The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Musa Amadu

  • AMADU: BEATING IRAN IS KEY

    AMADU: BEATING IRAN IS KEY

    MUSA AMADU has identified Nigeria’s World Cup opener against Iran as a crucial game that will go a long way in deciding how well the Super Eagles will fare at the tournament.

    The NFF general-secretary stated that winning the opening game against Iran, who many see as the weakest team in Group F, will put Nigeria in pole position to advance to the next round. He further identified Stephen Keshi’s tactical capability as an advantage that will count in the favour of the African champions in the competitions.

    “If we go there and beat Iran, we will qualify and go as far as we can go. Let us work together and I believe we have a very competent technical crew. I don’t have any doubt about it,” Amadu said. “Keshi has played at the highest level and has seen it all. I am quite confident that we have sufficient materials both from the technical crew and the players to do the nation proud.

  • Eagles to earn $10,000 per win

    Eagles to earn $10,000 per win

    •Keshi gets $20,000

    •NFF wants Reps interveantion on N829.9m budget deficit

    •Glasshouse presents N2, 084,053,765

    THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday at the House of Representatives Committee on Sports presented a budget defense for a total sum of N2,084,053,765 (Two Billion, Eighty Four Million, Fifty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Five Naira) for the participation of the Super Eagles in the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    But the General Secretary of the NFF Barrister Musa Amadu who led the Football House presentation pleaded that the House of Rep Committee on Sports should assist the NFF in approving the needed sum while noting that with what the Federal Government has approved for release for the team’s participation, the NFF will be running into a budget deficit of about N829,893,436 (Eight Hundred and Twenty Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty Six naira), pleading that the house committee should intervene to enable the Super Eagles to play well and represent the not only the country well but the African continent.

    Amadu submitted that the budget will cover the payment of the Super Eagles’ players and officials’ allowances, winning bonuses up to the quarter-finals stage, accommodation and others.

    According to Amadu’s breakdown of the budget, the NFF has reverted back to the earlier $10,000 as match bonus for the senior national team in the group stages of the World Cup. The Eagles will also receive $12,500 and $15,000 if they qualify for the round of sixteen and the quarter-finals stage respectively.

    Like the players, the federation also reverted to pay the chief coach, Stephen Keshi, $20,000 winning bonus at the group stage, while his three assistants will receive $15,000 each. Also Keshi’s winning bonus will be raised to $22,500 and $25,00 when the Eagles qualifies for the round of 16 and quarter-finals stage respectively, while his three assistants winning bonus as well as other officials in the team will also be increase at the same 25% for the stages.

    Amadu in his presentation to the House Committee on Sports said, “Considering the good performance of the Nigeria Football Federation last year, I would have seen a situation where the federation is asked to take a bow and go, but I also see the significance in asking the NFF to speak particularly on its tremendous outings last year. “With the budget we have this year, we expect to surpass our performance last year. Everybody knows that we went to the African Nations Cup last year. Nobody gave us a chance but by the grace of God and the support of government, we won the AFCON. We also won the U17 World Cup for the fourth unprecedented time in the United Arab Emirates, the Super Eagles also qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil for the fifth time, with other trophies which the various national teams won at various levels. Nigeria has also played top quality international friendly matches.”

    “For the World Cup, the budget we have is N2, 084,053,765 and from what we envisaging, government may likely gives us N1, 254,160,329. So there will be a shortfall in this World Cup budget to the tune of N829, 839,436 and the way we look at it this amount the government is bringing N1.2b will only take the Super Eagles to the round of 16 match in terms of the bonuses to paid, air ticket, estacodes, preparation and the rest of it.

    “Then it means of course that we will have a budget deficit to the world cup that is why we are placing this budget before the house committee to have a look at it because the strategy is for us to go beyond any other African country in Brazil, which is the quarterfinal state. If we get the budget that we have put together, Nigeria will be able to do not only ourselves proud but also the African continent.

    “I want to say that there some money that are due to Nigeria from FIFA for the world cup preparation, part of that money has come to us and we are utilizing it to prepare the super eagles for the world cup. We do envisage also that when the world cup takes place, the minimum money that will be generated by the NFF for participation will be about $8m.

    “But when you remove taxes, it come to about $7m that the NFF will receive. The minimum guarantee for the participation in the world cup is $8m for any country that goes through the group stage, but of course if you go the round of 16 or the quarterfinals, it goes higher. In the last world cup in 2010, we were guaranteed $8m but eventually we receive about $6.5m after tax deductions from FIFA.

    “So Mr. Chairman, this is the budget summary for 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil, we are believing that with the support of the house and the federal government, we should be able to go to the World Cup and do Nigeria proud”, The NFF General Secretary explained in details.

  • Go win CHAN, NFF tells Eagles

    Go win CHAN, NFF tells Eagles

    • Says Nigeria’s World Cup group not light

    Nigeria Football Federation President (NFF) Aminu Maigari has charged Super Eagles Chief Coach Stephen Keshi to do everything humanly possible to win next year’s Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) holding in South Africa.

    The NFF boss, who visited the Minister of Sports yesterday evening in the company of the Federation’s General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme and Shehu Dikko, a prominent member of the League Management Committee (LMC) to discuss issues relating to the Globacom Premier League, told SportingLife that Nigerians expect nothing less than bringing the Cup back home.

    “There is no target set for the team as regard the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) but let us just go there (South Africa) and lift the Cup “, he said with laughter.

    Maigari also told whoever cared to listen that Nigeria’s World Cup Group (F) will not be as easy as people were tipping it to be. He said all the 32 countries that qualified for the competition did so on merit and should not be discarded just like that without even kicking the ball.

    “Nobody can take for granted any of the 32 countries that qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But I am confident that Nigeria will go there to compete, represent the country and also do well in the competition.

    “But people should not take our group (F) for granted. They should not think our group is very light. I don’t agree with that.

    He, however, vowed to ensure the Eagles get the best of preparations to make Nigeria proud in the global football fiesta in Brazil next year.

    “Since the present Board of the NFF took over, we have thrown away what we called short-term preparations. We only believe in long-term preparations, in terms of training, discipline, blending and so many things so that the team get used to one another as well as get the required knowledge and tactical input from their technical crew. We also ensure that every needed thing is put in place and also done properly so that we’ll go to the World Cup and do well.

    “Nigeria is a big football-playing country and we are respected as far as the game is concerned all over the world. We must keep the country’s flag flying at all times, so, we need to prepare this team well for the task ahead and correct all the loop holes and lapses in the team.

    He also used the opportunity to put facts right as regards the final camping of the Eagles for the 2014 World Cup.

    As regards the final camping site for the Eagles for the 2014 World Cup, Maigari said: “We are waiting for action plans from the Coach (Keshi) and the NFF Technical Committee to come out with what they have designed for us to approve or ratify. So, very soon the camp site will be announced”, Maigari assured.

    He was confident as ever as regards the intervention of President Jonathan to help fund the World Cup campaign of the Eagles.

    “Funds will not be an issue, God willing, as far as the 2014 World Cup is concerned. The reason is that President Goodluck Jonathan over time has shown huge interest in Nigerian sports, most especially football. I even read in the dailies him tipping Nigeria to win the 2014 World Cup. So, if our dear President should say so, what fears do we have in terms of not only funds but everything?

    “What I am trying to say is that we don’t have any fears as far as funds are concerned. The Minister of Sports is solidly behind the Nigeria Football Federation and we don’t entertain any fears as regards funding the 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil”, Maigari assured.

  • MARCH 5 WORLD CUP FRIENDLY : Eagles to play unnamed Europe foe-NFF

    MARCH 5 WORLD CUP FRIENDLY : Eagles to play unnamed Europe foe-NFF

    The Super Eagles will kick off their World Cup build-up with a friendly on March 5 in Europe, officials have informed MTNFootball.com. However, an opponent has yet to be named.

    “We will make use of the first FIFA friendly window on March 5 and so play a friendly in Europe,” General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu, told MTNFootball.com.

    Amadu also disclosed that the NFF will hope to soon conclude on major decisions on the preparations for the World Cup.

    “Issues like the training base and opponents for friendly matches will soon be decided on after last week’s draw in Brazil,” Amadu said.

    He told MTNFootball.com he was not aware of a proposed friendly between Nigeria and England in Nigeria in March.

    Last week, a section of the media reported a major brewery was planning a friendly for the Eagles against fellow World Cup finalists England to be played in Nigeria as part of the build-up to Brazil 2014.

    Nigeria are drawn against Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the first round. They open their campaign on June 16 against Iran in Curtiba.

  • NFF wants ‘more money’ in 2014

    NFF wants ‘more money’ in 2014

    The Nigeria Football Federation will need more money to prosecute some of its key engagements in the coming year, a top member of the body told MTNFootball.com.

    NFF therefore appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to review upwards its 2014 appropriation.

    The federation got 1.2 billion naira this year with a better part of the money expended on the Africa Cup of Nations, which Nigeria won in South Africa.

    The General Secretary of the NFF, Musa Amadu, said the federation will need over three times the appropriation of 2013 for the forthcoming year.

    “You can see what we were able to accomplish with the tight budget we got for 2013,” Amadu told MTNFootball.com

    “And for 2014 where we would be at CHAN, the U-17 women’s World Cup, the Africa Women’s Championship, play qualifiers for the U-20 World Cup and the big one itself, the senior World Cup, you would agree with me that we would need a much improved budget.

    “We would therefore humbly appeal to Mr. President to review our allocation considering the competitions we would be entering, while on our part we will continue to look for new sources of fund to compliment government’s effort.”

     

  • Amadu: NFF won’t underrate Ethiopians

    Amadu: NFF won’t underrate Ethiopians

    General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Musa Amadu stated emphatically on Wednesday that the Federation is not in agreement with those thinking Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes belong to the featherweight category and would be easily over-run by the Super Eagles in next weekend’s World Cup qualifying cracker in Addis Ababa.

    “Yes, we believe that the Super Eagles, champions of Africa, will come out of Addis Ababa with a good result, but we are not taking the match lightly. We do not subscribe to the suggestion that all we need do is turn up in Ethiopia and we would decimate the opposition without lifting a finger.

    “There is this cliche that there are no longer minnows in international football. That is why the NFF is making all the arrangements to prepare the Super Eagles adequately for the match, and ensure the team travels in comfort to and from Ethiopia.

    “We have already written to the NSC for use of the refurbished main-bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja for the team to train between Monday and Friday, before the departure to Ethiopia on Friday night.”

    Amadu spoke in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, led by the President-General, Rafiu Olalere Oladipo.

    “That we are the African champions is a fact, and that Ethiopia is lowest-ranked African side remaining in the race is also a fact. But we are not going to look at those statistics and discountenance the Antelopes. The Addis Ababa Stadium is one of the most difficult venues for visiting teams in African football.

    “We know that the coaches are working to pick our best and strongest players to play that match. It is very important for us to get the 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket because next year marks 100 years of the amalgamation of our country and every Nigerian is looking forward to seeing the Super Eagles at the World Cup in Brazil.”

    Speaking earlier, Oladipo stressed the fact that the upcoming fixture with the Ethiopians is a Nigeria Project, insisting: “Nigeria’s flag must fly at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Not only are we the champions of Africa, we are also the biggest black nation on earth. We have the players to do the job but we must all be united, from the players to the NFF to the entire football family, we must be united in pursuit of this noble cause.

    “We are aware of the constraints of the NFF, and that is why the Supporters Club has decided to appeal to Mr. President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR to see the match in Ethiopia as a special project and take special interest in seeing that as many Nigerian fans as possible travel for the match.”

    Oladipo’s entourage included the Deputy President-General, Waheed Adenrele Yusuf, Secretary General, Reverend Samuel Ikpea, Acting National Chairman, Vincent Okumagba and Treasurer, Sunday Eboh.

    Also at the occasion were NFF Director of Competitions, Mohammed Sanusi, Assistant Director (Media), Ademola Olajire and special assistant to General Secretary, Christian Emeruwa.