    The NFA said it would pronounce the way forward with regard to the Brave Warriors head coach position in due course.

     

  • Pillars saw hell in Congo laments coach

    Pillars saw hell in Congo laments coach

    Pillars coach Mohamed Babaganaru has told MTNFootball.com his team saw hell in Congo where they were eliminated in the CAF Champions League.

    The Nigeria champions failed to protect a 4-1 first leg advantage against AC Leopard of Congo as they lost 3-0 in the reverse tie at the weekend to crash out of the competition on the away goal rule.

    Pillars coach Babaganaru disclosed that a lot happened to the team on and off the pitch which caused the club’s premature exit from the competition.

    “We saw hell in Congo; I don’t know a better word I could use to qualify the harassment we had to endure throughout our stay there. They denied us access to training facilities ahead of the game. Not to talk of the very poor officiating. They seized our camera. I have never witnessed this kind of horror in my career,” Babaganaru told MTNFootball.com.

    “Their fans threw missiles at our players throughout the game. They broke into our dressing room and stole all the players’ mobile phones. The stopped our fans from getting into the stadium. This was all barbaric!

    “To add salt to injury, the officiating was the worst ever I have ever seen. The first goal was a clear off side. The second was a penalty and third ought not to stand. He awarded a penalty to us and our player was positioned to play it before the referee changed his mind and ruled for a goal kick.”

    Ivorian referee Doue Noumandiez handled the first round second leg clash.

  • The goals were timely – 3SC coach

    The goals were timely – 3SC coach

    Coach Hakeem Busari of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan was relieved his team overcame their ‘nerves’ to beat Gombe United in their Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) opener at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

    Gombe United had been lucky to secure a point in each of their two previous seasons in Ibadan but the the Oluyole Warriors ended a two-year wait to secure an outright win over the northern club on Sunday.

    Two first half goals from Tony Edjomariegwe in the 17th minute and Osagona Ighodalo 30th minute gave 3SC a deserved victory over a hard-fighting Gombe United with Gbolahan Salami providing assistance in both goals.

    “We had a nervous begining but the goals were timely to settle my boys. We wasted many chances in the second half and that is one of the areas we shall work on. It was a good game and Gombe United was a good side too,” Busari said.

  • 2014 World Cup Qualifiers: Kenya coach woos Europe stars for Eagles

    2014 World Cup Qualifiers: Kenya coach woos Europe stars for Eagles

    Dickov Origi, son of former Kenyan international Mike Okoth, is in the list of foreign-based footballers the new Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche is targeting to call up to the team as he rebuilds the squad ahead of his first crucial match against Nigeria in the 2014 World Cup qualifier next month.

    Coach Amrouche said he has a list of 41 players, some of whom have never set foot in Kenya but have roots in the country and who he wants to invite to play for the Harambee Stars.

    Nineteen-year-old Origi, who is now playing for French League 1 side Lille, has been on the news in the past weeks after he scored on his senior debut for the club against Troyes on February 2.

    He has played for the Belgium Under-17 team and is considered a bright prospect.

    “I have a big list of very gifted players. This is the time to rebuild Kenya’s national football team. I will give everybody a chance to play for Kenya, even players you have never known before,” he said.

    “I have done my research well and I will soon start contacting these players,” he added.

    Other players who have Kenyan roots but are citizens of other countries include Curtis Osano who was born in Nakuru in 1987 but grew up at the Reading Youth system in England and now plays for Wimbledon in the lower leagues in England.

    There is also 20-year-old Fredrick Ochieng who went through the Borussia Dortmund youth programme and went on to captain Germany’s Under-15 side.

    Amrouche says there is great talent in Kenyan football and insists it will be a very good start in marketing the game if he can manage to bring players based in Europe and who have Kenyan roots to accept to play for Kenya.

    Three years ago, Taiwo Atieno managed to change his British citizenship to Kenyan and has been capped three times for the Harambee Stars.

    Amrouche, an Algerian-born Belgian was on Wednesday appointed the head coach of the Harambee Stars, replacing Frenchman Henri Michel who quit after three months in December.

     

  • Olympiakos’ coach heaps praise on Martins

    Olympiakos’ coach heaps praise on Martins

    The coach of Olympiakos, Michel has conceded that his side were inferior to Obafemi Martins’ Levante over the two legs of their Europa League Round of 32 clash.

    Martins scored in both legs as Levante picked up a 1-0 away win on Thursday evening, to round off a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win to progress to the Last 16 where they will play Rubin Kazan.

    “We’ve been bad, Levante have been clearly better than us,” reflected former Sevilla boss Michel at full-time.

    “This should serve as a lesson to us in the future. Playing against a team as defensively organised as Levante prevented my players from reaching their potential.

    ” It is not to do with the players not wanting to create chances; they have not been able to. Our errors were then more for anxiety than any lack of quality.

    “We never had control of the game in the first half. After the goal against us we were nervous. That goal made the game almost impossible from the start.”

    Levante are currently 9th on the La Liga table after a series of bad results. They have not won in three games.

  • How Nigeria can defeat Cote d’Ivoire

    How Nigeria can defeat Cote d’Ivoire

    Ahead of Sunday’s crucial match against Cote d’Ivoire, we asked our Twitter followers @thenationnews what message they have for Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi and the players.

    Here are ten responses for Keshi and the players to take seriously.

    Victory starts from d mind, dedication in all passes, just deliver by all means possible.

    Adeniba  Adesina

    Play without fear and pray without doubt.

    Alade Abiodun

    Don’t use Amhed Musa at all.

    L.A Durodola

    Park d bus, attack on the counter, takes your chance.

    Theophilus   Ilevbare

    Concentrate and be focused, avoid mistakes and gain more possession of the ball.

    Amahie Martins

    He should be serious and shouldn’t take Nigerians integrity for granted. Nigerians need GOALS on Sunday!

    Caleb Adams

    Park the bus, attack on the counter take your chance.

    Douglas Baye-Osagie

    The coach tactical discipline and the players give your very best and every chance that comes your way. The Best of success

    Oluwaseun  Raji

    Go an extra mile.

    Sylverdude

  • Usain Bolt’s coach hits Nigeria

    Usain Bolt’s coach hits Nigeria

    Just one week after the Presidential Retreat on Sports, the Delta State government is following suit with a Sports Summit in Asaba, holding tomorrow at the Grand Hotel. Unlike the Federal government’s retreat which was on sports generally, the Asaba summit which is an initiative of the Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan will be focusing on aquatic sports and track and field.

    Interestingly, the man in the driving seat of the new world power in athletics, Jamaica’s Track and Field Coach, Bertland Cameron is among the resource persons expected at the summit. He will be joined by coach of the South African Olympic gold medal-winning Rowing team, Barrow Roger, among other renowned sports personalities.

    When contacted for the summit, Cameron was ecstatic and happy to be called. “I am really thrilled because when I was competing, Nigeria was at the same level with Jamaica,” he recalled, asking, “what happened to Nigeria? It will be my pleasure to come down to Nigeria and discuss with you how Jamaica is excelling in athletics.”

    Top sports personalities like former Nigeria international, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Chairman of the Vanguard Newspapers Editorial board Ikeddy Isiguzo, Paul Bassey, Dr. Ojeme Emmanuel, the Managing Director of Complete Communications, Mumini Alao, Managing Director Mastersports International, Ejiro Omonode, Vanguard Group Sports Editor, Onochie Anibeze are among those who will submit papers at the summit.

    The idea to hold a sports summit was conceived by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan when Nigeria’s athletes were crashing during the London Olympic Games. He decided on the summit after a heart-to-heart discussion with Blessing Okagbare whom a country of 150 million people relied on for a possible gold medal.

    It was conceived before President Jonathan thought of the Presidential Retreat that took place last Monday. Delta decided to go ahead with it as was originally scheduled to be their contribution to national sports development, to complement the efforts of the federal government.

    The report will be submitted to president Jonathan and the National Sports Commission.