The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eagles

  • Eagles will miss Martins, says Babangida

    Eagles will miss Martins, says Babangida

    FORMER Nigeria World Cup star Tijjani Babangida has stated the country will miss the goals and experience of Obafemi Martins at the AFCON.

    Martins, Osaze Odemwingie and Taye Taiwo were the notable names not on the Eagles’ preliminary 32-man squad for a training camp in Portugal ahead of next month’s Nations Cup.

    The Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist told MTNFootball.com that even though Stephen Keshi is in charge of the team and has the final say on his team, he still believes Levante striker Martins should have been considered for the Nations Cup.

    “Obafemi Martins should have been included in the team because he has been scoring goals in Spain almost every weekend,” Babangida argued.

    “Though Keshi should be allowed to pick his team, Martins’ experience and goals would have helped the team in South Africa.

    “At the 1998 World Cup in France, the late Rashidi Yekini was included in the team because of his wealth of experience if things didn’t go well with Victor(Ikpeba) and the others.”

    Babangida also made a case for the inclusion of Sivasspor of Turkey striker Michael Eneramo on the provisional squad.

    “I was equally surprised Eneramo was not considered at all since Keshi took over despite his exploits in Turkey,” he told MTNFootball.com

  • Eagles will miss Martins at AFCON – Babangida

    Eagles will miss Martins at AFCON – Babangida

    Former Nigeria World Cup star Tijjani Babangida has stated the country will miss the goals and experience of Obafemi Martins at the African Cup of Nations.

    Martins, Osaze Odemwingie and Taye Taiwo were the notable names omitted from the Eagles preliminary 32-man squad for a training camp in Portugal ahead of next month’s Nations Cup.

    The Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist told MTNFootball.com that even though Stephen Keshi is in charge of the team and has the final say on his team, he still believes the Levante striker should have been considered for the continent’s premier soccer tournament.

    “Obafemi Martins should have been included in the team because he has been scoring goals in Spain almost every weekend.

    “Though Keshi should be allowed to pick his team, Martins’ experience and goals would have helped the team in South Africa.

    “At the 1998 World Cup in France, the late Rashidi Yekini was included in the team because of his wealth of experience if things didn’t go well with Victor (Ikpeba) and the others,” MTNFootball.com quoted the ex-Ajax Amsterdam star as saying in the interview.

    Babangida also made a case for the inclusion of Sivasspor of Turkey striker Michael Eneramo on the provisional squad.

    “I was equally surprised Eneramo was not considered at all since Keshi took over despite his exploits in Turkey,” he told MTNFootball.com.

     

  • JANUARY 9 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Eagles, Cape Verde warm-up sealed

    JANUARY 9 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Eagles, Cape Verde warm-up sealed

    NIGERIA have finalised plans for an AFCON warm-up with surprise 2013 finalists Cape Verde on January 9 in Portugal, officials said.

    “The match will be played the same day coach Stephen Keshi will announce his final 23-man squad for the Nations Cup,” disclosed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) spokesman Ademola Olajire. It will be the first such clash between the two countries. Cape Verde shocked out mighty Cameroon to qualify for their first-ever AFCON. The Eagles other test game will be against Catalonia on January 2 in Spain.

    Following Keshi’s meeting with the NFF technical committee, chairman Chris Green said that nine players from the Nigeria Premier League will travel to Portugal to be joined by 10 overseas-based professionals for the clash with Catalonia.

    Officials said they are hopeful that the rest of foreign-based call-ups will join the squad latest January 4.

  • MINISTER TO STORM FARO FOR EAGLES

    MINISTER TO STORM FARO FOR EAGLES

    THE MINISTER for Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi has promised to be in Faro, Portugal, when the Eagles open camp for the Nations Cup, to offer his support to the team ahead of the championship. The Minister, who visited the players in camp on Saturday, also declared that he has absolute confidence in the ability of the team to represent Nigeria creditably at the tournament.

    NFF President, Maigari, who accompanied the Minister spoke in the same vein, but was more emphatic as he declared that he has total confidence that all things being equal, the Super Eagles will emerge champions when hostilities cease at South Africa 2013.

    Head Coach Stephen Keshi thanked the Minister for the visit and said he would be welcomed in Faro, Portugal, promising that the team will not let the nation down during the Nations Cup. Home Eagles Skipper, Chigozie Agbim, said the Minister’s visit was a morale booster, while winger Ejike Uzoenyi said such visit will help the team prepare hard for the Nations Cup championship.

  • KESHI BEGS NIGERIANS Don’t distract Eagles

    KESHI BEGS NIGERIANS Don’t distract Eagles

    • Galadima calls for prayers  

    • Fegor sparkles in training 

    Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has declared that the team has reached a crucial bend in the preparations for the Nations Cup championship in South Africa next year and pleaded with Nigerians not to distract the team from focusing on set goals.

    Speaking at the team’s Bolton White Apartment abode, Keshi said he was not averse to critics of the team but cautioned against those who are hell bent on distracting the team. “The entire team needs absolute concentration but everyday there are reports about divisions in the team and several other negative stories and that are not good for the type of team we want to build for the Nations Cup.”

    He declared that he has received 100 per cent support from the Aminu Miagari-led NFF Executive Committee and hopes that it will continue all the way to the Nations Cup championship.

    Meanwhile, former NFA Chairman Ibrahim Galadima, has called on all Nigerians to join him in praying for the team’s success in South Africa. “The team has done well so far and we should help Keshi by praying for the team. I have already started praying for the team and I hope the rest of the Nigerian football public will do same”, he said from his Kano base.

    In another development, the only foreign based player that has so far been invited, Fegor Ogude of Velaranga of Norway breezed into camp Monday night and by Tuesday morning was in full flight during the team’s training. Fegor said he was in camp to meet with his teammates and hopes he can pick a shirt for the Nations Cup proper in South Africa.

  • Kalaba resumes training for Eagles

    Kalaba resumes training for Eagles

    ZAMBIAN player Rainford Kalaba has started his intense training to face the Super Eagles at the 2013 edition of the African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    The 2012 African Player of the Year contender Rainford Kalaba was confirmed to have resumed training according to the official website of their Zambian Football Association, fazfootball.com.

    The 2012 AFCON winner was initially almost ruled out of the competition due to injuries but he seems to be making a steady comeback as he intensifies preparations to get fit enough to help his team to another Nations Cup Glory.

    Zambia are preparing to defend their title at the competition and are also mapping out their strategies to ensure victory in spite of the presence of the Super Eagles in South Africa.

    Kalaba feel admitted that it feels great to be back as he is doing everything to ensure he eventually makes the team that will confront the likes of the Super Eagles.

    “I’m happy to be back. I’ve been training hard and I hope the Coach gives the opportunity to face great countries like Nigeria at the competition, said the 26 year-old midfielder.”

    Zambia have been grouped alongside two time AFCON champions Nigeria, Ethiopia and host of the 1998 AFCON tournament Burkina Faso.

  • NFF BACKS SAND EAGLES

    NFF BACKS SAND EAGLES

    THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is optimistic that the Supersand Eagles would defend their title at the second edition of the Copa Lagos Beach Soccer Championship.

    The Nigerian side laboured in their first game beating the Cedars of Lebanon 7-6 at the Eko Atlantic Beach Soccer Stadium on Friday.

    NFF president, Aminu Maigari, who watched the game from the stands on Friday, believes that the Supersand Eagles will improve their games against their next two foes.

    “Yes, the game against Lebanon was a tough game in which it was at the last minute we won the game. No cause for alarm, because I believe that the Supersand Eagles will give Nigerians a Christmas gift by winning the championship,” Maigari said.

  • Martins gets Eagles’ second chance

    Martins gets Eagles’ second chance

    Top officials have revealed striker Obafemi Martins has played his way back into the Eagles with his goals in the Spanish La Liga.

    Martins, who played his first Eagles game under coach Stephen Keshi in last month’s friendly against Venezuela, was widely speculated to have missed out on the AFCON on the back of an indifferent showing against Venezuela.

    “We know he didn’t have the best of outings against Venezuela, but since after that game he has proved that he still has that killer instinct in front of goal with goals for Levante. He is therefore very much part of Keshi’s plans for the AFCON,” a top team official informed MTNFootball.com.

    At the weekend, ‘Obagoal’ strengthened his claim for a place on the Eagles squad when he netted his sixth goal for Levante. He has also provided six assists as his club climb up the standings.

    This is a sharp departure from a few months ago when Martins’ first-team appearances for Russian club Rubin Kazan were limited due to loss of form and injuries. However, the top team official maintained no player, whether based at home or abroad, is guaranteed an automatic shirt to next year’s Nations Cup.

    “For the records, no player whether at home or abroad is guaranteed a shirt. They must prove themselves as we begin camping next week,” he warned.

  • CATALONIA FRIENDLY Eagles hit Faro Dec. 27

    CATALONIA FRIENDLY Eagles hit Faro Dec. 27

    Nigeria will depart for an AFCON training camp in Faro, Portugal, on December 27, officials have announced.

    The Eagles are expected to resume camp in Abuja on December 17 with players from the home league.

    “The home boys would be in camp from December 17 with the successful players heading to Faro, Portugal on December 27 in preparation for the Catalonia friendly on January 2,” disclosed spokesman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire.

    “The foreign-based stars are to begin arriving on January 4 to allow the coach beat the January 9 deadline of submission of squads for the tournament.”

    Olajire told MTNFootball.com that coach Stephen Keshi is expected to return to the country this weekend.

    “Coach Stephen Keshi is expected to return to the country this weekend and back to Abuja on Monday after which he should make his home-based list public,” he said.

     

  • EAGLES COACHING JOB Siasia blasts NFF

    EAGLES COACHING JOB Siasia blasts NFF

    •Faults Glasshouse on Keshi’s deal too
    •To seek legal advice in future

    FORMER Nigeria international, Samson Siasia, has exclusively told supersport.com that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) never wanted him as head coach of the Super Eagles.

    Siasia coached the Nigeria national team between 2010 and 2011 but was sacked following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

    With his successor, Stephen Keshi successfully steering the Super Eagles to a place at the 2013 finals in South Africa, Siasia has now revealed that he lived on borrowed time as Nigeria head coach.

    “These guys (at the NFF) never wanted me. It was the Nigerian public that actually wanted me to coach the Super Eagles. What the NFF did was to invite a lawyer from the United States during the signing of my contract. It was like a set-up and I ended up signing a bad contract,” Siasia told supersport.com.

    Siasia said “several things happened” which prevented him from delivering the 2012 Afcon ticket to Nigerians.

    “I wanted to get that ticket for Nigerians but several things happened and I failed. But in life you have to learn from your mistakes and I have learnt,” he said.

    The former Nantes striker then took the time to voice his sentiments about a proposed return to the national team as coach.

    “When I come back again as coach of the Super Eagles, I will not make the mistakes I made earlier. I will get a lawyer to look at the contract. They will advise me on what to do.

    “(Present Nigeria coach), Stephen Keshi has the same contract and it is sad. It is sad because if (the NFF) continues to fire coaches at will, when are we going to have a coach that will stay for a very long time to build a good team?

    “That’s why Nigeria continues to fail at international level,” he concluded.