The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • WORLD CUP CAMP, HOTEL: Wives, girfriends banned from Eagles

    WORLD CUP CAMP, HOTEL: Wives, girfriends banned from Eagles

    • Agents, relations too
    • NFF replaces Code of Conduct with Handbook
    • No target for Eagles in Brazil

    Sportinglfie can reveal exclsuively today that Wives, Agents, Girfriends, Sugar Mummies also known as WAGS in football parlance have been banned from going anywhere near the camping abodes or hotels to be used by Super Eagles players and officials at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    Beginning from when the team will be camped at the yet-to-be-announced camp site, chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have vowed to ensure that violators of this forbidden rule would be sanctioned according to the laws of the country where the team resides.

    Disclosing this to SportingLife in Lagos on Friday night, NFF technical committe chairman Barrister Chris Green stated that it would be impossible for players and officials to concentrate on the task of preparing properly for the World Cup if their wives, girlfriends, agents and sugar mummies are allowed to stay in the same room in the hotel.

    “The World Cup is not a picnic for frolicking nor is it a disco party that allows for such a setting for lovers. The World Cup is serious business. It does not matter if some countries allow it. In Nigeria’s case, it is forbidden and the players and officials would be made to sign the document where it would be stated clearly the penalty for defaulters.”

    Also speaking with SportingLife, NFF’s media committe chairman Emeka Inyama used an instance at the 1994 World Cup in USA to explain why it would be terrible to allow our players and officials to keep their wives and girlfriends in the camp and/or hotel.

    “Recall that Clemens Westerhof made the greatest mistake of his life to permit Super Eagles players have a day off to relax with their wives, girlfriends, agents and sugar mummies – for those of them who had – after we qualified for the second round. Westerhof lost control of the team and discipline bacame broken because the players and officials resisted the Dutchman’s directive that the team should relocate for the next game. This singular gesture became the Eagles’ albatross as we lost to Italy 2-1. We learn from history and this should guide us in making decisins akin to what we have decided,” Inyama said.

  • Ahead of Brazil 2014 World Cup: Eagles to play Mexico in USA March 5

    Ahead of Brazil 2014 World Cup: Eagles to play Mexico in USA March 5

    • Game holds in Georgia Dome, Atlanta at 8.30pm

    The Nigerian Football Federation and its FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport, on Thursday announced an international friendly match for the coming FIFA window on the 5th March, 2014 between the Super Eagles and the Mexican National Team, known as ‘Tricolor’. The match will be organized in the United States of America by Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the Mexican Football Federation’s US Representative, with the co-operation of Eurodata Sport.

    Mexico, like African champions Nigeria, is among the countries that will participate in the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014. Nigeria face Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Group F while Mexico play in group A against hosts and five-time winners Brazil, Croatia and Cameroon.

    The match, which comes nine months after a pulsating, high-octane clash between both nations at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas that ended 2-2, will be played in Georgia Dome and AT&T Stadium in Georgia, Atlanta, and will kick off at 8:30pm (ET). The Georgia Dome, one of the largest indoor sporting facilities in the United States, is the primary home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

    Mexico and Nigeria have met four times. The two teams last met in May of 2013 as part of Mexico’s U.S. tour.

    The African champions are preparing to make a big impact at the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 and this match is part of the pre- World Cup matches that Eurodata Sport is organizing for the Super Eagles on their path to Brazil.

  • Eagles remain focus for CHAN

    Eagles remain focus for CHAN

    • Get trophy mandate

    The Super Eagles said they will not be carried away but will approach each game with utmost seriousness and focus, as fans in South Africa and beyond continue to tip the team for honours at the 2014 CHAN tournament which starts this Saturday in Nelson Mandela’s country.

    Assistant Coach Dan ‘The Bull’ Amokachi, said fans and pundits are entitled to their prediction for the tourney but he knows that there are no small teams here.

    “The boss, Stephen Keshi does not believe in quick fix and we don’t either.We must work very hard if we are to take something out of this place and most importantly remain disciplined”

    The players and officials agreed with him and wished their Head Coach will come to South Africa with the Coach of the Year Award and John Mikel Obi, the coveted African Footballer of the Year Award.

    “That will further boost the confidence of the team we have here” declared Team Administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor.

    Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Sunday Yusuf, has charged the Super Eagles to ensure that they lift the African Nations Championship (Chan) trophy.

    The diplomat who welcomed the Super Eagles at the OR Thambo International Airport told the team that nothing short of the trophy will be good enough as Nigerian fans have already gotten used to winning.

    “Nigerians are now used to winning, especially here in South Africa and I’m sure you will not let the nation down,” Yusuf said.

    Assistant coach Daniel Amokachi while responding in behalf of the team assured the ambassador that the team will do its best in the competition, even as head coach Stephen Keshi is expected to arrive on time before the Eagles’ opening game against Mali.

  • NFF seeks good show for CHAN Eagles

    NFF seeks good show for CHAN Eagles

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi has not been charged with winning the title at the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa.

    The NFF through an executive committee member, Chris Green, explained that “presenting a good team and playing good football” is more important than winning the title.

    “Let’s not forget that Nigeria has never qualified for the CHAN in two previous attempts. The most important thing is to present a good team and to play good football. If we win the trophy, then it’s a plus,” he told supersport.com.

    The tournament is exclusively for footballers who ply their trade in their domestic leagues and Green is confident a solid outing by the Super Eagles will attract traffic to the Glo Nigeria Premier League (NPFL).

    “A good outing by our team will attract attention to our domestic league and even attract players from different countries to the NPFL.

    “We hope for a good outing at the CHAN but we are not putting any pressure on the players and coaches because we are looking at the bigger picture,” he said.

    The Super Eagles will begin their preliminary campaign at the 2014 CHAN on January 11 against Mali in Cape Town.

  • CHAN 2014: Santos FC beat Mali for Eagles

    CHAN 2014: Santos FC beat Mali for Eagles

    The Super Eagles have been given tips on how to beat Mali in their African Nations Championship (CHAN) opening game after South African side, Santos FC pipped the Coach Djibril Drame-led side 1-0 in a friendly.

    In the tune-up game played at the Hartleyvale Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday, the relegated Premier Soccer League (PSL) side shocked the CHAN contenders with Roelf Gregory’s 26th minute long range strike catching goalkeeper, Diakité Soumaïla off guard.

    The Malians in a spirited fight to level scores had the woodwork at their mercy as their strikers’ shots hit the post more than four times.

    SportingLife recalls that Djibril Drame’s side lost 1-0 to Libya and drew 0-0 with Ghana in a pre-CHAN friendly before their arrival in South Africa on Sunday.

  • Sambawa rates Super Eagles high

    Sambawa rates Super Eagles high

    •Says President’s reward for winners will ginger team

    Despite having little time to prepare for the 2014 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), a former Sports Minister of Nigeria, Samaila Saidu Sambawa has tipped the Super Eagles to win the competition.

    In a chat with SportingLife in Abuja during the week, the sports administrator cum politician gave his reasons for optimism about the Eagles’ chances in the tournament.

    “Well, unlike those who are pessimistic about the chances of the Super Eagles in CHAN, I’m optimistic and rate the Eagles very high. I don’t see us being disgraced in the competition

    “I am quite aware of the fact that the team did not have a long period to prepare for the competition or rather adequate time for camping for the competition, but they have some players in the team that can deliver when the going is tough.

    “Another factor in the players’ favour to win CHAN is that they are hungry for success and they equally want to put their names on the record book as the squad that won CHAN for the country for the very first time in the history of the competition.

    “The boys are determined, patriotic and dedicated and I believe that it will carry them to the end of the competition. So, I believe we will play in the final and have a shot at winning the trophy.”

    Sambawa also disclosed that the present Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan has a penchant for rewarding athletes and teams who excel in their various sports. He said that this alone could fire up the players to victory in Cape Town, South Africa.

    “The players are aware of the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan has been rewarding athletes and teams that perform excellently and win trophies, like the Super Eagles when they emerged African Champions in the same South Africa last year February. So they too would like to be honoured and that alone can spur them to glory in CHAN”, the former Sports Minister summed up.

  • CHAN 2014: ‘Eagles not carried away’

    CHAN 2014: ‘Eagles not carried away’

    •Players undergo endurance training

    As fans in South Africa and beyond continue to tip the Super Eagles for honours at the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament which starts this Saturday in Nelson Mandela’s country, the team has said it will not be carried away but will approach each game with utmost seriousness and focus.

    Assistant Coach Dan ‘The Bull’ Amokachi, said fans and pundits are entitled to their prediction for the tourney but he knows that there are no small teams.

    “The boss, Stephen Keshi does not believe in quick fixes and neither do we. We must work very hard if we are to take something out of this place and most importantly remain disciplined”, he told the players and officials of the team.

  • Eagles begin training in SA today

    Eagles begin training in SA today

    Nigeria will have their first training in South Africa on Thursday night ahead of their opening Group A match against Mali at the African Nation Championship (CHAN) in Cape Town.

    Officials disclosed the Eagles ‘B’ will have their first training session on Thursday night at 8:30pm local time, which is 7:30 Nigerian time.

    This will also be the time for their first match against Mali on Saturday.

    The team are booked into the Garden Court De Waal, a quiet suburb of the city.

    The Eagles landed in Cape Town on Wednesday. They were led by assistant coach Daniel Amokachi, who is holding the forte for Stephen Keshi who stayed back in Nigeria for the CAF Awards before joining the team.

    They left the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos on Tuesday night at about 10:30pm. After five and half hours flight with a South Africa Airways plane, the team arrived Johannesburg at 4:30 Nigerian time, which is 5:30 in South Africa.

    The team was received by a team of Nigerian Embassy officials led by Ambassador Sunday Yusuf, who expressed delight at the safe arrival and ensured that the team had a smooth passage through immigration procedure.

    The envoy also charged the team to ensure that they win the trophy at the first try.

    “Nigerians are now used to winning, especially here in South Africa and I’m sure you will not let the nation down”, he said.

    Amokachi assured that the team will do its best at the tourney, even as Keshi is being expected in time before the Eagles opening game against Mali.

    After a little wait at the Thambo International Airport, the team connected another SAA flight to Cape Town, where they will play their group matches.

    The flight to Cape Town lasted 1:40minutes and on arrival the team were received by about 30 cheering and drumming Nigerians under the aegis ‘Nigerian Union in Western Cape’. The group was led by Kalu Obi.

  • BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP: No Miami, Houston camps for Eagles

    BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP: No Miami, Houston camps for Eagles

    • NFF insists on high altitude areas for camping
    • Nigeria’s two matches hold in altitude zones
    • Search for training site continues

    Sportinglife can reveal authoritatively that Super Eagles players will not be camping in Houston or Miami in the United States, ahead of the 2014 World Cup because the two cities’ weather conditions do not correspond with the prevalent conditions that the Nigerian side will be facing in two of her Munidal matches in Brazil.

    A decent source at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) told SportingLife that: “I can tell you for free that NFF is looking for a training camp for the Super Eagles. Miami and Houston don’t fit the climatic conditions in the cities where we will play two of our three preliminary games at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    “We found out that two of those cities where we will be playing are high altitude areas and neither Miami nor Houston is a high altitude zones. So, both cities, no matter how beautiful their faciltities, won’t be what we need because weather is critical for the players during matches.”

    “We prepared the Eagles very well for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and you saw how well we did during the competition. We don’t want to give any of our opponents any advantage, let alone the weather.

    “If our players are struggling to cope with the weather, how do you expect them to give their best? So, undue advantage is what we shouldn’t give our opponents. Instead, we should be seen to have done our home work well before matches, hence the quest to look for high altitude areas akin to those two cities,” SportingLife’s source said.

  • Mohammed: Eagles are CHAN favourites

    Mohammed: Eagles are CHAN favourites

    Buoyed by the performance of Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Saturday’s friendly match against Ethiopia, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Sanusi Mohammed has tipped Nigeria as the team to beat in the upcoming African Nations Championship.

    Goals from Enyimba’s Ifeanyi Ede and Enugu Rangers’ Ugonna Uzochukwu helped the Home-based Super Eagles record a 2-1 win over Ethiopia, in an exciting game that was only soured by Chigozie Agbim’s own-goal in the second half.

    The Nigerian team are set to make their maiden appearance in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) this January, but Mohammed has already tagged them as favourites to win the competition.

    “Being the first time does not matter, because, Nigeria is going there to lift the trophy,” Mohammed declared.

    “We have the players that can do the country proud, and we are not going there as spectators neither are we going there to give people points to assist them in winning the competition.