The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Emmanuel Daniel

  • Rangers Int’l FC says goalkeeping worries over

    Rangers Int’l FC says goalkeeping worries over

    Rangers Int’l FC of Enugu Goalkeeper trainer, Suleiman Shuibu, says the club has overcome its goalkeeping injury crisis that affected it in the first stanza of the league.

    Speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday, Shuibu said that goalkeeping injury crisis of the club was over.

    According to him, at the moment the club need not worry because a new goalkeeper, Saidu Matawakilu, is doing well.

    “At the moment we have a goalkeeper, Saidu Matawakilu, who is at the leadership of the goalkeeping for now.

    “So you do not need to change a winning team overnight.
    “We know that Nana Bonsu is the first choice goalkeeper no doubt, but Matawakilu is doing well at the moment.
    “Mutawakilu can be changed along the line when the need arise but for now, we cannot touch that area because it is a sensitive area in football,” he said.
    NAN reports that the club first choice goalkeeper, Nana Bonsu was injured in their match with Lobi Stars at the beginning of the season and was replaced by Itodo Akor, who was also injured before their exit from CAF competition.

    Rangers suffered injury in their goalkeeping department to an extent that Nana Bonsu had to be rushed back unfit against Zesco United FC of Zambia in their confederation second leg match in Zambia.

    “At the early stage of the season, it was unfortunate that we could not clear all the goalkeepers in our rank.
    “We only succeeded in registering three goalkeepers and out of the three, Emmanuel Daniel left to South Africa and we were left with two.
    “Along the line, the two keepers were injured but we have to manage what we have but all that is over now,’’ he said.

    He said that the other goalkeepers were cleared in the mid-season transfer window and that the club was happy that the injured ones were back to fitness.

  • Sundowns contact Rangers for Emmanuel Daniel

    Sundowns contact Rangers for Emmanuel Daniel

    Recently crowned African champions Mamelodi Sundowns have contacted Rangers for Nigeria Olympic goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel.

    “Sundowns wish to sign Emmanuel Daniel and they have already made contact with his club Rangers,” a top club source hinted.

    “That also explains why several other goalkeepers have now reported to Rangers’ pre-season camp in Benin City with the latest being a goalkeeper of Asante Kotoko of Ghana.”

    Daniel was the top choice as Nigeria went on to win bronze at the recent Olympics in Rio.

    He shut out the more experienced Daniel Akpeyi, who incidentally plays in South Africa for Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Chippa United.

    Former Nigeria U-20 shot stopper has also been involved with the Super Eagles.

    ‘The Brazilians’, as Sundowns are known by their fans, are shopping for a young and capable cover for Uganda goalkeeper Denis Onyango, who is still sidelined after he injured his head in the CAF Champions League final at Zamalek of Egypt.

    Former Nigeria winger Ejike Uzoenyi joined Sundowns two years ago from Rangers.

  • EMMANUEL DANIEL: How I saved two penalty kicks

    EMMANUEL DANIEL: How I saved two penalty kicks

    Dream Team VI first choice goalkeeper at the just concluded CAF U-23 AFCON, Emmanuel Daniel has explained to SportingLife what was going through his mind before he saved the two penalties against Senegal and Algeria in the semi-final and final of the competition that ended in Senegal on Saturday.

    Daniel told SportingLife that the support from his team mates on both occasions the Dream Team VI conceded penalties and the words of encouragement from them that he could save those spot kicks spurred him to exert himself and go the extra mile to confirm that convictions.

    He revealed to SportingLife that having saved many spot kicks during their training sessions before the games with Senegal and Algeria, his team mates encouraged him to repeat his exploits during practice sessions and put his name in gold.

    Daniel, however, attributed the team’s success to the unity and love in the team and that it was the whole team that played a major role in the Dream Team VI’s emergence as African Champions and that it would be unfair to ascribe the victory to a solitary player.

    The former 3SC goalkeeper told SportingLife that he has nothing to say about his future for now and that the coming weeks will determine whether he would remain with Enugu Rangers ahead of the new season or not.

  • 22-yr-old blind boy wins voice contest

    22-yr-old blind boy wins voice contest

    •As 10 finalists record theme song

    The crowd went boisterous, at the popular Thisday Dome Arena, Abuja, as Emmanuel Daniel, a 22-year-old visually-impaired boy was declared winner of a gospel music competition tagged The Gospel Voice Abuja 2014.

    The competition was stiff, and Daniel, despite his disability slugged it out with other contestants, by producing amazing voice and stagecraft that culminated in his victory.

    He could not see anyone, but he acknowledged the cheers, beaming with smiles as organisers announced his prize of N4 million worth of recording contract and a brand new Hyundai car.

    Daniel, who hails from Niger State, defeated close rivals, Faith and Sanmi who took 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

    The victory of E Daniels, as he is otherwise called, appeared satisfactory to many, as the judges including Paul Play Dairo, Solomon Lange, Frank Edwards and Namure (Asst. Head of Program AIT) also gave the winner an obvious nod.

    Veteran music producer, VC Perez, who is one of the organisers described the winner as another ‘Cobhams Asuquo’ of the Nigerian music industry, while thanking God for the success of the competition.

    “In fact, God has been so wonderful from the beginning to this end and the fact that another Cobhams is detected tonight is also God’s doing. I must tell that the winner Emmanuel is in the class of elite already. His music skills are exceptional in one word,” he said.

    According to him, Daniel did not win the competition out of pity. “He was a clear winner,” he said, adding that the young man has been endorsed by gospel music superstars such as Frank Edwards, Solomon Lange and Nosa to become the next jewel in the music industry.

    The competition also had other categories, including Best Group, won by The Identity, and Best Choir, won by TTMI Choir.

    Interestingly, the 10 finalist from the main category, won by Daniel have come together for an amazing theme song titled Winner, which they said is dedicated to the fans. The song is produced by Perez.

  • Emmanuel Daniel transfer saga

    Emmanuel Daniel transfer saga

    • 3SC to launch another protest 

    Shooting Stars Sports club (3SC) has told SportingLife the club will write another protest letter to the League Management Company (LMC) against Rangers International for listing goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel in a week 33 Globacom League game at the Lekan Salami, Adamasingba on Sunday.

    Godwin Anyalogo was in goal for Rangers yesterday but Daniel, who was on the bench, was part of the 18 players listed against Oluyole warriors in the 2-1 victory.

    The club’s media officer, Jubril Arowolo told SportingLife that the club will continue to protest the ownership of Emmanuel Daniel until they get justice on the issue.

    “Daniel is still our player and we will launch another protest to LMC against Rangers. He was not on the pitch but he was on the bench. He was listed as one the 18 players lined-up against our team on Sunday. We won’t silent on the issue until will get justice on the matter.”

    On the victory against Rangers, Arowolo said: “We are happy for the win and we are going to continue to push until the end of the season. We are still hopeful for survival.”

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) threw Rangers out of the 2013 Confederations Cup for fielding Daniel in the Confederation Cup game against Club Sfaxien of Tunisia. CAF said Daniel, was not qualified to play for Rangers.

    Rangers won the preliminary stage match 1-0 on aggregate to qualify for the group stage of the competition.

     

  • Omeruo out of AYC

    Omeruo out of AYC

    Flying Eagles officials have left out Kenneth Omeruo from a 30-man provisional squad for the 2013 African Youth Championship.

    The biennial championship, which kicks off in Algeria from March 16, will produce four African representatives for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey later this year, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Omeruo featured for the Flying Eagles in the AYC qualifier in October against South Africa, but he has since made the big jump to the full international side where he shone as the Super Eagles emerged African champions in South Africa last weekend.

    The John Obuh- led technical crew picked four overseas-based players in the provisional squad for the tournament,.

    The final 21-man list will be submitted to the Confederation of African Football not later than March 6.

    The foreign-based players are Mikel Agu (FC Porto), Saliu Sodiq (FC Metz, France), Bright Osagie (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria) and Edafe Egbedi (AGF Aarhus, Denmark).

    26 other players are drawn from the Nigeria domestic league.

    The squad will depart Abuja on Monday afternoon for two warm-up matches in Cairo against their Egyptian counterparts and later fly out to Tunisia for a three-week training camp ahead of the tournament.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has tasked the team to retain the trophy the country won in South Africa two years ago and qualify for the U20 World Cup in Turkey.

    NFF technical director, Emmanuel Ikpeme, addressed the players before their departure to Cairo.

    “We expect you to successfully defend your title and qualify for the World Cup,” Ikpeme urged the Flying Eagles.

    “You should fight to make a name for yourselves in Algeria and we will support you fully.”

     

    The squad:

     

    Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel, Jonah Usman, Samuel Okani

    Defenders: Chizoba Amaefule, Shehu Abdullahi, Ikechukwu Okorie, Kingsley Madu, Hassan Abubakar, Ekoh Favour Oke, Aliyu Mohammed Goyi, Aigbe Oliha

    Midfielders: Chidi Osuchukwu, Abduljeleel Ajagun,Uche Agbo, Ibrahim Abubakar Aliyu, Nzube Anaezemba, Moses Orkuma, Ovbokha Agboyi, Oluwaseun Taro, Okechukwu Azubuike, Saliu Sodiq, Mikel Agu

    Strikers: Alhaji Gero, Umar Aminu, Christian Pyagbara, Harrison Egbune, Bright Ejike, Edafe Egbedi, Yahaya Adamu, Bright Osagie.