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Tag: Emmanuel Amuneke

  • AFCON: Amuneke says Africa not developing its coaches

    AFCON: Amuneke says Africa not developing its coaches

    DR Congo and Senegal will be the only AFCON 2017 quarterfinalists led by a local coaches and Nigerian coach Emmanuel Amuneke said it is because African countries have failed to develop and encourage their own coaches.

    The six other quarterfinalists at Gabon 2017 are headed by foreign coaches  Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Tunisia and Cameroon.

    Former African footballer of the year Amuneke is presently in Qatar working as a television pundit on the AFCON in Gabon.

    He has charged African countries to try and look inwards for coaches to guide their national teams.

    “It’s not about who the coaches are, their colour of skin or what. It does not matter where the coach comes from. He won’t take the glory of his team’s success to his native country,” said the former FC Barcelona winger.

    “But then, have we made any conscious effort to develop our own coaches?

    “Do we repose confidence in our own coaches? Have we tried to support them as should be expected?

    “(In Nigeria) We have the National Institute for Sports (NIS), where coaches are supposed to be trained, but what is the present condition of the institute?

    “We know of a fact that we have sound, knowledgeable people like Adegboye Onigbinde, Kashimawo Laloko and James Peters.  These are institutions of the game on their own merits, but are we making the best use of them?”

  • Siasia appointed new Super Eagles coach

    Siasia appointed new Super Eagles coach

    The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) on Friday  appointed Samson Siasia as new head coach of the Super Eagles.

    The NFF made the announcement at the end of the federation’s technical committee meeting on Friday.

    Siasia’s appointment followed the resignation of Sunday Oliseh as Eagles coach  on Friday morning.

    A statement on NFF website said Siasia will be assisted by Salisu Yusuf and Emmanuel Amuneke.

  • Green charges Amuneke to win U-20 World Cup

    Green charges Amuneke to win U-20 World Cup

    The Nigeria Football Federation technical committee chairman, Chris Green, has charged Emmanuel Amuneke to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup with the Flying Eagles and land the Super Eagles job.

    Nigeria is yet to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup despite coming close in 1989 and 2005.

    Green said the ex-Barcelona winger could stake a strong claim for the Super Eagles job if he succeeds with the Flying Eagles next year.

    “He has already won the FIFA U-17 World Cup and has now been taken up to the U-20s with his boys. And should he now deliver again, he could take over the U-23s or even the Super Eagles,” africanFootball.com quoted the NFF technical chief as saying on the ex-Nigerian international winger.

     

  • NFF sacks Babangida, names Amuneke as Flying Eagles coach

    NFF sacks Babangida, names Amuneke as Flying Eagles coach

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has sacked Tijani Babangida, Personal Assistant to Sunday Oliseh, the Super Eagles Head Coach.

    This is stated in a communiqué  at the end of the  meeting of the NFF Executive Committee issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Ademola Olajire, the NFF Assistant Director of Communications.

    It said the disengagement of Babangida followed recommendation of the NFF Technical and Development Committee which was unanimously approved.

    The board, therefore, mandated the General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, to follow the due process in effecting the disengagement.

    Similarly, the NFF executive committee endorsed the recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee for the appointment of erstwhile Golden Eaglets’ Coach Emmanuel Amuneke, as Head Coach of the Flying Eagles.

    The communiqué said Kabiru Baleria and Emeka Amadi had been appointed as Assistant Coach and Goalkeeper Trainer respectively.

    NFF also approved the recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee that the backroom staff of the various National Teams be reconstituted immediately, with the exception of the Super Eagles.

    “With its determination to find a holistic solution to the dwindling fortunes of the Senior Women National Team, Falcons, committee approved the recommendation of the Technical Committee for the appointment of expatriate coach.

    “The expatriate coach will be assisted by former Super Falcons’ Captains, Florence Omagbemi, Perpetua Nkwocha and Ann Chiejine, with Bala Mohammed as Goalkeeper Trainer.

    “Omagbemi will head the crew in acting capacity in the meantime.

    “The Executive Committee also approved a recommendation by the Technical Committee for processes to be put in place for the training, grading and certification of all categories of football coaches in Nigeria.

    “The programme, which would be run in conjunction with a consultant to be approved by the Executive Committee, will commence once approval is secured from the Confederation of African Football’’, it said.

    It further stated that henceforth, Super Eagles Coach Sunday Oliseh must report to the NFF General Secretary and the Technical and Development Committee.

    The communiqué also said that Oliseh should be ready to defend his entire programme before the committee including invitation of players and training programmes at all times.

    “Executive Committee reviewed the outing of the Super Eagles at the recently-concluded 4th Championship of African Nations and the events that followed.
    “The committee rebuked Oliseh for his unwarranted statements unbecoming of a National Team Coach.

    “His outburst in both regular and social media was unnecessary, However, we acknowledge his apology but the executive committee will not tolerate similar infractions in future.

    “The committee approved a recommendation by the NFF Referees Committee for the introduction of Referee Assessor for matches of the Nigeria National League from 2016 season.

    “The executive committee constituted ad-hoc committees to study and compose governance structures for Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League, Nationwide League One, and report back to the committee within four weeks.’’

    It listed the committees as composed to include Nigeria National League to be chaired by Seyi Akinwunmi, while the Nigeria Women Football League would be chaired by Alhaji Babagana Kalli.

    Nationwide League One ad-hoc committee would have Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau as its Chairman.

  • NFF to retain Amuneke as Eaglets coach

    NFF to retain Amuneke as Eaglets coach

    Golden Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, will retain his position as the cadet team coach irrespective of what happened in Sunday’s final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, a top Nigeria Football Federation official has said.

    Nigeria plays African champions Mali in Sunday’s title decider in Santiago, Chile.

    Previous Eaglet coaches have often been automatically promoted to the Flying Eagles, but with disappointing results, africanFootball.com says.

    John Obuh was elevated to the Flying Eagles after he guided the country to the final of the 2009 U-17 World Cup, which incidentally Nigeria hosted.

    He subsequently reached the last eight of the U-20 World Cup in 2011, before he crashed out in the Round of 16 two years later.

    Manu Garba won the U-17 World Cup in style in 2013, but he could only lead the Flying Eagles to the Round of 16 at this year’s U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

    The records of Obuh and Manu are insignificant for a country with two silver medals and one bronze at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

    “It is expected that the (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, will announce Amuneke will stay on as U-17 coach so as to build on the experience and gains of his first stint as head coach.

    The arrangement of automatically promoting a coach from U-17 to U-20 has not worked because we are talking of two different levels of the game,” the official told africanFootball.com.

    “Take the example of Mexico. The coach who led them to the final two years ago in Abu Dhabi is the same man that guided them to the semi-finals in Chile. There are many such examples.”

  • U-17 World Cup: Chile’s clash will be tough – Amuneke

    U-17 World Cup: Chile’s clash will be tough – Amuneke

    Golden Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, has warned his wards to expect a dogfight against hosts Chile in Tuesday’s FIFA U-17 World Cup match at the Sausalito Stadium in Vina del Mar.

    The defending champions trained on Monday morning at the Enap Oil Company Training Centre in Con-Con district of the city, africanFootball.com reports.

    “Tuesday’s match against Chile is a crucial game and you must expect a dog fight. But we must approach the match with discipline and responsibility. We must be ready to fight for 90 minutes,” africanFootball.com quoted Amuneke as saying to the players.

     

     

  • Amuneke unveils Eaglets’ pre-World Cup squad

    Amuneke unveils Eaglets’ pre-World Cup squad

    Golden Eaglets’ coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, has named a provisional squad of 25 players for a pre-U-17 World Cup training camp in Argentina.

    The squad led by skipper Kelechi Nwakali departed Abuja for Buenos Aires on Thursday, africanFootball.com reports.

    The reigning world champions will meet the Argentina U-17 team as well as the U-20 team of either Boca Juniors or Racing Club while in the South American nation.

    Four players will be dropped before the team head off to Chile.

    Nigeria plays in Group A along with tournament hosts Chile, USA and Croatia.

    The squad:

    Goalkeepers: Udoh Akpan, Benjamin Amos, Chiaha Chisom, Yunusa Abdullahi,

    Defenders: John Lazarus, Halilu Lukman, Tochukwu Okoli, Ibe Tobechukwu, Ejike Ikwu, Samuel Opeh, Michael Edidiong Ndochukwu Anumudu

    Midfielders: Kelechi Nwakali, Kingsley Michael, Taiwo Alimi, Joel Osikel, Agor Chukwudi, Chinedu Madueke

    Strikers: Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Ebere Osinachi, Orji Okonkwo, Gavi Thompson, Funsho Bamgboye, David Enogela

  • Eaglets can retain U-17 World Cup – Amuneke

    Eaglets can retain U-17 World Cup – Amuneke

    Golden Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, said the team is determined to retain the FIFA U-17 World Cup at next month’s tournament in Chile.

    Nigeria is the defending champions of the cadet World Cup and Amuneke believes the current generation can claim the trophy for a second successive time.

    “Our target is to go there and retain the title we won two years ago. “It is normal that we expect to win it because we are defending champions.

    “We have been training hard and preparing the boys for the tournament and gradually they are taking shape so we hope we will go there and win,” he told africanFootball.com.

    Amuneke, a member of Nigeria’s coaching staff at the 2013 U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirate, however admitted that his side will face some challenges along the way.

    “It won’t be easy to be honest because the other teams that have qualified also only have one thing in mind, which is to win the title as well. That is why it won’t be easy,” Amuneke added.

  • Amuneke fancies Eaglets’ World Cup chances

    Amuneke fancies Eaglets’ World Cup chances

    Golden Eaglets’ coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, believes his team can successfully defend its world title at this year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup finals in Chile.

    The defending champions had been drawn alongside hosts, Chile, Croatia and the United States in Group A of the competition which gets underway on October 17, supersport.com reports.

    Amuneke is bullish about his side’s chances in Chile but believes hard work cannot be substituted if success is to be attained in the South American nation.

    “We are defending champions and it is a privilege. All 24 teams going to Chile for the tournament are going with the aim of winning the title.

    “However, if we must win the title, we must work very hard. There are now two ways about that.

    “I am very concerned with what my players do on the pitch when they have the ball and when they do not have possession.

    “We want to win the title but we must work very hard,” he told supersport.com.

    Nigeria will play its first match against the U.S at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago on October 17.

    Three days later, the Golden Eaglets face the onerous task of silencing vociferous home support at Viña del Mar’s Estadio Sausalito, when the team confronts hosts Chile in the second group match.

    The Amuneke wards then round off their preliminary campaign against Croatia at Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo on October 23.

    Nigeria is the most successful country in the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup with a record four triumphs.

     

  • ‘NFF is not owing any coach’

    ‘NFF is not owing any coach’

    In a swift response to concerns expressed by a section of Nigerian Coaches, General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, informed www.footballlive.ng that Emmanuel Amuneke and his other National team Coaches have been paid their salaries.

    ‘ We’ve paid all the salaries owed, we cleared them all yesterday.

    Besides what’s the all the fuss about even the Federal and State governments owe salaries. Am also aware there are journalists who

    are being owed but people don’t make issues out of these things,’ the NFF Scribe said.

    ” We are not owing any outstanding salaries.”

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