The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • Eagles invitee Ogu to give everything

    Eagles invitee Ogu to give everything

    Portugal-based John Ogu has told MTNFootball.com he will justify his call to feature for the Eagles in a World Cup qualifier against Kenya. Ogu, whose role models are Mikel Obi and Yaya Toure, has talked about his career Academica de Coimbra and his expectations.

    MTNFootball.com:

    Who did you first talk to after you received your Super Eagles invitation?

    John Ogu: My family.

    How did you feel when the news first reached you that you have been called up?

    I was very happy, it was a dream come true for me because it has been my ambition since I started playing football to represent my country.

    Now that you have the call-up, what should be expected of you in Eagles?

    I am going there to do my very best to help my country do well. I will give everything.

    Do you think you have all it takes to lay a claim to a shirt in the Eagles looking at the quality in the current team?

    All I can say is that I am going to do my best whenever I am given a chance. We’ve got qualities in the team already, so I am going to give my best whenever I am called upon.

     Who is your role model?

    Mikel Obi is my role model and I also admire Yaya Toure.

    How was your time at Almeria in Spain?

    My period at Almeria is something I would wish to forget because I had some issues there and was also injured while there.

    Which role do you prefer to play on the pitch?

    I am okay at anywhere the coach wants me to play in the midfield, but I will prefer a role where I get to see the ball a lot.

    Talking about your football career, which clubs did you feature for in Nigeria?

    I didn’t played for any professional club in Nigeria. I started with an academy called Starlet FC, then to Flying Sports Academy from where I moved to Europe.

    How would you describe your time at Academica de Coimbra so far?

    My experience so far at Coimbra has been fine, but not yet as I planned because I still need to do more. I need to pay back Coimbra’s confidence in me with what I do in every game.

    What has playing in the UEFA Europa League done for your career?

    It has opened doors for me as a player. It was a new challenge on a different level.

    What has been the highlight of your promising career thus far?

    I experienced a great time in Slovenia, where I started out and also in Portugal, where I started with Leiria, Academica will be great. This is my first season at Academica, so I’m just a year old in Portugal.

  • Siasia contacted for Nigeria Olympic Eagles

    Siasia contacted for Nigeria Olympic Eagles

    Ex-Nigeria coach Samson Siasia has been asked to take charge of the country’s Olympic team, MTNFootball.com can exclusively reveal.

    Siasia was fired in October 2011 after he failed to qualify Nigeria to the 2012 Africa cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

    He has since this dismissal not worked even though he has been linked with various coaching jobs, from India to Kenya.

    “We have contacted Siasia for the vacant U23 job but he is yet to get back to us. He was on holidays in the US but we hear he is back so we will be expecting his response because we want to start early so as to avoid the pain of 2011,” a top NFF official stated.

    Siasia led Nigeria to the final of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, where they lost by the odd goal to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina.

    Austin Eguavoen resigned his post as coach of the Nigeria U23s after he failed to qualify the team for the All Africa Games and the London 2012 Olympics.

     

  • I danced ‘Azonto’ when Eagles won Afcon – Babatunde

    I danced ‘Azonto’ when Eagles won Afcon – Babatunde

    Cherishes playing alongside Ideye, Omeruo, Onazi in Eagles

     

    Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih attacking midfielder Michael Babatunde has told SportingLife he is already in high heavens after hearing the news of his call to the Super Eagles for the 2014 World Cup qualifying match against the Harambee Stars of Kenya slated for the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar on March 23rd, 2013.

    “When I heard the news of my call-up I was surprised and started shouting and praising God and Coach Stephen Keshi for giving me this very rare opportunity to exhibit my God given football talent. I am not the only good player in Nigeria but the coach just gave me this wonderful opportunity to come and prove my worth in the team. I can assure you that I won’t disappoint him,” Babatunde popularly known as Little Messi in the Ukrainian Premier League told SportingLife from his base in Ukraine.

    He also vowed to settle in quickly in the team like his friends Brown Ideye, Kenneth Omeruo and Onazi Ogenyi.

    “What makes me happy is the fact that I have friends in the team which help me a lot to settle down quickly. I played alongside Omeruo and Onazi in the Golden Eaglets of 2009 and Brown Ideye is my very close friend in Ukraine. These three players have already assured me that they will help me in all the way they can to make me enjoy the team.

    “I was also informed about the fatherly nature of the Chief Coach and other coaches in the team who are my fathers and I believe I won’t disappoint them. The senior players in the team I was told are great people from the skipper and this will definitely make me comfortable in the team,” Babatunde disclosed.

    The player who has since returned to the first team of Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih after an injury scare has posted series of impressive performances in the club since his full recovery and has promised to show Kenya the stuff he is made of when the Eagles confront Kenya in the match slated for Calabar in a fortnight.

    “Kenya won’t stop us in Calabar by the grace of God. The team is capable of doing Nigeria proud like we did in South Africa recently. I was a proud Nigerian in far away Turkey where we were doing our (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih) pre-season. Every time we won a match in South Africa come and see me dancing ‘Azonto’ to the admiration of my teammates who watched me with awe and jealousy. I was a proud Nigerian in Turkey then,” the former Heartland Football Club of Owerri star disclosed.

  • Eagles surprise call-ups hope to shine

    urprise Eagles invitees John Ogu and Michael Babatunde have told MTNFootball.com they hope to justify their call-ups.

    Academica de Coimbra of Portugal midfielder Ogu and Krybass of Ukraine winger Babatunde said they will give their best to feature for the African champions in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at home to Kenya on March 23.

    “I am excited and thrilled with the call up to represent Nigeria. I feel blessed and honoured to serve my country. I am ready to give my best for the National team,” Ogu told MTNFootball.com

    Babatunde described his invitation to the Super Eagles as a dream come true.

    “I waited for a day like this in my career. I am so happy for the invitation. In short, it’s a dream come true for me,” said the winger. The player, whose mazy dribble runs have been compared to that of Lionel Messi, said he hopes to be at his best so as to win the heart of the Eagles coaches.

    “I know the competition in the Eagles is very high right now but I will fight to win the heart of the coaches and Nigerians by giving by best,” he offered.

    Babatunde last featured for Nigeria at the CAF U23 Championship in Morocco in November 2011.

  • Mba pleased to return to Eagles fold

    Mba pleased to return to Eagles fold

    Attacking midfielder, Sunday Mba has voiced his happiness following his invitation to the Nigerian squad to face Kenya on March 23.

    Head coach of the Nigerian national team, Stephen Keshi released a list of 24 players for this month’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Kenya’s Harambee Stars.

    Twenty-three of the invited players are from clubs competing in the nation’s top flight, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), while one of the invited players is from second tier, Nigeria National League (NNL) club, Ranchers Bees of Kaduna.

    The surprise inclusion in the side is former Under-17 and 23 team goalkeeper, Dele Ajiboye who is now in line to earn his first senior cap and defender, Chibuzor Okonkwo who has not played for the Super Eagles following the sack of former head coach, Samson Siasia.

    Mba was quick to express his happiness at receiving yet another call-up to the national team.

    “I am just hearing this from you because I am just coming back from training.

    I am so overjoyed and as always I will give my hundred percent and pray that I get selected in the final team,” Mba told supersport.com.

    The attacking midfielder has been the subject of a bitter dispute between NPFL sides, Enugu Rangers and Warri Wolves as regards which of the two clubs own him but he says that has not affected him mentally.

    “Of course I am aware of what has been happening but I cannot allow that to affect me because I am a proper professional,” said Mba.

     

     

     

  • Kenya begins training for Eagles clash

    Kenya begins training for Eagles clash

    • Amrouche meets with players officially 

     

    Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche started work officially yesterday with locally based players at the Moi International Sports Centre to prepare the team ahead of 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles of Nigeria slated for U.J Esuene on March 23.

    Amrouche, who was unveiled three weeks ago, has named a 27- home based squad last week for the tie and they had their first training session under the French man Tuesday afternoon.

    Among the surprise call-ups to the team is teenage striker Michael Olunga, whom Amrouche described as a talented player who needs a chance to prove himself at the national team level.

    “I have watched his performance for the last two years when he was still a student at Upper Hill. He is a talented player and needs to be exposed at this level,” said Amrouche.

    The coach explained that he has recalled AFC Leopards striker Allan Wanga to give the player another chance in the national team.

    “He has been here before and he did very well. I want to look at him again and that is why I have given him another chance in the team,” added Amrouche.

    Also recalled into the side that brings together the entire squad that travelled to Tunisia for the international friendly against Libya, is Gor Mahia defender Edwin Wafula and Sofapaka’s Eugine Asike.

    Having been in Kenya for more than one month, the coach insisted there is still a lot of work to be done in rebuilding the national team to the required standards.

    “I like what I have seen so far having watched a few league matches in the country but my overall perception is that the team needs a lot of work to be done before achieving the required standards and this is what we will focus on,” he said.

    Amrouche further said the team is motivated to play Nigeria especially after the Super Eagles won last month’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy in South Africa.

    The coach has already proved his seriousness in regard to the Nigeria match by insisting on proper preparations ahead of the fixture.

    Part of the preparations include a two-week acclimatisation camp in Ivory Coast on their way to Lagos.

    The local based players called to camp will train twice a day for the next two weeks breaking over the weekends to allow players join their teams for the weekend Kenyan Premier League (KPL) matches.

  • Eagles’ list out in 24 hours

    Eagles’ list out in 24 hours

    Coach Stephen Keshi will be making public the list of players to be invited for the March 23, 2013 World Cup qualifying duel against the Harambe Stars of Kenya in a ‘short while’, Media officer to the National team Ben Alaiya has hinted.

    Alaiya on Monday told Lagos Sports radio station Brila FM that the Big Boss would make his list public in the next 24 hours.

    “The list of players to be invited for the game with Kenay will be out in the next 24 hours,” Alaiya stated.

    “Like we have always done, the home-based professionals will hit camp first before their foreign counterparts join them to round off preparations, the Eagles spokesman added.

    Already there have been insinuations in different quarters on who and who will make Keshi’s list as he steps out for his first assignment after the Africa Cup of Nations success in South Africa where Nigeria finished tops to win her third AFCON trophy.

  • Eagles need N100m for Kenya clash

    Eagles need N100m for Kenya clash

    Nigeria need over 100 million Naira (more than $600,000) for a 2014 World Cup qualifier at home to Kenya on March 23.

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) general secretary Musa Amadu told MTNFootball.com: “It would cost us well over a hundred million to prosecute the game.

    “These are not the best of times cash wise for the Federation but we are not relenting in ensuring that all goes well with the Nigeria Kenya WC qualifier.

    “We are confident the money would come.”

    On the unpaid AFCON bonus of over $1 million, Musa assured that it would be paid but no time frame was given.

    “We would pay the bonuses very soon at least before the Eagles next game,” he said.

    “It’s not in our character to owe but these are difficult times for the federation cash wise.”

    NFF board member and head of finance committee Shehu Adamu has said the National Sports Commission is aware of their financial plight.

    “We are waiting for the funds from NSC so we could start preparations for the Kenya match. The minister who is in charge of the ministry is aware of our programme and I am sure he will release the funds soon,” Adamu said.

    “We have done the right thing and we expect the commission to do same so we could put something in place for our match against Kenya.”

  • All hail King Eagles

    All hail King Eagles

    SIR: As we bask in the euphoria of the heroic victory of the Super Eagles in the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, it is important that we spare sometime to distil and reflect on the lessons inherent in the entire episode particularly the resilience of Coach Steven Keshi and his faithful soccer ambassadors.

    Interestingly, the Super Eagles and their handlers we celebrate and eulogize today were yesterday caricatured, derided and called names. Nobody gave them an outside chance of even qualifying from their group let alone winning the cup. They were harangued and variously described as “Super Chickens”, “Fatherless Eagles” and “Wingless Eagles” etc.

    Thank you King Eagles for freeing us from the suffocating grip of negativism and cynicism. We are really grateful to you for a gift so precious, something to love and cherish and something different from the misery and despair we feel from the daily dose of stolen billions, armed robberies, kidnapping and other myriad of social malaise.

    What is more, you and your dedicated handlers refused to be detracted by the barbed and irritating criticisms of pundits and analysts. Rather, these criticisms fired your spirit which has produced the result and handsome dividend we are celebrating today.

    For the Super Eagles it has been a triumph of determination over cynicism. While the rest of us wallowed in despair, the King Eagles and their handlers waxed stronger in faith and spirit. Their avowed intent was to win the African Cup. Happily, they have achieved their supreme objective and nobody can deny them the glory which richly belongs to them and by extension, to all Nigerians both detractors and supporters.

    What is really important now is for all of us to emulate the worthy examples of our glorious soccer ambassadors. This is reminiscent of John Kennedy’s inaugural address as President of the United States in which he passionately enjoined his people not to think of what America can do for them but what they can do for their country.

    It is important also to stress that people imbued with sense of character like Steve Keshi has demonstrated, are like possessed creatures, men and women in the thrall of belief so powerful that they ignore all else including criticisms however barbed and discouraging. This is similitude of what Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world”. Yes indeed!

    Our newly crowned kings of African soccer have shown the way. All we need do now is to fall in step to move Nigeria forward. Nigeria has what it takes to be a great, prosperous, peaceful and a happy nation.

    • Chief (Hon) David Attah,

    david.attah@yahoo.com

  • All for Super Eagles and Keshi

    All for Super Eagles and Keshi

    When Stephen Oke-chukwu Keshi said in January that ‘’white coaches are not doing anything that we (blacks) cannot do’’, some people thought he was a joker.

    In support of the above, Clemens Westerhof, the Dutch coach who won the Nations Cup for Nigeria in 1994 and qualified Nigeria for its first ever World Cup finals in USA ’94 and the man who made Nigeria the best football country in Africa before the plunge started when he left, spoke thus, ‘’I will send my regards and tell him how happy and excited I am that he is in the final of Africa Cup of Nations. When they appointed him, I told Nigerians to support him. As a player, Keshi had leadership abilities. When I was leaving Nigeria, I told him to get ready to take over.’’

    Keshi, the Illah (Anioma) Delta State-born saw his new appointment as a greater challenge to affect the Nigerian society more positively; he remained focused and eventually led the Super Eagles to victory.

    Immediately the tournament took off, when the Super Eagles were not exhibiting professionalism and excellence, many Nigerians started calling for the immediate removal of the coach, which was too early and had no foundation in reality. It is a truism and abundantly clear that through patience, Super Eagles’ victory has brought another good luck to all Nigerians.

    To this end, therefore, one can proudly and happily say that Keshi is vibrant, focused and result-oriented in piloting the affairs of the team.

    For the coach, permit me to quote the words of John Quincy Adams: ‘’If your actions inspire you to dream more, do more and become more, you are a leader.’’ No doubt, Stephen is a designer with a relentless appetite for excellence. He is what he repeatedly does. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit. Like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (of blessed memory), Stephen Keshi believes in the dissemination of light to the Super Eagles, leaving them to find their way to victory.

    Keshi has got a beautiful playing and coaching career, he was captain of the squad for the 1994 FIFA World cup and played in five different Africa Nations Cup tournaments. His last club was Perlis FA in Malaysia. In 2000, a testimonial match was arranged for him in Lagos.

    As part of his efforts to always demonstrating ability, agility, and professionalism, between 2004 and 2006 Keshi coached the Togo national football team, unexpectedly bringing them to their first World Cup tournament, Germany 2006. Having secured Togo’s unlikely qualification, he was promptly replaced by a German coach, Otto Pfister prior to the finals, after Togo showed a dismal performance and failed to advance to the knock-out stage in 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

    Whatever the case may be, Pfister did not last beyond a controversial World Cup campaign that nearly resulted in a players’ strike over pay and Togo remained without a manager until February 2007 when the Togolese government re-engaged Keshi in time for a friendly match against Cameroun.

    Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has got many awards, notably among them, Africa Nations Cup (ANC) 1994 (with Nigeria); West African Club Championship, 1983, 1984 (with new Nigeria Bank FC); Coupe Houphoet Boigny, 1985, 1986 (with Stade of Abidjan); Cote d’Ivoire premier division 1986 (with Africa Sports); Jupiler League 1991 (with Anderlecht); and Belgian Cup 1988, 1989 (with Anderlecht).

    Finally, for us to continue to perform well in all areas in Nigeria, we must not be ethnic-conscious and indulge in all manners of cutting corners to make money at the expense of the country. Kudos to Stephen Okechukwu Keshi for bearing this in mind and leading Super Eagles to victory.

    • Charles Ikedikwa Soeze,

    Effurun, Delta State.