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Tag: eagles

  • Eagles, Ghana tango in London

    Eagles, Ghana tango in London

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles have proposed a friendly against perennial rivals Ghana in London next month, AfricanFootball.com has specially gathered.

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) wish to make the most of next month’s FIFA friendly window which will allow them to play another match outside the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Tanzania between September 4 and 6.

    World football governing body FIFA cancelled a similar proposal earlier this year because it contravened a new rule which said a team could not play international friendlies within three days in two confederations.

    A top source informed AfricanFootball.com: “There is a proposal for Nigeria to play against arch-rivals Ghana in London after they would have played the AFCON qualifier in Tanzania. Discussions are on-going and we will just have to wait and see if this comes through.”

    Both West African rivals have clashed several times in London with their last such clash being in October 2011, when they played out a goalless draw,

    Earlier this year, a home-based Super Eagles team pipped Ghana Olympic team courtesy of an Emem Eduok goal to open the Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo.

  • Eagles job, my biggest challenge

    Eagles job, my biggest challenge

    Super Eagles Chief Coach Sunday Oliseh has descirbed the task of moulding a new Nigeria senior team as his biggest challenge which he thinks is surmountable with the co-operation of everyone.

    Oliseh advised Nigerians not to see him as a “NEW” Pep Guardiola  or Jose Mourinho but that he just wants to put in his best to do a great job with the Super Eagles of Nigeria in what he has termed as the biggest challenge of his life.

    He said: “There’s no special preparation for the work. It’s just getting the boys ready to do what they are suppose to do and get the desired results. I am not under any pressure whatsoever. All I want to do is work.

    “Guardiola of Africa or Jose Mourinho of Nigeria, I don’t know. I never told you people I am anything. All I just want is to do my work. Yes of course as a coach, this is the highest point of my career. It’s a challenge so far. That’s true. And something I am looking forward to and do well in it.”

    ” Like I have been saying to you Remi, all I want is to do my job and nothing more. Right now, I am focusing on how to get the Super Eagles to doing what the team need to do. That’s my focus now,” he added.

  • Enyeama remains Eagles captain-NFF

    Enyeama remains Eagles captain-NFF

    •Keeper pardoned

    Vincent Enyeama will continue as captain of the Super Eagles after his disciplinary issue was ‘dealt with administratively’, the Nigeria Football Federation have confirmed.

    There were initial concerns that the NFF had planned to strip Enyeama of his role as skipper of the team, after he was queried by the Glass House for making ‘unguarded comments’ about the choice of Kaduna for last month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad. Nigeria won the game 2-0.

    But chairman of the NFF Disciplinary Committee, Christopher Green has posited that the issue has been settled without Enyeama being fined and he will continue as the Super Eagles captain.

    “He is the captain of the Super Eagles and will continue as such,” Green said.

    “He is eligible to play any day any time because he does not owe us anything. The matter has been dealt with and he’s not being fined.

    “The issue has been dealt with administratively and I can tell you that there is no problem and everything has been settled and of course he has been forgiven,” Green added.

    Enyeama had voiced concerns over the security situation in Kaduna prior to their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad in June, but went on to keep a clean sheet in the game.

    The NFF however thought it necessary to ‘discipline’ the most capped Nigeria international for making what they described as ‘unguarded comments’, a development which drew so much criticism from Nigerians.

  • Foreign pros to join Eagles in Tanzania

    Foreign pros to join Eagles in Tanzania

    AfricanFootball.com has specially gathered that foreign-based professionals will join the rest of the Super Eagles squad directly in Tanzania ahead next month’s AFCON qualifier.

    Nigeria are away to Tanzania in the weekend of September 4-6 in continuation of the qualifying tournament for the 2017 AFCON in Gabon.

    They are second in their qualifying group behind Egypt after they beat Chad 2-0 at home and the Pharaohs defeated Tanzania 3-0 last month on the opening day of the qualifiers.

    A top official told AfricanFootball.com that such an arrangement will ensure new coach Sunday Oliseh gets more time to work with the whole squad before his first match.

    “The team could save as much as two days’ training if the pros just join the squad of home-based players in Tanzania straight from their various bases,” disclosed the official.

    “Oliseh wants to have as much time as he could get with the players before the match against Tanzania.”

    Oliseh has compiled a list of 70 players who will be available for selection and this list has been further broken down into various categories including those who will get immediate invitation and those who will be considered later on.

  • INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: NFF woo Colombia for Eagles

    INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: NFF woo Colombia for Eagles

    •Nigeria’s side busy in FIFA-free windows of 2015
    •France, Belguim, USA too; proposal still in the works
    •Tasks agents to also search for African countries

    Sportinglife can reveal today that chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are proposing four high profile international friendlies for the Super Eagles against Colombia, France, United States of America (USA) and Belgium.

    Although these proposals are still in the work, NFF men feel strongly that such high profile games which would also include top African countries eager to accept the offer would help the new Eagles helmsman to properly evaluate his team and make the desired changes.

    Indeed, SportingLife scooped that NFF chiefs are eager to have the Eagles play in all the FIFA-free windows for 2015, in a bid to keep the technical crew led by Sunday Oliseh very busy.

    Interestingly, discussions on the likely opponents for the Eagles are in hush tones since offers have not been made fromally to some of the countries penciled down for such  games.

  • FIFA free window: Eagles to get African foes

    FIFA free window: Eagles to get African foes

    •Game slated for September
    •Venue, country not decided

    Super Eagles’ players and officials will definitely be involved in the next FIFA free window for international matches later in September with their opponents being an undisclosed African country.

    Sportinglife scooped that the agents of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have been told specifically to scout for African team since the games ahead of the Eagles involve African countries.

    It was gathered further that the particular country to confront the Eagles isn’t decided although a couple of teams from the continent are currently discussing with NFF’s agents on logistics such as the venue.

    Also to be discussed are the modalities of the game to decide if it would be a two-legged tie. In that case, the two countries through their agents would decide who plays first and when the return leg would be played.

  • 2017 AFCON qualifier: Tanzania sack coach ahead of Eagles’ clash

    2017 AFCON qualifier: Tanzania sack coach ahead of Eagles’ clash

    The Tanzanian Football Federation have confirmed they have dismissed the Dutchman after becoming frustrated by his poor results

    Coach Martin Ignatius has been fired as head coach of the Tanzanian national team.

    The Taifa Stars has lost their last two international games under the Dutchman’s stewardship, with their 3-0 home defeat to Uganda in a CHAN 2016 qualifier their latest.

    Last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away at Egypt in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier proved to be the straw that broke the Camel’s hunch, after they had lost all their games at the Cosafa Cup – with the 61-year-old now officially relieved of his duties with his back room staff.

    Tanzanian Football Federation president Jamal Malinzi released a statement that the coach popularly known as ‘Mart Nooij’ ceases to be the handler of the Taifa with immediate effect.

    “TFF announces the termination of employment of current coach Mart Nooij together with his entire technical bench with immediate effect following the spate of poor results involving the national team Taifa Stars” the statement read.

    Nigeria travel to the east African nation for their next game of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

  • Pharoahs dethrone Eagles in Group G

    Pharoahs dethrone Eagles in Group G

    •Egypt ahead of Nigeria on goals difference

    Super Eagles’ temporary leadership of Group G of the AFCON 2017 qualifiers lasted just for a day after the Pharoahs of Eqypt zoomed to the summit of the log after they mauled the Taifa Stars of Tanzania Cairo 3-0 in Cairo last night.

    The Stephen Keshi led team laboured to a 2-0 win over the Les Sao of Chad at the Ahmadu Bello stadium, Kaduna on Saturday with goals from enterprising Gbolahan Salami in the 61st minute and the second from the penalty spot in the 80th minute from Watford’s Odion Ighalo.

    By virtue of Saturday’s victory, the Eagles led the group with three points and plus two goals difference since they did not concede any goal against the Chadians.

    Like the Eagles, the Pharoahs had to wait till the second half to grind out a 3-0 victory against Tanzania, with all the goals coming within a spate of nine minutes.

    Rami Rabia broke the deadlock in the 61st minute and barely four minutes later, Basem Morsi added the second goal with Fiorentina forward, Mohammed Salah netting the the third in the 70th minute of the encounter.

    With three points and three goals, Egypt have the same three points with Nigeria but lead on superior goals difference.

    The next round of qualifiers comes up in September with Nigeria travelling to Dar es Salaam to battle Tanzania while Egypt face a difficult trip to N’Djamena against Chad.

  • Football enthusiasts commend Eagles for good start

    Football enthusiasts on Sunday commended the Super Eagles for securing the vital three points at stake in their 2-0 win over Chad in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

    The match was hosted by Nigeria at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, on Saturday.

    The enthusiasts, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews, said it was praise-worthy that the senior national team did not underestimate their Chadian opponents.

    An ex-international, Felix Owolabi, said the three points was a good start to the quest for the AFCON ticket.

    Owolabi urged Nigerians to be patient with the Eagles, stressing that the team would improve with time.

    “Getting three point is important. We should not expect too much from them, what is important is the result,” he said.

    Lawrence Ndaks, Head of Football Department, National Institute For Sports (NISports), noted that every three points from the qualifier was crucial to the country’s chances of qualifying for the 2017 AFCON.

    Ndaks urged the technical crew to be proactive in blending the players, so as to be more formidable ahead of the other encounters.

    “They have delivered the three points needed in this match and I hope their performance will continue to improve from now onwards,’’ he said.

    Chairman of the Badagry Football Division, Akin Ainu, urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to provide the team with the needed support to qualify for the competition.

    “The federation should do everything within their power to ensure that the Eagles qualify for AFCON,” Ainu said.

  • Nigerians in South Africa commend Eagles’ win

    Some Nigerians resident in South Africa have hailed the Super Eagles’ 2-0 victory over Chad in a 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, as a good start for the team.

    The Vice-President of Nigeria Union (NUSA), South Africa, Anthony Usembo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pretoria, South Africa, that the match was difficult for the Eagles.

    “The match was difficult because the Chadians were physical, even though in the end, the Eagles won; that is important,’’ he said.

    Adetola Olubajo, Secretary of the Union, commended the Eagles for the win and called for continuity in their game plan.

    “I am impressed with the new players fielded by Coach Stephen Keshi. I also appeal to Nigerians to give the coach a chance as he tries to re-build the new national team.

    “The team played well, given the fact that they were playing together for the first time in a long while,’’ he said.

    Chris Ifeacho, a lecturer at the Kwazulu Natal University, said the Eagles utilised the chances that came their way in the second half to record victory.

    “We are happy for this victory. Winning this match is a welcome development.

    “It is a good start and I hope the team keeps it up and ensures they qualify for the next AFCON tournament,’’ he said.

    Odunze Samuel, Vice-Chairman of the Eastern Cape chapter of the Nigerian Union, urged the Eagles to remain focused and win in their other matches.

    “I urge them to win in the other matches in the group,’’ he said.