The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nff

  • Golden boy, golden insult

    The golden boy of Amaju Pinnick’s Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) just declared all his critics “insane” for flaunting his failure at the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), which the majestic Congo Democratic Republic just lifted, for the second time, in Kigali, Rwanda.

    Ah, for Pinnick and his enfant terrible coach, it doesn’t get more dramatic, more so when the well known intemperate Oliseh the player, is fast tearing through Oliseh the coach, much vaunted FIFA technical expert and hoped-for messiah of Nigerian football.

    On that score, the comparison between the two triangles, Keshi-NFF-Pinnick and Oliseh-NFF-Pinnick is irresistible.

    Keshi was useless, yes!  Yet, from virtual nowhere with a bunch of rookies, he won the African Nations Cup, on away soil in South Africa, just as he did as “non-playing captain” in Tunisia, as player in 1994.  He also not only qualified Nigeria for CHAN for the first time, in its then six years, he went all the way to the semi-final, earning a bronze for his efforts.

    Oliseh is the real deal, yes! But after creating the false dawn of topping its group table, after the first round of matches, beating minnows Niger Republic 4-1, it was progressive retrogress: a draw against Tunisia; and a loss against Guinea. In his very first competitive tournament, Nigeria exited in the first round, thus echoing the AFCON ruins of Benghazi 1982, when Nigeria, even as defending champions, went home just after three matches!

    Sure, Oliseh is right: statistically, as gaffer, he has only played 14 matches and lost two.  True, his is a rebuilding mission, that needs time to mature.  True, you can’t win every competition; and because you lost a development-oriented CAF tournament, you can’t possibly call for the sack of the coach?

    Still, as a work-in-progress, the Eagles, both home-based and the foreign legion, are a pretty clumsy lot, that struggle against just any African XI. Common Tanzania, Oliseh couldn’t beat away.  Neither could his team beat sub-minnows, Swaziland.  The only memorable win was the 3-0 spanking of Cameroon. But that was after Congo DR had taught his boys how to caress the leather with a 2-0 bashing!  Both were friendly games.

    Hardball doesn’t share the hysteria that Oliseh should be sacked because of his blackout in Kigali. But to dub his critics as “insane” is a little bit rude and crude. If this bloke cannot face the heat, he had better get the hell out of the kitchen.  If he is so over-sensitive, truculent and abusive, how does he learn from reasoned criticisms?

  • NFF owes me N10m -Oliseh

    NFF owes me N10m -Oliseh

    •Coach has spent 11,200 Euros treating virus infection contracted in Abuja and Port Harcourt
    •Won’t stay in hotel, if Eagles aren’t in camp
    •Says Glasshouse chiefs have breached his contract

    After consulting with his lawyers in Belgium and with legal minds at the Federation of International Football Federations (FIFA), Nigeria’s senior soccer team’s chief coach Sunday Oliseh has revealed that the body owes him N10 million which is stipulated in his contract for accomodation (N5 million for 2015 and N5 million for 2016.

    Besides, Oliseh disclosed that he has spent over 11,200 Euros to treat the virus he contracted whilst on national duty in Abuja and Port harcourt in October, stressing that he needs a prompt reimbursement which would be appreciated.

    Consequently, Oliseh vowed not to stay in any hotel if the Eagles are not in camp pointing that: “I have nowhere to lodge should I come to Nigeria. I do not intend to stay in a hotel when the Super Eagles are not in camp.

    “I remind you that my assistant Jean Francois Losciuto is forced to flee Nigeria to Togo as he has nowhere to stay in Nigeria at the moment, as he also awaits from you the owed accommodation fees.

    “Please remember that by virtue of our wages being unpaid, you have breached our signed contract and that is CAPITAL. In going forward, I think it will help us achieve our goals better if the players’ bonuses and allowances are paid on time as evidently as we saw in Rwanda, was the reason why our players were morally low and failed in advance. That is my technical appraisal of the situation.”

  • Your players are indisciplined -Committee chairman tells NFF

    Your players are indisciplined -Committee chairman tells NFF

    Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Lawal Gonni, has charged the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to instill discipline in the players of the national team as they breached protocol by putting calls through to him over their unpaid wages.

    Speaking with footballlive.com , Gonni revealed that Dream Team VI and the Super Eagles called him and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara of the National Assembly to implore the NFF to pay their entitlements.

    Gonni called the players ‘indisciplined’ and their actions a breach of protocol, while calling on the NFF to address the growing discontent.

  • NFF to hire national coaches on part-time

    NFF to hire national coaches on part-time

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will now engage assistant coaches of the various national teams on part-time basis so as to lessen the financial burden the salaries of the coaches have caused them.

    A top official disclosed: “The assistant coaches will now be on part time, strictly for when there is a tournament concerning their respective teams.

    “They will therefore be free to work with the clubs when they are now with the national teams.

    “We have to be realistic, we have been paying many people for many years without doing anything and the financial obligation caused by just salaries of the coaches is just too huge.

    “There is one of the Eagles assistant coaches who has insisted he is owed over N18million from salaries and what have you over the years.”

    It was also revealed that one of the Eagles assistant coaches has not been paid for the past nine months.

    The NFF have already decided that developmental teams from U-17 downwards will no longer be entitled to match bonuses as they save on costs.

  • Oliseh’s a liar — NFF

    Oliseh’s a liar — NFF

    • Mum on players match bonuses

     • Prince Aggreh sees positives

    General Secretary of the NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has described the claims that the body let players of the Super Eagles B down and that Sunday Oliseh spent $4000 of his money on the team as untrue. The Eagles head coach painted a dismal picture of the team’s Pretoria camp experience alleging the team was not fed well and appropriately in the course of preparing for the CHAN 2016.

    Sanusi debunked claims that the Federation failed to cater for the needs of the players insisting that the truth will soon be out. Meanwhile, Sanusi has also denied reports that the Federation had issued the Coach a query over the daring interview.

    Nigeria’s campaign at the African Nations Championship came to an abrupt end, with the Super Eagles B failing to advance beyond the group stage amidst claims the players were not motivated, but the NFF have refused to comment on whether the team had been paid their match bonuses.

    The Super Eagles B picked up 4 points in 3 games at the CHAN 2016 and despite insinuations by the head Coach that, owed allowances had cost the team in Rwanda, General Secretary of the Nff Dr. Mohammed Sanusi says the football body will not issue a statement denying or admitting it owes the team.

    Players and officials of the Super Eagles B returned to the Country on Thursday, to a low key reception at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

    However, Sunshine stars striker Prince Aggreh has moved on from Nigeria’s shock ouster from the African Nations Championship but believes the experience will come in handy. Aggreh ,who featured all 3 group matches for Nigeria told footballlive.ng that it was a privilege to wear the national colors in what was his first international assignment stressing that the opportunity will further enhance his career as a footballer.

  • NFF INSISTS:No target, no pressure

    NFF INSISTS:No target, no pressure

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has insisted there’ll be no target set for the Super Eagles B at the African Nations Championship.

    Reiterating the FA’s stand on the matter, General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi explained the body was hoping to avoid anything that could put the squad under pressure or make them complacent.

    “The NFF will not set any target for the team; we’ve only made them realise Nigerians expect a certain outcome. If you set a target for them to simply get to the finals of past the group stages this could make them complacent. On the other hand if you demand the title, that could put unwanted pressure on the them,” he said.

  • NFF blasts report of poor conditions in Eagles’ camp

    NFF blasts report of poor conditions in Eagles’ camp

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)has condemned, in strong terms, a report in a national sports paper of Wednesday,  January 13, 2016 which detailed imagined ‘poor conditions’ in the camp of the Super Eagles B in Pretoria, South Africa.

    The said report had talked of ‘inferior’ NIKE kits being used by the team at the pre-CHAN camp in Pretoria and unsubstantiated ‘distractions here and there,’ all attributed to a nebulous ‘highly placed source’.

    NFF’s Assistant Director (Communications), Ademola Olajire said the report was littered with so much falsehood that it was clear the reporter was out to cause disaffection and damage morale in the camp ahead of the 4th African Nations Championship.

    “The Super Eagles B delegation is heading to Rwanda on Friday . This report has come out at this time to demoralise players and officials ahead of the Championship.

    “It is a shame that while the NFF is doing everything to keep the team happy and focused, and every stakeholder in Nigeria is wishing the team well, a reporter would be so committed to bringing down morale in the camp.

    “Strangely, the reporter and his mysterious source admitted that Amaju Pinnick paid for assistant coach Lusciuto’s medical bills, but said it was not NFF that paid!”

    The Super Eagles’ Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye, told thenff.com from Pretoria that the report is the handiwork of a detractor and that the reality on ground is far from what was painted by the reporter.

    “We don’t know where the story of ‘poor conditions’ is coming from. All the officials in camp have been commending the NFF for arranging for the team to train at such a world –class facility as the High Performance Centre in Pretoria.

    “The training kits are top-quality, so also the match jerseys which were brought in by the team administrator. They were kits supplied direct to the Federation by NIKE. The team trained in Abuja for two weeks before heading to Pretoria, and everyone saw the kits they used.

    “It is uncharitable and the height of mischief for anyone to describe the kits we are using now as inferior. They are among the best anywhere in the world. The team has played two friendly matches, drawing one and winning the other. We are all in very high spirit and we are praying that the team gets it right in Rwanda in order to make the NFF and Nigeria proud.”

  • Dalung, others commiserate with NFF

    Dalung, others commiserate with NFF

    The  Hon Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung has expressed shock over the shooting of Nigeria Football Federation’s  Head of Protocol,  Ibrahim Abubakar in Abuja Wednesday.

    Barrister Dalung who paid a condolence visit to the NFF on Wednesday in  Abuja in company of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa said that it was shocking and sad to hear of the killing of such a hard working man.

    “We received the sad news this morning (Wednesday) of the killing of Ibrahim Abubakarand I’m deeply shocked at the shooting of Ibrahim Abubakar in his house today by armed robbers. We are moved that he had to meet his end in that gruesome manner. That adds weight to the level of criminality, high profile killings and insecurity that has characterised our society. It’s sad he departed  at a time his services were most needed. It is a very sad news not only to us in the Ministry of Youth and Sports development but to the entire football family,” he said.

    Barrister Dalung also called on the need to beef up security in the country to protect innocent lives and property.

    “This has opened a new page on our determination to get rid of criminals from our society. It may be too premature for us to say precisely or to determine what led to his killing, but it still tilts to the question of insecurity. We are calling on security agencies to step up security measures to protect lives and property of Nigerians. We sympathise with his family, the NFF and the football family. We pray that God will reward his good deeds by granting him eternal rest.”

    In his response, the Assistant  Secretary-General of the NFF Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme thanked the Minister for his prompt visit to commiserate with the Federation over the sad incident.

    “On behalf of the board and management of the NFF , I want to sincerely appreciate the Minister for coming to commiserate with us within the short notice with this high calibre delegation. We’ve noted the sentiments expressed concerning the need for security to overcome some of these criminal acts that are being observed in recent times,” Ikpeme said.

    “I left him in the office yesterday (Tuesday) at about 6pm so I was shocked to hear this morning (Wednesday) that he had been shot to death this morning. I join members of the family of the deceased and other Nigerians  to pray that God in His infinite mercy will grant the soul of the departed eternal peace.” The protocol chief was reportedly shot at his residence by armed robbers in the early hours of Wednesday, according to a tweet by the NFF. Reports from the NFF said the body of Ibrahim Abubakar was taken to Kaduna for burial according to Muslim rites.

     

  • NFF official killed in Abuja

    The head of protocol of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Abubakar, was shot dead at his house in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, africanFootball.com reports.

    The federation said the deceased will be buried in Kaduna later on Wednesday.

    Abubakar, according to the report, celebrated his birthday recently.

     

  • NFF to reconstitute standing committees

    NFF to reconstitute standing committees

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will soon reconstitute its standing committees and judicial bodies, which were dissolved at the end of the 71st Annual General Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday.

    In dissolving the committees and the judicial bodies, NFF President Amaju Pinnick said the objective was to rejuvenate them and reinvigorate the administration of football.

    “The committees and judicial bodies are very critical to the administration of football in the land. They make most of the recommendations that inform all the decisions and policies of the Executive Committee.

    “We dissolved them to carefully reconstitute them, and thereby reinvigorate the administration of football in the country.”

    The NFF has 18 standing committees and two judicial bodies. Among these are the Emergency Committee, Finance Committee, Organising Committee, Football Committee, Technical and Development Committee, Strategic Committee, Ethics and Fairplay Committee, Referees Committee, Match Commissioners Appointment Committee, Youth Development Committee, Media and Publicity Committee and Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee. The judicial bodies are the Disciplinary Committee and the Appeals Committee.