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Tag: Enyeama

  • Ebola: People avoid me in France – Enyeama

    Ebola: People avoid me in France – Enyeama

    Super Eagles skipper, Vincent Enyeama, has revealed that his French club monitors him for three weeks for Ebola Virus Disease every time he returns from international duty.

    “My club monitors me for three weeks any time I return from Nigeria because of Ebola and nobody wants to sit around you or shake you then,” africanFootball.com quoted the Lille shot stopper as saying on Thursday.

    “But I must now commend the Nigerian government for the massive effort they put up to eradicate it from the country and get an approval from the WHO (World Health Organisation).”

    However, Enyeama maintained that if he had his way, next year’s African Nations Cup will still be shifted to a later date because of the virus.

    “If I were CAF, I will suspend the tournament because it is difficult to contain the virus. But if we qualify, I will play in the tournament,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Enyeama has continued to train with the rest of the Eagles squad despite nursing a strain on his right shoulder.

  • More humiliation for Enyeama

    Nigeria’s goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama is having his worst spell with Lille after conceding twice against Reims in the French Ligue 1.  This comes after the 3-0 humiliation suffered in the Europa league to Everton, bringing it to five goals against the reliable goal tender.

    Enyeama has only kept two clean sheets in his last 10 games, a situation which has seen Lille drop to 14th on the Ligue 1 table with 16 points.

    Last season, the Super Eagles’ captain kept 11 clean sheet totaling 1,062 minutes a new club record, but minutes short of the all time Gaetan Huard all time clean sheet record in the Ligue 1.

    His fine form from last season and a above average World Cup campaign has lead to rumours of a potential bid from Liverpool and Sunderland for his services.

  • Lille denies Enyeama’s Liverpool move

    Lille denies Enyeama’s Liverpool move

    Lille coach, Rene  Girard, has shut down reports linking goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, with a move to English premiership sides Liverpool and Sunderland.

    Reports in the media in France has it that  the Super Eagles safe hands and captain is a target for both Liverpool and Sunderland as they bid to beef up their goalkeeping department in the winter transfer window.

    “Vincent has a contract that doesn’t terminate until 2017 and we have no intention of letting go one of our best players,” he told Le Foot.

    “The only bid we have received for his services is the one I read from the papers. Lille as a club is yet to receive any bid from either Sunderland or Liverpool.”

    On the prospect of accepting if a bid finally comes in for the 31-year-old shot stopper, Girard shut down the talks completely by insisting it will out rightly be turned down by the team.

    “Every player is available for a certain fee but Enyeama is not for sale, even if a bid comes in we will smartly turn it down.”

    Enyeama extended his Lille contract to the summer of 2017 on  December 8, 2013 but reports has it that Lille will entertain bids for his services within the region of 8-10 million pounds.

  • Ebola: Enyeama seeks AFCON 2015 postponement

    Ebola: Enyeama seeks AFCON 2015 postponement

    Nigeria skipper Vincent Enyeama has said next year’s African Cup of Nations be shifted because it may be too risky to stage the competition on account of the deadly Ebola disease, africanFootball.com reports.

    Hosts Morocco had asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to move the tournament to a later date as a result of Ebola, which has so far killed almost 5,000 people in West Africa.

    And 32-year-old Nigeria and Lille goalkeeper Enyeama said: ”I really wish it doesn’t happen (AFCON) with all the people that will be moving around,

    “But I’m not CAF. I’m not the one who calls the shots.”

    Enyeama confirmed that he was fearful of the spread of the Ebola virus.

    “It’s risky for everyone because you go to Africa and then everyone is hugging you and shaking you, and what can you do? You’re at risk.

    “But if it happens I will play, if we qualify,” africanFootball.com quoted the ex-Enyimba shot stopper as saying on Friday.

    Nigeria currently lies third in Group A in the qualifying series for the 2015 AFCON with only the top two and the best third-placed teams advancing to the tournament proper.

  • Enyeama keeps clean sheet

    Enyeama keeps clean sheet

    Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was in his usual best for French side Lille as they played out a hard fought goalless draw against Everton in yesterday’s Europa Cup tie at the Stade-Pierre Mauroy arena.

    The visitors were cheered on by more than 6,000 travelling fans as they looked to strenghten their strong hold on Group H but it was the home side that had the better exchanges in the first half and Idrissa Gueye nearly gave them the lead but his shot drifted away from Tim Howard’s goal. Divock Origi looked lively for Lille but was unable to give them the cutting edge in a game both sides had just three shots each on target.

    Everton sprung into life in the second half after Belgian forward, Romelu Lukaku was introduced for Steven Pienaar on 64 minute and immediately took charge of the game but Lille stayed strong courtesy Enyeama as he saved brillantly from Aiden McGeady and samuel Eto’o to deny Roberto Martinez men a precious away win.

    Lille is currently placed third with 3 points after three games in Group H, two points behind table toppers Everton.

  • Agu sticks with Enyeama, EJIDE

    Agu sticks with Enyeama, EJIDE

    Home-based Eagles will open Uyo Stadium

    Nigeria Super Eagles made up of entirely domestic league players will play a friendly in Uyo to formally open the new Akwa Ibom Stadium on November 6.

    Officials of the Nigeria Football Federation disclosed in Abuja that the friendly, which is to be bankrolled by the Akwa Ibom State Government, will see the Eagles play a North African team that will be confirmed this week.

    Coach Amodu Shaibu is already planning to use the opportunity of this international friendly to begin preparations for Nigeria’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign in November.

    “Twenty two players will be called up to camp in Uyo from Sunday, November 2, ahead of the friendly and that game will afford us a wonderful opportunity to see some of our best legs in the domestic league more closely,”Shaibu opened up.

    “We will have the opportunity of working with them for about three days before the friendly. Some of those who show the quality we are looking for will then join the main squad for the qualifiers.

    “We must seize every opportunity we have to get a strong squad ready for the challenges ahead and we really appreciate the Akwa Ibom State Government as well as the Nigeria Football Federation for putting this programme together.”

    The new 30,000-capacity Akwa Ibom Stadium in Uyo is also expected to host Nigeria’s final 2015 AFCON qualifier against South Africa on November 19.

  • Revealed: How Eagles ganged up against Enyeama

    Revealed: How Eagles ganged up against Enyeama

    A top Super Eagles player has dropped a bombshell after he revealed exclusively to AfricanFootball.com that the African champions are so divided that they play against each other right on the pitch.

    This startling revelation may go some way in giving some credence to coach Stephen Keshi’s recent claim that there is a gang-up for him not to succeed.

    The Europe-based player, who would not want his identity revealed, said the Eagles’ loss in Sudan was one such match where the Eagles played against themselves so as to “mess up” returning Vincent Enyeama, who some of them feel pushes his way around the team as the messiah.

    “For the match in Sudan, there were some players who worked against the team so as to mess up Enyeama, who was not available for the qualifiers and who some of us felt was carrying on as if he were the Messiah of the team,” the player opened up to AfricanFootball.com.

    “Some of these players will now be relieved that Keshi is no longer the coach because had he remained, they already knew they had played their last game for the country under him.

    The Eagles star described Keshi as “a father figure” who was badly influenced by some of his assistants.

    “Some of Keshi’s assistants were too open with their bias for certain players and this did not go down well with some other players,” the player said.

    “This even gave some weight to allegations of bribery in the team and some officials trying to market their own players.”

    The player refused to comment on growing allegations of huge cash changing hands for final squad places at the World Cup in Brazil.

    “Please don’t go near there,” he simply asked.

  • Sudan Mishap: Keshi, Enyeama beg Nigerians

    Sudan Mishap: Keshi, Enyeama beg Nigerians

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles returned to the country on Sunday morning after the shock 0-1 loss to host Sudan in a crucial Nations Cup qualifier in Khartoum, to a cold reception from Nigerians, which was expected, going by the passion Nigerians have for the game.

    An obviously disturbed Head Coach of the team Stephen Okechukwu Keshi and Team Skipper, Vincent Enyeama, later took time off to assess the situation and agreed that despite the fact that all hopes were not lost in the battle for qualification, Nigerians deserve a better deal from the team.

    Keshi, who spoke first to a handful of sports journalists, said he was disappointed at the result like every other Nigerian, as he had hoped to use the game to kick-start Nigeria’s quest for a back to back Nations Cup trophy. “I must ask you to help me apologise to Nigerians for this loss because they have so much belief in this team and here we are disappointing them. The day was simply not ours, because we had a couple of early chances that we would have used to bury the game but the ball simply refused to enter the net. Once again on behalf of the team I want to apologise to Nigerians and promise them we will make  amends come Wednesday. This is the first time I am doing this in my entire career as a player and coach”, he said.

    Enyeama spoke in a similar vein, appealing to Nigerians not to lose faith in the team. “We didn’t go out there to lose to Sudan but it has happened and that is now history and I apologise on behalf of my teammates for that but we must quickly forgive and forget because we have a game on Wednesday and if we win that and our last two games, we will still be in Morocco”, he said confidently.

    He said he has already spoken to his teammates and they have resolved that there will be no compromise in the battle for the nine points remaining in the next three games. “Let Nigerians forgive us and also pray for us to win our remaining games”, he declared.

     

  • Khartoum heat won’t bother Eagles – Enyeama

    Khartoum heat won’t bother Eagles – Enyeama

    Nigeria international goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama does not believe the weather condition in Khartoum will  affect the Super Eagles in today’s 2015 Africa Nation’s Cup qualifier against Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane.

    Maximum temperatures in Khartoum today are expected to reach 40 degree Celsius with pundits predicting that the predominantly overseas-based Super Eagles’ players will struggle under the hot conditions

    Enyeama has  waved away such suggestions, explaining that the players are already prepared to brave the conditions today.

    “I don’t really know much about the weather in Sudan but we (the players) have been told to expect playing under very hot conditions.

    “Footballers thrive under any kind of weather condition so the weather in Khartoum on Saturday should not really be an excuse not to (get a positive result).

    “It will be very hot and to be honest, it’s not really what we want but we don’t really have a choice,” Enyeama told supersport.com.

    Enyeama, who will captain the Super Eagles today, missed out on Nigeria’s first two 2015 Afcon qualifying games against Congo and South Africa because of “family reasons”.

    Nigeria could only manage a solitary point from the two games in the absence of the OSC Lille man who has now firmly set his sights on strong performances against Sudan in the coming days.

    “Those games (against South Africa and Congo) belong to the history books. I am one person that does not talk about history because I don’t believe in it.

    “We are looking forward to the two games against Sudan and that’s really what matters; not what has happened in the past,” he said.

    Nigeria currently sit in third place in Group A of the 2015 Afcon qualifying with one point from two matches.

    Congo, with maximum points from two games, are top of the pile while South Africa occupy second spot with four points.

    Sudan, with no point yet on the board, are bottom of the section.

  • CONGO DR ABSENCE: I’ve no regrets – Enyeama

    CONGO DR ABSENCE: I’ve no regrets – Enyeama

    Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama has insisted that he does not feel guilty staying away from the last two Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Congo and South Africa in which the Eagles struggled to get only one point, and losing at home after over two decades.

    According to the Lille of France goalkeeper, those matches now are in the history books “I am one of those that don’t talk about history because I don’t believe in them. I don’t feel guilty about the result God gave us in those matches, and I don’t feel guilty staying out of the matches. All that is now history, we should all focus on the task ahead, and look forward to getting good results in the two matches” he said.

    The former Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper, maintained that they are under any pressure , but could not imagine the Super Eagles not been part of AFCON in Morocco next January ” We are not under any pressure whatsoever, but as players, we would do our best to ensure that we win the two matches, and by the grace of God we would not disappoint Nigerians. I don’t want to imagine that we would not qualify for the competition next year, because I would not feel happy. I don’t want to think about that, because it is not in my calendar at all. I am very optimistic that we would be in Morocco to defend the trophy we won last year”.

    He dismissed any threat from the weather saying that as players, they are used to all the weather conditions “I don’t know what the weather is like, but I know very well that it would be very hot, but as footballers, we strive in all weather conditions, and that should not be an excuse. We have to play, even if it is not what we want, we don’t have a choice” he concluded