The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • Ogu: Eagles not in Brazil to make up number

    Ogu: Eagles not in Brazil to make up number

    MTNFootball.com: How would you describe the game against Italy?

    John Ogu: It was a great match, we did well. It was fantastic to play against Italy. We all gave our best in the match.

     

    How was it like battling with Andrea Pirlo in the midfield?

    Playing against an experienced midfielder can only improve me as a player.It was a great experience playing against Pirlo, a true legend.

     

    How has it been playing for the Super Eagles?

    It has been great playing for my country and it’s an honour. I am enjoying it.

     

    You were on the squad who secured Nigeria another World Cup ticket, how does it feel to be involved?

    I feel blessed and grateful to God for his favour being a member of the team who qualified Nigeria for the World Cup, it is a great feeling for me.

     

    Which nation do you think Nigeria should avoid at the World Cup group stage?

    We are not afraid of facing any team, we are equal to the task. We are African champion and can face any opposition.

     

    What are your dreams as the World Cup main draw comes closer?

    My dream is to be part of the squad to the World Cup in Brazil and also to make Nigeria and my family proud.

     

    Among the players you have played against who has influenced you the most?

    I will say Andrea Pirlo and Montolivo. I watch them a lot whenever they play for their clubs and I have learnt from them.

     

    Did you interact with them in any way after the match?

    Not really,I only had the chance to exchange my jersey with Pirlo.

     

    What has been the driving force in your career?

    It has been God all the way. My dedication and hard work as well as the support from my family have also helped me a lot.

     

    Your club Academica de Coimbra have not been doing well, what do have to say about that?

    Yes, that is football for you,we have the squad to get the needed results,I think we will start getting that to climb up the ladder.

     

    What are your targets with Academica this term?

    Just to help my team get some good results and finish well on the table.

     

    Do you see an African nation winning the World Cup in Brazil?

    Anything can happen in football. Ghana got far at the last World Cup, hopefully one African team will get far. Every African team that has qualified could win the trophy, we are not going there to make up the numbers.

  • Kilmarnock manager: Reuben’s Eagles call-up was ‘strange’

    Kilmarnock manager Allan Johnston has described as ‘strange’ Gabriel Reuben’s call-up to the Nigeria squad when he has not played this year.

    Reuben was an unused substitute in Stephen Keshi’s squad which played beat Ethiopia 2-0 to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, then drew 2-2 with Italy two days later.

    “It was strange to get picked for the national team when he hasn’t played at all this year,” Johnston said.

    The midfielder joined the club in April, but has failed to kick a ball after suffering injury trouble.

    First, he had successive operations on a groin injury which kept him out till August, then picked up a hamstring strain from he has only just fully recovered.

    But he was called up by Keshi, who told KickOffNigeria.com after a few training sessions that he was pleased with the conditions of both Reuben and fellow injury returnee Kenneth Omeruo of Chelsea.

    “They’re good. I’m impressed with both of them. Their condition level, the technique is there, the touches are there,” Keshi said. “I don’t have a problem with them.”

    Reuben however, is unhappy at not playing and reportedly took to Twitter to express his frustration, a move which has earned him reprimand.

    “There are other people in front of him that deserve to be there, and it is up to him to prove it differently,” Johnstone said.

    “You would be disappointed if they were happy not to play so that’s a good sign that he is desperate to play. But at the end of the day, he needs to do more. And it’s a bit silly to take it to Twitter.”

  • Osaze, Uche set for Eagles recall

    Osaze, Uche set for Eagles recall

    Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi has revealed that players like Peter Odemwingie, Taye Taiwo and Ikechukwu Uche could be handed shock recalls to the national team ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    Keshi stunned many by leaving out experienced talent from his 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and received a backlash from many who felt he was treading on thin ice. He was eventually justified in his selections as Nigeria romped to a third AFCON success with a relatively inexperienced squad.

    The “Big Boss” as Keshi is fondly called has now revealed that he has not shut the door completely on any individual as he begins preparations for the World Cup.

    “Contrary to what some people think, I have not shut the door on players like Osaze (Peter Odemwingie), Ike Uche and even Taiye Taiwo. They are Nigerians and are eligible to play for the Super Eagles at all times,” Keshi exclusively told supersport.com.

    The gaffer however stated that they will only get a look in if they “prove themselves.”

    “When I was in the national team, nobody had an automatic shirt. I was the captain but I did not play in all the games. Everyday in training, it was war. We fought and sweated to show the coaches that we were worthy of the shirt. That is the norm now as well,” he said.

    Keshi is casting his net far afield and will not mind blooding several uncapped players as he looks to build a squad that will punch above their weight in Brazil.

    Names like Kenneth “Kenny” Otigba and Sammy Ameobi readily prop up following their scintillating displays for Heerenveen and Newcastle United respectively. Keshi however insists players of such ilk will only be allowed to sneak in if they prove they are better than the ones currently in the squad.

    “To be honest, I don’t know much about Otigba but we have a good scouting network that will enable me look at all players eligible to play for Nigeria. Everyone who is eligible to play for Nigeria has a chance and I am being totally honest here.

    “I will assess their performances at their different clubs and we will take a decision but if these players are not better than those that I already have in the team, then they don’t have any chance. However, if they show that they are better and can make the team stronger, why not?

    “It does not matter if they have played for the Super Eagles previously or not. I recall that before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, players like Michael Emenalo and Chidi Nwanu did not kick a ball in (the qualifying tournament.)

    “They also did not play at the Nations Cup earlier that year but when they showed the coaches what they could do, they came in. I have not selected my team for the World Cup. No one has a guaranteed shirt and we will keep working until we know the 23 players that will go to Brazil,” he said.

    Keshi who won 64 caps and scored nine goals for Nigeria as a player, replaced Samson Siasia as Super Eagles coach in 2011 and has yet to lose a competitive game to African opposition.

  • Keshi warns Eagles over World Cup selection

    Keshi warns Eagles over World Cup selection

    Stephen Keshi has warned that no player in the present team has an automatic passage to the World Cup.

    The Super Eagles coach was speaking with the players in London on Tuesday morning, after the 2-2 draw with former World Champions, Italy.

    “It’s time to go back and work hard for our various clubsides and stay healthy, because that will form the basis for invitation when we resume next year.

    “The truth is that not everybody here will go to the World Cup, but that is how football goes, so those who want to be part of the team must remain fit and play regularly for their clubsides,” he admonished.

    At the end of the short address, England-based stars like John Mikel Obi, Shola Ameobi and Victor Moses immediately left for their bases.

    Most of the other players waited to leave the Hilton Cobham abode of the team on Tuesday. Keshi and the home-based players will arrive in Nigeria on Thursday morning.

  • Brazil 2014 World Cup: Elegbeleye showers encomiums on Eagles

    Brazil 2014 World Cup: Elegbeleye showers encomiums on Eagles

    • Says team needs to work more

    The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Gbenga Elegbeleye has commended the Super Eagles for qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

    He also charged the Chief Coach of the team Stephen Keshi to do everything humanly possible to make the team a world beater like he did in South Africa this February when he led the team to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

    Elegbeleye, who watched the match live in Calabar on Saturday, also thanked Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River for hosting the Eagles during their camping exercise in the state, till the last qualifying match the team played against Ethiopia and won 2-0 yesterday to book the World Cup ticket on a 4-1 goal aggregate.

    The former Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Sports however charged the Keshi-tutored team to prepare harder and show more dedication as they battle the best footballing nations at next year’s World Cup finals.

    Elegbeleye showered praises on the team for securing a fifth World Cup appearance and at a time Nigerians are gearing up for the country’s Centenary celebration. He stressed that the World Cup finals is a big stage that requires serious preparation, hard work and commitment of all stakeholders.

    Elegbeleye assured of the presidency’s continued support for a remarkable showing in Brazil.

  • Hamilton not satisfied with Eagles

    Hamilton not satisfied with Eagles

    Former Nigerian footballer, Paul Hamilton has passed a damning judgment on the Super Eagles as not being a World Cup team yet.

    The Eagles defeated their East African opponents, the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia 2-0 in the final qualifying match on Saturday at the U.J. Esuene Stadium to book a passage to the 2014 FIFA World Cup on a 4-1 aggregate win.

    One goal in each half off the foot of forward, Victor Moses from the penalty spot in the 20th minute and substitute, Obinna Nsofor in the 83rd minute cemented the spot for Eagles’ fifth appearance at the quadrennial global football showpiece.

    Hamilton said the final encounter against the Ethiopians is an eye opener that the side need intensive work if their fifth appearance at the global football fiesta will be made to count.

    “Saturday’s game was a wake up call for our team, our performance clearly showed we’ve not arrived on the world scene and serious preparations must commence immediately for the World Cup, if our participation will count positively.

    “Most of the players are suspect, from goalkeeping, defence, midfield to attack, we must strengthen the entire team. It’s shocking at this stage of our game to see top strikers making a mess of begging chances at goal, Brown Ideye is the worst culprit even at my old age I’m confident to convert the begging chances he missed.

    “It’s not encouraging for us at the moment as we must be seen to be scoring goals. However, it was a successful outing for Super Eagles winning comprehensively as well as qualifying Nigeria for Brazil 2014 World Cup and Nigeria’s fifth appearance at the Mundial,” said the former Nigerian manager to supersport.com.

    Hamilton said the Ethiopians appeared not to have recovered from the penalty offence they conceded to Nigeria throughout the encounter.

    “The Ethiopians were thoroughly frightened by the penalty they conceded and never recovered, I think it completely unsettled the side. But if I’m their manager, Sewnet Bishaw I would feel contented and satisfied by the players’ performance right from the start of the qualifying race to the last day.

    “It’s just unfortunate that they won’t be at Brazil 2014 World Cup come next summer but they’re the greatest revelation of Africa’s qualifying race,” said Hamilton.

    Nigeria became the first African country to secure their ticket for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

  • EAGLES’ POOR PLAY: My boys were anxious to score — Keshi

    EAGLES’ POOR PLAY: My boys were anxious to score — Keshi

    Super Eagles handler Stephen Keshi has given reasons for his players’ scrappy performance in last Saturday’s World Cup play-off game against Ethiopia.

    “Not that my boys didn’t play, they were just anxious to score. We wanted to show that we were African champions by playing our own kind of football but the Walya Antelopes came with a plan, that’s to sit in their own half, and they were smart about it. Soon after we got our first goal, they came out and that profited us as we then got the second goal,” the Big Boss stated.

    “The first thing was to make sure we qualified,” Keshi said.

    “In today’s (Saturday’s) game I don’t mind that we played badly as long as we qualified. We have other games where we can play beautiful football. There was a lot of anxiety around the players, because it was the last game and they wanted to qualify.

    “I had to calm them down and make sure their state of mind was intact, but I knew it was going to be a little difficult for them to focus. I remember the same thing happened to us in Algeria in 1993 with players not being able to eat because they were anxious. But we had to try to make sure we got them to calm down a bit.”

    “Tactically, we are there. After the first goal we told them to take it easy, slow down and allow them (the Ethiopians) to come out. But their coach was smart; they refused to come out. But whatever came out today, as long as we qualified, and our flag is flying in Brazil, I will take it.”

    The likes of Emmanuel Emenike, Brown Ideye and Ahmed Musa were unable to add their names to the scoresheet as they failed to convert their chances in the game.

     

  • Prandelli: Balotelli will destroy Eagles

    Prandelli: Balotelli will destroy Eagles

    Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is ready to unleash AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli on the Super Eagles of Nigeria when the two sides meet in today’s international friendly at London’s Craven Cottage.

    Prandelli also demanded “more enthusiasm” around the Azzurri when they play the coach Stephen Keshi-led side in the game slated at 19.45 GMT (8:45pm) Nigerian time.

    Nigeria booked their place in the World Cup in Brazil next summer after a play-off victory over Ethiopia on Saturday.

    Leading 2-1 from the first-leg, Nigeria won the home leg 2-0 to ensure that the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions will be at the World Cup.

    Italy also played a 1-1 draw with Germany in an international friendly match on Friday.

    “I have some pretty clear ideas on the systems, even if we have to establish which is the best one,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

    “Balotelli is the first choice centre-forward, but now we have to find out who is the ideal second striker.”

    Fiorentina hitman and current Serie A top scorer Giuseppe Rossi missed the game with Germany due to tonsillitis, but is now fit to start.

    “Rossi is ready and for the line-up. Balotelli, Riccardo Montolivo and Daniele De Rossi need to be evaluated.

    “I perform many experiments because I haven’t got much time. I’m not saying it’s a problem that we don’t have training camps, but it is a fact.

    “If I’d had more time then I wouldn’t have needed to call so many players and we wouldn’t have run into some embarrassing results. It’s not club Coaches who are the problem, but the fixture list and the directors.

    “The truth is that right now everyone is thinking about Serie A or the Champions League, but come June they will all be huge Italy fans. I’d like a little more enthusiasm around us now.”

  • ITLAY VS NIGERIA IN LONDON: We won’t be tired — Eagles

    ITLAY VS NIGERIA IN LONDON: We won’t be tired — Eagles

    Nigeria’s Efe Ambrose and Ahmed Musa have insisted they will not be tired versus Italy today just after they qualified for the World Cup.

    Eagles flew out of Nigeria Sunday morning and will face Italy in a friendly tonight at Craven Cottage in London just after they booked the ticket to Brazil 2014 by beating Ethiopia 2-0 in Calabar on Saturday.

    “We are going to play Italy with good mentality, we will approach the game like every other game that we have played. Fatigue won’t set in, we will be fit enough for the game,” Ambrose told MTNFootball.com.

    CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa also believed they will be in good shape for the game despite playing two games in three days.

    “We are professionals and we are ready to serve our country. We won’t allow the closeness of this game to the qualifier affect us, we will do our best in the game against Italy,” Musa told MTNFootball.com.

    Italy forced Germany to a 1-1 draw in another friendly in Milan on Friday.

  • Eagles vs Azzurri: Proceeds go to Philippines typhoon victims

    Eagles vs Azzurri: Proceeds go to Philippines typhoon victims

    The proceeds from today’s international friendly match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Azzuri of Italy at the Craven Cottage in London will be donated to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

    The Italian Federation announced, in conjunction with UNICEF, that the proceeds from the game will be taken to the victims to help the recovery process in the Philippines.

    Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the Asian nation over a week ago with the number of dead rising to 3,600.

    But some officials estimate that the final toll, when the missing are declared dead will be more than 10,000.

    Thousands of survivors have been left homeless without food, power, fuel, water and shelter.

    The Super Eagles touched down in London yesterday for the game after booking a 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket following a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia on Saturday at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar.