The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • EAGLES SHUN JOURNALISTS

    EAGLES SHUN JOURNALISTS

    About 200 sports journalists that that came to cover the all-important 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between host Nigeria and visiting Sudan went home disappointed after the match as they couldn’t chat with Super Eagles players and their Chief Coach Stephen Keshi when they failed to attend the post-match press briefing that was slated for the Media Hall of the Abuja National Stadium yesterday.

    The enthusiastic journalists who were relieved that the Eagles beat Sudan comprehensively were eager to talk to the players and their Chief Coach Keshi but they had to wait for an hour before they were told that the Eagles had left for their hotel.

    Some of the journalists who flew in from Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin, Kaduna, Kano, Maduguri and other parts of the country left the stadium highly disappointed for not getting the chance to do their work since the players and their officials chose to shun them after winning the match.

    The Sports Minister had apologised to the Super Eagles players on behalf of Nigerian fans and media while chatting with the team during their training session on Monday. He then assured them that the media did not hate them but they were passionate about the game, a reason why they wrote their reports to ginger them to action. But it seems the players and their officials chose the victory’s opportunity to pay the sporting media back by shunning the post match interview.

  • NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN: Police stop fans from lynching Eagles’ coaches

    NIGERIA 3-1 SUDAN: Police stop fans from lynching Eagles’ coaches

    • Big Boss, others run into dressing room
    • Placards asking for Keshi’s, others’ sack fill the stands

    Nigeria’s senior team coach Stephen Keshi and his colleagues ran for dear lives as fans charged towards them with bottles and cudgels in spite of the fact that the Super Eagles beat Sudan 3-1 at the Abuja National Stadium on Wednesday night.

    Rather than show appreciation towards the coaches for diging deep into their technical bags to bring out the tatics that wrecked the Sudanese, the fans who certainly had lost confidence in Keshi continued to boo him with many of them carrying placards, charging and calling for his immediate sack regardless of the result of the match.

    The fans invaded the pitch chanting and shouting to the roof top that Keshi and his assistants must go. Indeed, bottles and missiles were hauled onto the pitch with some asking what would have become of the players and coaches had Nigeria not beaten the Sudanese 3-1.

    Kudos must go the the security operatives at the stadium who worked tirelessly to ward of the irate fans who wanted to vent their spleen on the coaches, despite securing the first win for nigeria in one of the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations’ matches in Abuja.

  • WAR IN ABUJA Eagles to be pelted with sachet water

    WAR IN ABUJA Eagles to be pelted with sachet water

    Plans have been concluded with the renting of an organised crowd of demonstrators to use today’s match of the Super Eagles to demonstrate against the continued stay of Stephen Keshi. The team are likely to be pelted with pure water sachets during the match which the team may lose.

    Sources close to the secretariat of the team of three  told gongnews.com that those hired have been financially induced to deliver the task. “Stephen Keshi must go. The plan of humiliating the gaffer out of the national team has been concluded.

    In their bid to actualise their plan of getting him out at all cost, the group of highly connected football aficionados and their paid acolytes have concluded plans to embarrass the coach and the players during today’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Sudan in Abuja.

    To them, the nation can be humiliated provided it provides the leeway of sacrificing the coach, who they see as the problem of the nation’s football.

    These group of people led by a member of the board of the NFF, have consequently decided to rent a crowd of protesters to call for the immediate sack of coach Keshi and the appointment of an interim national coach to handle the remaining matches.

    “As far as we are concerned, this is payback time. He betrayed Aminu Maigari and the former board and thinks he can get away with it. We will teach him a lesson he will never forget”, he said jokingly.

    The placards and t-shirts for the demonstrations have been produced and distributed to the rented crowd, who will be deployed on match day to give the team serious psychological problems that will make them look as if they are playing away instead of home. The intention is to create the impression of a man that has lost total support.

    “Keshi and the players will be pelted with sachet water to humiliate them since the match will be transmitted live to the whole of Africa. The entire Africa will see that he is finished and there will be nowhere for him to hide”.

    The demonstration is aimed at further demoralising the team and ensuring that Nigeria is defeated, that is the only condition that will compel the Federal Government to back off from protecting him.

    “Our hands are tied on the issue of Keshi. Hence, the only way Stephen Keshi who has the backing of the government can be sacked is the defeat of Nigeria by Sudan on Wednesday at home and we have resolved to work for the Sudanese to actualise our plan,” said the source.

    The newly elected NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, is alleged to have boasted of his determination to do away with the coach. He told close associates that “we have Keshi where we want him. One more match and he will be history”. This lays credence to the  scheme.

  • Eagles return $400,000 match bonus

    Eagles return $400,000 match bonus

    Ten thousand US dollars earmarked for each Super Eagles player culminating into over $400,000 cash was returned to eggheads of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after Sudan beat Nigeria 1-0 in Khartoum on Saturday night.

    Sportinglife’s dependable source, who accompanied the delegation to Khartoum, disclosed the money was returned intact. He also revealed that NFF men do not want to sack Keshi with this loss stressing that: ” I suspect that because he has no contract, there won’t be any need for such a procedure. They want him to continue with what he is doing until it is arithmetically sure that Nigeria won’t be in Morocco, before his services will be dispensed with. As for the coach, his body language doesn’t show that he would do the honourable thing by resigning.

    “Let me tell you a story. After the game, people were sad with the loss to lowly placed Sudan on the table. They were angry that Nigeria is at the rear in  the group. They booed the players, especially those who came to support the team. Guess what. When we got to the hotel, the fans found the players and coaches eating, laughing and joking among themselves as if nothing bad had happened.

    “The Nigerians living in Khartoum and some other fans abused them to their faces. The players and coaches were unperturbed. It was so sad. In fact, one old woman swore for them. You needed to see this woman shedding tears. She said she lost fortunes from the loss as many of her customers who ordered for food and drinks went home without caring to stop by her shop. She was a wreck as she swore,” Sportinglife ‘s source said.

  • Eagles escape lynching

    Eagles escape lynching

    Super Eagles players, coaches and officials escaped being lynched at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday afternoon when an angry mob of football lovers attempted to manhandle them, following the disgraceful loss to Sudan in Khartoum on Saturday.

    An eye witness, who accompanied the team to Khartoum, informed Sportinglife that as soon as the plane carying the team touched down at the tarmac, the few people who supervised their passage into the immigration area expressed their bitterness to the players.

    “Look my editor, distinguished Nigerians, hawkers, touts and women, I mean the elderly ones among them rued the shameful performance openly to the players. When they were inside the immigration area, the boys and coaches were amazed by what they were hearing from those who attended to us.

    “My brother, in my 27 years as a sports journalist, I have never seen the setting of rage from football fans like the one I witnessed on Sunday. You know, the fans would have seen the team’s bus parked and they waited for the players to leave the airport lounge.

    “My God, it was well rehearsed. They waited until the long line of players and coaches were headed for the bus. Then like bees, they surged forward. In a jiffy, they had surrounded the players and coaches shouting “ole, ole ole. You are a disgrace. Go away. You disgraced us.

    “Please let us thank God that the security operatives were  alert. Sensing danger, they had to fire gunshots into the air to disperse the rowdy crowd. It was pure insanity. Look, I have the tapes of all that happened. It was a war movie. Thank you Nigeria security operatives.

    “Let me tell you how serious it was. Journalists were the last to come out so we saw everything. When some of the fans saw us recording, they ran towards us. We were fortunate that some of them knew us and wanted it recorded.

    “You know what was going on in my mind. I was thankful to God that the team didn’t land in Lagos, walahi, it would have been a disaster because the team would have driven through the town. I remembered Oshodi, Ojuelegba e.t.c and did the sign of the cross. Editor, what I’m telling is best captured when I show you the video.”

     

  • EAGLES’ INVITATION LATEST: Keshi denies Uche’s exclusion

    EAGLES’ INVITATION LATEST: Keshi denies Uche’s exclusion

    • Blasts media for false report
    • Team’s camp bubbles in Khartoum

    Super Eagles Coach,  Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was livid with rage when he read reports credited to him that he has shut the Super Eagles door permanently against Villareal of Spain striker, Ikechukwu Uche.

    Clarifying what he said at Wednesday’s media parley in Abuja, Keshi said for the umpteenth time what he said was that he will not beg Uche to play for Nigeria, especially when there are other players who are willing and ready to play for the Super Eagles. “I don’t know where they got that portion of their reports from, but I never said Uche won’t play as long as I remain coach of the team. In the near future if he changes his mind and indicates interest to play he will be considered on merit.”

    He urged the media not to sensationalise the Ike Uche issue as it will not help resolve anything. “We have to help all our players grow so that we can all build a strong national team and the media is a partner in this regard. He said he does not have anything personal against the Villareal striker but will not force to play for Nigeria against his will.

    The Super Eagles arrived Khartoum, the Sudanese capital early on Friday  at about 6am local time (4am in Nigeria) aboard Sudan Airways for the crucial Nations Cup qualifier game against the Sudanese national team. Reception from the Sudan Immigration was smooth while a handful of Nigerians were outside cheering the team. After airport formalities, the team was driven to nearby Grand Holiday Inn, where it will stay for two nights.

    NFF Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi led the team to Sudan, with NFF Director, Technical , Emmanuel Ikpeme and other secretariat staff in tow.

    Also visible on the entourage was the President General of the Nigeria and Other Sports Supporters Club, Rauf Ladipo. He came as usual with his team to cheer the Eagles to victory and he started doing that right from the airport.

    Today’s match is scheduled for 8pm local time and 6pm Nigeria time and the Eagles had a feel of the Khartoum Stadium on Friday evening.

  • Khartoum heat won’t bother Eagles – Enyeama

    Khartoum heat won’t bother Eagles – Enyeama

    Nigeria international goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama does not believe the weather condition in Khartoum will  affect the Super Eagles in today’s 2015 Africa Nation’s Cup qualifier against Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane.

    Maximum temperatures in Khartoum today are expected to reach 40 degree Celsius with pundits predicting that the predominantly overseas-based Super Eagles’ players will struggle under the hot conditions

    Enyeama has  waved away such suggestions, explaining that the players are already prepared to brave the conditions today.

    “I don’t really know much about the weather in Sudan but we (the players) have been told to expect playing under very hot conditions.

    “Footballers thrive under any kind of weather condition so the weather in Khartoum on Saturday should not really be an excuse not to (get a positive result).

    “It will be very hot and to be honest, it’s not really what we want but we don’t really have a choice,” Enyeama told supersport.com.

    Enyeama, who will captain the Super Eagles today, missed out on Nigeria’s first two 2015 Afcon qualifying games against Congo and South Africa because of “family reasons”.

    Nigeria could only manage a solitary point from the two games in the absence of the OSC Lille man who has now firmly set his sights on strong performances against Sudan in the coming days.

    “Those games (against South Africa and Congo) belong to the history books. I am one person that does not talk about history because I don’t believe in it.

    “We are looking forward to the two games against Sudan and that’s really what matters; not what has happened in the past,” he said.

    Nigeria currently sit in third place in Group A of the 2015 Afcon qualifying with one point from two matches.

    Congo, with maximum points from two games, are top of the pile while South Africa occupy second spot with four points.

    Sudan, with no point yet on the board, are bottom of the section.

  • Eagles must fight to finish in Sudan, urges Aiyenugba

    Eagles must fight to finish in Sudan, urges Aiyenugba

    Dele Aiyenugba has said the Super Eagles have all it takes to beat Sudan when they clash on Saturday, but they must be ready to fight.

    However, the former Enyimba goalkeeper said the players must be at their best and approach the game with all seriousness.

    “I see Eagles winning both games against Sudan. We have the quality to beat them,” he said.

    “But the players who will be called to duty  must be ready to fight to finish because any team playing the Super Eagles will bring 150% to the pitch, so we need to approach the game with everything.”

    The Bnei Yehuda shot stopper has 17 caps for Nigeria since his debut in 2005.

  • Pinnick to Eagles: Re-enact 2001spirit against Sudan

    Pinnick to Eagles: Re-enact 2001spirit against Sudan

    • Akinwunmi leads delegation

    As the Super Eagles flew out of the country yesterday for the first of two quick –fire sessions against Sudan in the on –going 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, President of Nigeria Football Federation,  Amaju Melvin Pinnick has charged the players to remember the heroics of their predecessors and imbibe the spirit with which the Class of 2001 demolished the Falcons of Jediane3-0 at home and 4-0 away in Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

    On January 27, 2001, the Eagles lashed the Falcons 3-0 in Port Harcourt, and then secured a vital 4-0 win in Omdurman on July 1 of the same year to virtually seal the ticket to the Far East.

    “I am of the firm belief that you are capable of re-enacting those wonderful memories of fabulous wins over Sudan home and away, and the NFF is fully behind you to go to Khartoum and conquer. Then, we will prepare to complete the job here in Abuja before we plan for the two remaining games in November,” Amaju said in Abuja yesterday.

    He added: “As true warriors and champions of Africa that you are, Nigerians have no doubt about what you are capable of doing in Khartoum. This is the first competitive match under this new administration and we are giving you every motivation to achieve victory.”

    In 13 contests at senior level since November 1963, Sudan has only beaten Nigeria on two occasions. The more experienced Falcons battered the Red Devils 4-0 in Nigeria’s first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963, in Kumasi (Ghana), and then narrowly edged a 1968 Olympic Games qualifier 2-1 in Khartoum, though Nigeria qualified after winning the home leg 1-0.

    The most famous two-leg showdown between both countries came in 1969, when both teams tied 2-2 in Ibadan and 3-3 in Khartoum in a 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.

    Nigeria narrowly eliminated Sudan from the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations race, though failed to reach the finals in Egypt. On the way to winning bronze at the 1976 finals in Ethiopia, the Eagles defeated the Falcons 1-0 in Dire Dawa, and a 0-0 draw in Khartoum in a 1994 Cup of Nations qualifier preceded a 4-0 thumping by the Eagles in Lagos.

    Meanwhile, NFF’s 1st Vice President, Barrister  Seyi Akinwunmi will lead the Super Eagles’ delegation to Khartoum for tomorrow’s showdown. There will also be  Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme and a couple of secretariat Staff.

    The aircraft chartered by the Nigeria Football Federation for the round trip departed the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 11pm yesterday and arrived in Khartoum by 6am Sudan time. The Nigeria delegation will stay at the Grand Holiday Villa Hotel, with the players scheduled to train at the Khartoum Stadium by 8pm. Tomorrow match will start at 8pm Sudan time, and the delegation will return to Nigeria immediately after the game.

  • Hope Akpan dreams big in Eagles

    Hope Akpan dreams big in Eagles

    • Vows to wreck Sudan tomorrow

    Reading Football Club of England midfielder Hope Akpan has vowed to play a key role  for the Super Eagles and hopes to show this traits by having a good match against Sudan tomorrow.

    The midfielder who was excited about his call up to the Super Eagles told SportingLife he would definitely make the best use of this opportunity to become a household name in the Nigerian senior national team.

    “I feel very great playing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria. My parents hail from Nigeria and my father is from Ibibio, Akwa Ibom. Although I was born in Liverpool in the United Kingdom but Nigeria blood runs in me  and I am very excited and committed to helping this great team qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

    Akpan also showered encomiums on the quality of players he met in the Eagles and said that the team is capable of beating any team on a good day with hard work. “I have come to appreciate the fact there are many good players in this team both in defense where we have Keneth Omeruo and the rest and in the midfield and attack too.

    “We are strong and we are comfortable that we can win the two matches against Sudan. I can honestly assure football loving Nigerians that we are not going to Sudan for jamboree. We are going there to play good football and as well beat Sudan on their home ground and come back with the three points that we so desire.

    ‘’He also told SportingLife that in the next three years he would have achieved his ambition of becoming an important player for Nigeria. “In the next three years I hope to be a permanent feature in the team where I hope to command a first team shirt and also be a very important player for the Nigerian senior national team.’’