The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • Glo urges Eagles to blow Malawi away

    Glo urges Eagles to blow Malawi away

    Leading telecommunications company, Globacom, has advised the Super Eagles to go for outright victory when they confront the Flames of Malawi in their Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier scheduled for the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar on Saturday.

    Nigeria tops Group F that also comprises of Namibia and Kenya with nine points from five games, trailed by Malawi with seven points, and only needs to avoid defeat to the Flames to qualify for the next round.

    “The Eagles should beat the Flames to put the World Cup ticket beyond the Southern African nation ahead of the qualifiers’ final round taking place next month,” Globacom said in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.

    “We are also aware of the mind games that the Malawians have played in the build up to this encounter and we urge the Eagles and their technical crew not to be distracted but rather field a crack squad in the Calabar game to win the group’s ticket in style. We therefore urge the Eagles to play the visitors as true African champions, with determination,” said the telecom firm.

    Globacom is the official telecommunications partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and the major sponsor of the Nigerian national teams.

  • Rain threatens Eagles, Malawi game

    Rain threatens Eagles, Malawi game

    • Heavy downpour hits Calabar
    • Fans seek divine intervention

    orrential rainfall in Calabar is now a source of concern to football fans ahead of Nigeria’s Super Eagles 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Flames of Malawi on Saturday.
    SportingLife gathered from fans within the Cross River State capital, alongside team officials that the heavy downpour which has prevailed the Canaan City throughout last week and yesterday.
    A resident, who simply identified himself as Asuquo, told SportingLife that the rain which started in the early hours of the day lasted till dawn thereby forcing many people to change their programme for the day.
    ‘’It has been raining in Calabar since last week. Many were forced to stay at home because of the rain. It usually starts early in the morning and falls until evening time.
    ‘’Even when it stops for some time, you think you can rush out to do one or two things; it is a lie. As soon as you come out of your house it starts again. That was the case last week but we thank God that the weather has changed this week except for today (Wednesday) that we are experiencing another one. My prayer is that the rains don’t spoil our fun on Saturday when the Eagles will tackle Malawi,’’ he added.
    Speaking in similar vein, a football fan called James who was among the crowd that witnessed the Wednesday training session at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, prayed to the almighty to allow for a rain-free day on match day.
    “Despite the rains, I was able to come and see the players because of my love for the game. My prayer to God is to please give us a sunny day on Saturday if we must see a full crowd here,” he pleaded.
    Interestingly, it rained for hours on Wednesday morning just as the Eagles settled down to begin preparations for the all important match.
    The rain, which lasted for about five hours nonstop left all the roads leading to Eagles’ Transcorp Hotel flooded.
    However, at about 7.00pm yesterday, 30 minutes after the rains subsided, the heavy floods gave way to free and flow movement of vehicles and persons thanks to the good drainage in the the Cross River capital.

  • EAGLES BONUS ROW PANEL FALLOUT: Nobody contacted me-Enyeama

    EAGLES BONUS ROW PANEL FALLOUT: Nobody contacted me-Enyeama

    • Says, I don’t know what is happening 

    Super Eagles stand-in Captain, Vincent Enyeama has affirmed that he was never contacted by the bonus row panel headed by Segun Adeniyi that allegedly indicted the Lille shot-stopper and some others senior squad members over their role after Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against Namibia’s Brave Warriors in a 2014 World Cup qualifying match in Windhoek.

    Enyeama told SportingLife during Wednesday’s media parley at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar that he was surprised to read some of the comments credited to him by the panel, even as he maintained that he was never invited to the sittings.

    “I never got any invitation from anybody. I will say it now. I have only seen that in the press. I never got a letter of invitation and I never got a phone call to that effect.

    “Nobody has contacted me and nobody has said anything to me. I only read all these things on the pages of newspapers. I don’t know what is really happening and that is the truth.

    “I wonder where all that is coming from,” he queried, even as he insists he prefers to focus on Saturday’s game against Malawi’s Flames.

    On the way forward in resolving the bonus row saga, Enyeama stressed: “Nobody has talked to us and so we don’t even know. We are only reading it in the newspapers. Nobody has told us that our bonus has being reduced and nobody has told us our bonus has been increased. Nobody has told us anything. I personally do not want to jump into any conclusion over things,” he cautioned. The Eagles, it would be recalled, allegedly refused to collect the slashed win bonus of $7,500 each for the win against the Harambee Stars of Kenya and the draw in Namibia after the 2014 World Cup qualifying match. Instead the players allegedly demanded for the full payment of $15,000 which was the payment done before the new order from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the emolument of the Eagles by half.

  • Don’t fumble against Eagles

    Don’t fumble against Eagles

    Tom Saintfiet warns Flames

    Ambitious Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet has warned his side against missing chances in their must win encounter against Super Eagles of Nigeria Saturday in Calabar.

    Saintfiet who did not hide his disappointment after the flames went down 1-0 to the Zebras of Botswana in a friendly played at the National Stadium in Gaborone last night insisted that the flames should have thought the Zebras a bitter lesson if they had made clinical finishing of their chances, especially considering that the flames dominated the encounter. The Flames succumbed to a 61st minute strike by Zebras’ Jerome Ramatlhakwana.

    After dominating the possession in the first half, Malawi were made to chase the shadows in the second half. The Flames made a couple of changes after the break but they could not find the equalizer.

    A visibly restless Saintfiet and his assistant, Patrick Mabedi were at a stage called to order by referee, Joshua Bondo.

    At the end of the game, Saintfiet said, “I’m disappointed to have lost the game because I hate losing. I feel that the goalkeeper (Charles Swini) should have done better to deal with the cross which led to the goal. We played well in the first half but we let Botswana to come at us in the second half.”

    Despite his disappointment however,the Coach identified a few positives ahead of the clash against Stephen Keshi led side.

    “The game against Nigeria is important and I’m happy that the game against Botswana has helped us to prepare because I am seeing some of the players for the first time”

  • Treat Malawi with respect, Amodu tells Eagles

    Treat Malawi with respect, Amodu tells Eagles

    • Warns team on Saintfiet’s antics
    • Urges players to accept $5,000 winning bonus

    The Technical Director of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Shaibu Amodu has warned the Super Eagles to take the Flames of Malawi seriously in Saturday’s make-or-mar 2014 World Cup qualifying game slated for the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

    Amodu, who disclosed this to SportingLife in Abuja yesterday, also urged the players to accept the $5,000 win bonus the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has concluded henceforth to pay.

    “What else do you expect the Malawian coach to say? He will come with his psychological warfare as usual and will try to throw tension into our camp. But I think we have gone past that stage and we should be more mature and experienced to understand that he is just playing mind games.

    “However, we should not take them for granted, anything can happen in football. I cannot see them being a threat if all is well in our camp”, the former Super Eagles gaffer assured.

    The ex-Orlando Pirates Football Club of South Africa coach also appealed to the players of the Super Eagles to reason with the NFF on why it will no longer be able to pay $10,000 as win bonus. He urged them to accept the $5000 which the Glass House has now proposed to pay.

    Amodu opined that it is not professional for footballers to be in the habit of crying over issue of bonuses every time.

    “I would like to beg every one of us who are stakeholders to play down on that, for obvious reasons. All of you know that five thousand dollars is not small money. I am not saying that they cannot go more than that, but if this is the position of the FA for now, since the players are not playing football depending on the bonuses they earn from the national team.

    “I think we should appeal to them to be more mature and to understand the situation, not only for the NFF, even for their own image. It is not good for them to come and be crying over bonuses here,” he said.

    The former Super Eagles gaffer also said that the bonus does not make much difference in the lives of the players.

    “I know for sure that so many of those players get that bonus and they end up sharing it here before they leave. So, it’s not as if that is what they depend on.

    “So, from that premise we can appeal to their inner conscience to say, look, gentlemen for the interest of this country because NFF is not existing as an entity it’s an arm of government, and so by extension they are representing Nigeria. And if the funds available to them can only permit five thousand dollars, we are sure they can improve later if we progress in the competition. For now I think it should not be an issue, we should just plead with the boys to accept it and play for Nigeria as they have always done,” Amodu said.

     

  • Eagles’ camp scanty ahead Malawi clash

    Eagles’ camp scanty ahead Malawi clash

    •Okwosa is Europe’s early bird

    •Others expected Tuesday morning

    •Mba arrived Abuja Monday night

     

    The Super Eagles’ Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar camp was almost empty as at 8pm last night, as only James Okwosa of Chippa United, South Africa had arrived Calabar yesterday morning.

    Other four players that later joined Okwosa are home based and they are: Heartland left back, Benjamin Francis. Chigozie Agbim of Rangers, Sunshine Star right back Solomon Kwambe and Azubuike Egwuekwe of Warri Wolves.

    Chief Coach Stephen Keshi who also arrived Calabar in the company of his assistants Daniel Amokachi, Valere Onduonu and goalkeeper trainer Ike Shorunmu is, however, expecting a full home today.

    Keshi has also fixed full training sessions for tonight when he is so sure that all the invited players would have joined camp.

    Sunday Mba who couldn’t tie down a contract with CA Bastia as a result of disagreement between Warri Wolves’ boss Pinnick Amaju and the French as a result of transfer fee issue arrived Abuja yesterday and will join the Calabar Camp this morning.

  • EAGLES/FLAMES CLASH: No automatic shirts for home-based, says Keshi

    EAGLES/FLAMES CLASH: No automatic shirts for home-based, says Keshi

    The national team coach is making final arrangements for the camping of the squad ahead of their crunch qualifier against Malawi in Calabar next week.

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was in Abuja on Thursday to finalise the arrangements for the Super Eagles’ crunch 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Flames of Malawi on September 7th.

    Goal tried to scoop from the coach the likely home based players that would make the 23-man list which he has submitted to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but not yet released by the NFF.

    “There is no automatic shirt for the home lads,” Keshi told Goal. “All of them have to fight for the five slots I allocated to them and I don’t know what you mean by the regular five home-based Eagles players. When we start training we will know who is who.”

    He also confirmed to Goal that he was fully aware of midfielder Sunday Mba’s trip to France to join AC Bastia. He disagreed with reports that stated the midfielder went on trials at the club.

    “Sunday Mba is in France to team up with a top division side. He did not travel to undergo trials but to join the team as well as finalise the contractual terms involving his transfer to the club,” Keshi said.

    Nigeria need at least a draw against Malawi to qualify for the final play-off stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

  • Eagles vs Malawi: Kwambe in for injured Ogude

    Eagles vs Malawi: Kwambe in for injured Ogude

    Sunshine Stars defender Solomon Kwambe will replace injured Norway-based Fegor Ogude for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Malawi.

    The African champions lead the group on nine points from five matches and will need only to avoid defeat against second-placed Malawi next Saturday at home in Calabar to advance to the final round of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Malawi are on seven points, while Namibia have five points and Kenya are bottom with three points.

    Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi specially told MTNFootball.com that Fegor is out of the Calabar clash and he will be replaced by Kwambe.

    “Fegor is ruled out of the game against Malawi. We were thinking that by now the injury which he sustained in South Africa would have healed, but unfortunately it hasn’t. Sunshine Stars Solomon Kwambe has been drafted as a replacement for Fegor ahead of the Malawi game,” Keshi told MTNFootball.com.

    The inclusion of Kwambe takes the number of home-based players in the squad for the Malawi game to four following Godfrey Oboabona’s move to Turkey.

    The players from the domestic league are goal keeper Chigozie Agbim, Azubike Egwuekwe, Sunday Mba and Solomon Kwambe.

    “You have all the names of the home-based players already, just add it to the invited foreign-based with the exemption of Fegor and you have my list for the Malawi game,” Keshi said when asked about his final squad.

    Keshi had earlier called up a bogus 42-man list made up of 18 Europe-based stars and 24 from the home league. That means Chelsea stars Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and France-based goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama will be available for this qualifier.

    The Eagles training camp will open on Monday in Calabar.

  • World Cup qualifier: Eagles’ camp now opens Sept. 2

    World Cup qualifier: Eagles’ camp now opens Sept. 2

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles will now converge on Calabar on September 2 ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Malawi.

    Head coach Stephen Keshi had initially named a 42-string squad, with 24 players from the domestic league who were scheduled to report for training camp on August 24.

    But a frugal NFF ordered the coach to focus on the immediate task at hand and cut his squad to the 23 he needs for the game.

    All the players will now report on the new date in Calabar.

    “What do you want me to say,” Keshi told KickOffNigeria.com when asked if the directive would have an adverse effect on his training programmes. “They say they don’t want us to camp, so we will not have a camp.”

    The Super Eagles play Malawi on September 7 needing just a point to progress to the final stage of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, and Keshi insists that there is no reason to worry.

    “As long as we play our game and do the things we have been working on in practice, we will come out on top.”

  • Calabar safe for Eagles/Flames tie

    Calabar safe for Eagles/Flames tie

    • Malawi FA awaits NFF’s clarifi

    FIFA has assured Malawi’s Flames of safety at Nigeria’s U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, during the September 7, 2013 World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles.

    Football Association of Malawi (FAM) chief executive officer, Suzgo Nyirenda on Thursday confirmed that FIFA responded to the local association’s letter in which it raised concerns over security in Calabar and asked for a change of venue to either Abuja or a neighbouring country.

    “In the letter, FIFA admits that our concerns are genuine. It is not like we said we do not want to travel to Nigeria. We are just waiting for the Nigeria Football Federation to provide us the guarantee. Once they do that, we will travel to Nigeria,” Nyirenda explained on Thursday.

    On Monday last week, FIFA wrote to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) seeking assurance over the security of the Flames during the Group F qualifier.

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