The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enyimba

  • Enyimba beat Sunshine to Dare Ojo

    Enyimba beat Sunshine to Dare Ojo

    Champions Enyimba have completed the signing of Dare Ojo to beat Sunshine Stars to the highly-rated Kwara United midfielder.

    Ojo posted an eye-catching performance with some spectacular goals and all-round displays even though Kwara made a prompt return to the lower league.

    Sunshine were also closing in on Ojo before Enyimba swooped on the midfielder.

    Enyimba have also signed former Nigeria U-20 midfielder Oladapo Olufemi from another relegated club, Bayelsa United.

    Olufemi, who was once on the books of Belgian giants Anderlecht, has also featured for Shooting Stars.

  • Enyimba,Nassarawa lead chase for 3SC players

    Enyimba,Nassarawa lead chase for 3SC players

    A host of continental teams are making attempts to swoop for the best players of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan ahead of next season.

    SportingLife’s investigation at the Oluyole Warriors’ camp in Ibadan revealed that the league champions, Enyimba FC and Nasarawa United are top in the race of top clubs that have made enquiry over the availability of 3SC players.

    It is understood that the clubs have shown interest in some of the players that made the Ibadan-based side a formidable team last season.

    SportingLife understands that Enyimba FC, which is to represent Nigeria at the CAF Champions league, have made Kelly Kester, Ajani Ibrahim and Alimi Jamiu as their top targets while CAF Confederation Cup campaigner, Nasarawa United have identified Cletus Itodo, King Osanga and Alaba Osawe as the players that can help them in the continental assignment next season.

    A source at 3SC told SportingLife that the club is not ready to trade any of their utility players, and as such, the players in question are ready to play for Oluyole Warriors next season.

    “We know clubs would chase our players and we are not relenting to get more players too. Interestingly, majority of them are not going and with the technical dept intact, we are a team to beat!,” a top official of the club told SportingLife when contacted.

    “We are not willing to part with any of them. More so, they are expressing the will to stay.”

    It was learnt that Akwa United and Warri Wolves are also interested in their players.

  • Enyimba target Eagles coach, Salisu Yusuf

    Enyimba target Eagles coach, Salisu Yusuf

    Nigeria champions, Enyimba have begun discussions to re-engage Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf ahead of next year’s tilt at the CAF Champions League, it has been exclusively learnt.
    In November, Kadiri Ikhana-led Enyimba to claim a seventh Nigeria league title but the highly experienced coach may not be the man to lead them into next year’s CAF Champions League.
    Enyimba are now targeting Salisu Yusuf, who made a huge impression when he was in charge of the Aba club two years ago.
    However, discussions between Enyimba and the Eagles coach have stalled after Salisu insisted he first be paid the over N4 million they owe him when he first worked at the club.
    Enyimba will also have to find a way round to how they could have the services of the Zaria-born tactician as he is contracted to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as an assistant coach to Sunday Oliseh.
    The coach, who has also handled Kano Pillars and El Kanemi Warriors, has refused to comment on the renewed interest of his former employers.

  • Enyimba willing to show Vipers respect

    Enyimba willing to show Vipers respect

    Enyimba FC have stated that they would treat their CAF Champions League preliminary round opponents, Vipers of Uganda with respect based on what the Southern African senior national team did to the Super Eagles recently in a friendly match.

    Nigerians thought the Ugandan cranes would be a very easy opponent when the Eagles faced them in Uyo on March 25th  but the team led by Bosnian, Milutin Sredojevic shocked Nigeria 1-0 in front of capacity seated crowd at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

    It was on the premise of this that the Chairman of Enyimba FC, Felix Anyansi Agwu told SportingLife that Vipers would be given the necessary respect but would be firm and thorough in their preparation for the tie with the Ugandans.

    He said when he got the news of their tie with Vipers, what came to his mind was the encounter the Eagles had with the Cranes of Uganda in Uyo where the visitors unexpectedly ran away with a victory.

    Anyansi Agwu stressed that with most of the players that visited Nigeria then plying their trade in the local league, they may also form the bedrock of Vipers and  for that reason they must not be taken for granted at all.

    The astute football administrator and the incumbent Chairman of the Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) also affirmed that the tie has been made more challenging by the fact that they would be playing the first leg in Kampala during the weekend of February 12-14, 2016 before the second leg in Aba on February 28.

    “I have told my players that the game against Vipers would be very tough because when the draw was made, what came to my mind was what the Ugandans did to the Eagles when they came to Nigeria for a friendly game.

    “We are going to visit them first which has made the tie very difficult but we are going to show them respect and ensure that we prepare very well for them,” Anyansi Agwu told SportingLife.

    Enyimba are the champions of the just concluded Glo Premier League after winning a record seventh league title at the expense of Warri Wolves and Nasarawa United with 70 points from 38 matches.

  • FIFA hails Enyimba on seventh league title

    FIFA hails Enyimba on seventh league title

    • People’s Elephants thrilled with recognition

    Acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou has congratulated Enyimba FC for winning the 2014/2015 Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL) title.

    The message was contained in a letter from the world football governing body to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and signed by Hayatou.

    “It gives me great pleasure to send my heartfelt congratulations to Enyimba and their indomitable team on this great achievement,” the letter read.

    “This title is the result of the determination of everyone involved and my congratulations go to the players, the coaches, the technical and medical staff, and the fans.

    “On behalf of the entire football family, I would like to thank Enyimba for helping to spread the positive message of football.”

    Reacting to the congratulatory message, Enyimba chairman, Felix Anyansi Agwu thanked FIFA for recognising the achievement of the club and reassured the football body that Enyimba will continue to pursue the values of fair play and sportsmanship.

    Enyimba emerged champions of Nigeria for a record seventh time with 70 points after a phenomenal season that saw the team suffer only six defeats, keep 19 clean sheets and win 19 games, five of those away from home.

    The club will represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Champions League.

  • Tenger likes Enyimba as champs

    Tenger likes Enyimba as champs

    Lobi Stars head coach, Justin Tenger has  congratulated champions, Enyimba for their victory in the out gone 2014/15 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

    The People’s Elephant earned their record seventh top flight title on unprecedented 70 points, four points above closest challengers, Warri Wolves.

    Tenger said Enyimba have proven to their doubters that they are the best in the domestic scene with the almost flawless prosecution of matches in the out gone league season.

    “I want to congratulate Enyimba for emerging winners of the 2014/15 Nigeria Professional Football League as well as earning their record seven league titles. I have always seen the side as great in the domestic league scene and I believe they are the greatest team so far to come out of this country.

    “No team can contest that claim as the greatest with Enyimba, I want to equally congratulate my good friend and head coach, Kadiri Ikhana for guiding the side to victory.

    “I just want to wish the side the very best at the continent in the next football season. I see the side re-enacting the 2003 and 2004 African performances as well as further excelling in the domestic scene with the quality of players and coaches at their disposal,” said the former Gombe United coach to supersport.com.

    Enyimba will represent the country together with runners-up, Warri Wolves in the CAF Champions League competition.

    Tenger guided the Pride of Benue to a 13th finish on 47 points in the out gone league season as well as runners-up in the 2015 Federation Cup.

  • Enyimba pocket N 30m cash prize

    Enyimba pocket N 30m cash prize

    Enyimba have pocketed the sum of N30 million (about $150,000) for winning this year’s Nigeria league.

    Enyimba skipper Chinedu Udoji was at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Sunday to receive a dummy cheque of the prize money from Nigeria league boss Shehu Dikko.

    It is the highest amount ever paid a Nigeria league champion.

    Enyimba topped the 20-team championship after they recorded 70 points from 38 matches.

    They will represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Champions League alongside runners-up Warri Wolves,who finished their campaign four points behind Enyimba.

  • Enyimba chase Chikatara

    Enyimba chase Chikatara

    Allnigeriasoccer.com can confirm that  Enyimba have set the ball rolling in their bid to sign Chisom Chikatara from Abia Warriors ahead of the 2016 season.

    But Enyimba face a major stumbling block to land the signature of the Nigeria international as it is envisaged that Abia Warriors will play hard ball, with the leadership of the club vowing not to sell the striker to a rival team, though no official approach has been made yet by the newly – crowned Nigeria Professional Football League champions.

    Before the start of the 2015 campaign, Abia Warriors suits authorized the sale of their influential skipper Chima Uluocha to the Aba side while Peter Onyekachi was farmed out on loan, but they are not in favour of doing transfer business with their neighbors again as they have set a target of winning the league next season.

    Chikatara has seen his stock rise over the last one year given his impressive displays for Abia Warriors, which led to an invitation to the home-based Super Eagles for their African Nations Championship qualifiers against Burkina Faso.

    The likes of Ifeanyi Ubah, Enugu Rangers, Sunshine Stars, Warri Wolves and NPFL newcomers Ikorodu United have all made contact with the 20-year-old striker regarding a transfer.

    Chikatara has contractual obligations with Abia Warriors until December 2018.

  • Glo congratulates Enyimba, commends LMC

    Glo congratulates Enyimba, commends LMC

    Next Generation Network and sponsor of the Glo Premier League, Globacom, has congratulated Enyimba Football Club of Aba for emerging champion of the 2014/2015 Glo Premier League season.

    The Aba Elephants, who drew goalless with Sunshine Stars FC of Akure on Sunday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos amassed 70 points from 38 matches to emerge champions. Enyimba, thus took over from Kano Pillars Football Club, which won the title for three consecutive seasons.

    Warri Wolves, Giwa FC of Jos and Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi also emerged second, third and fourth respectively while the quartet of Kwara United, Sharks of Port Harcourt, FC Taraba and Bayelsa United got relegated to the Nigeria National League (NNL).

    Globacom, in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday congratulated the players, coaches and management of Enyinmba FC for their hard work and determination which propelled the team from the middle of the table which it occupied for most part of the first stanza to winning the Glo Premier League title.

    The company admonished the team to make football loving Nigerians happy by going all out to win the next CAF African Champions League again like  they did back to back in 2003 and 2004.

    “We call on the management of Enyimba Football Club to start planning in earnest for the next CAF Champions League in order to perform brilliantly during the continental championship,” Globacom said.

    “We wish to congratulate the LMC for its outstanding organisation of the league. We urge them to keep the flag flying,” the statement added.

    “We also wish to congratulate the players, club officials, match officials and fans for their collective efforts that made the season  witness little or no hitches,” Globacom stated further.

    The company added: “We equally wish to praise the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) for creating the enabling environment that has led to a rise in the standard of our league.

    “This is the time to consolidate on the success achieved in the season and we look forward to stakeholders conducting a postmortem on the just concluded league with a view to working towards sustaining the achievements next season,” Globacom said.

  • Premier League title: Akpeyi hails Enyimba

    Premier League title: Akpeyi hails Enyimba

    Nigeria international, Daniel Akpeyi who left Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Warri Wolves for South African club, Chippa United has congratulated NPFL 2014/2015 champions, Enyimba Int’l.

    The ex-Heartland goalkeeper went ahead to charge the People’s Elephant  to take their blistering domestic form to the continent in the CAF Champions League next season.

    “First, I hope they will take the same fight to lift the NPFL trophy to the continental tournament when it kicks off because that’s when the effort they put in the league will  make some real sense,”Akpeyi told SupportTheNPFL.com.

    The Chippa United goalkeeper, Akpeyi, who started his football career in 2004 at Gabros Int’l now known as FC Ifeanyi Ubah felt his former club, Warri Wolves gave a good fight and also gave the league organisers, League Management Company (LMC) thumbs up for improving the quality of the NPFL.

    “Well, not to take it away from them, both team (Enyimba and Warri Wolves) deserve to lift the trophy because they gave a good account of themselves from the beginning to the end but unfortunately a team has to be crowned and Enyimba Int’l showed they wanted it more. Congrats to them,”Akpeyi said.

    “Secondly, I think the LMC did so well by making the league 2014/2015 as transparent as possible. This season is better than the previous one,  the referees have stepped up and that has shown the number of away wins. Though I’m far away from home but I still follow the league very well,” Akpeyi concluded.