The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nff

  • NFF verdict promotes Adamawa ahead of Plateau United

    NFF verdict promotes Adamawa ahead of Plateau United

    Adamawa United will now be promoted to the Nigeria premier league ahead of Plateau United after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) organising committee awarded Plateau’s last game to their opponents Spotlight. Plateau are expected to appeal this decision within 48 hours, officials informed.

    The disciplinary and organising committee decided on Thursday that because of the delayed kick-off of the final match between Spotlight and Plateau United in Katsina, the match has been awarded to Spotlight.

    Adamawa thus finished top of their group with 29 points, while Plateau recorded 26 points.

    Precedence was set in the 2011/12 season, when Adamawa lost out on promotion to FC Taraba because their final match also started late.

    This decision also means Spotlight stayed up and Kogi United and Yobe Desert Stars have been relegated to the amateur league.

  • NFF stops cash for Eagles bonuses

    NFF stops cash for Eagles bonuses

    Players of the Super Eagles will no longer be paid their win bonuses by cash, beginning from next month’s World Cup qualifier, AfricanFootball.com has specially gathered.

    Players of the country’s team have been directed to open accounts with a particular local bank, where their win bonuses will now be paid.

    “We have been asked to open foreign currency accounts with a bank where our bonuses will now be paid,” a player informed AfricanFootball.com.

    This directive comes on the heels of a new financial policy pertaining to foreign currencies adopted by the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    This arrangement is one of the measures contained in a players’ code of conduct ,NFF president Amaju Pinnick announced will soon be implemented.

    The Eagles as well as the various national teams have thus far been paid their bonuses in cash.

    Last year, the country’s former sports minister Tammy Danagogo therefore had to fly with a presidential jet to Brazil with over three million US dollars to pay the team appearance bonuses for the World Cup.

  • NFF plans Algeria or Morocco friendly for Eagles

    NFF plans Algeria or Morocco friendly for Eagles

    Nigeria Football Federation will open talks with Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria for a friendly ahead of the crunch two-legged African Nations Cup qualifier against Egypt in March, the body’s president, Amaju Pinnick told africanFootball.com

    He said the NFF is determined to ensure that the players are in the right frame of mind technically and mentally against the record seven-time African champions.

    “I have asked them to begin to shop for a friendly game against Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria in the next available FIFA window,” he told africanFootball.com

    “That tells you how important the next AFCON qualifiers are to us. We want to make sure that the boys are properly prepared and have an idea of how the North Africans play.

    “But in any case, coach Sunday Oliseh has already started studying the tapes of the Egyptians and he is preparing the game plans.”

  • NFF bans social media in camp

    NFF bans social media in camp

    • Eagles’ players forbidden from tweets
    • Instagram, facebook too

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has hinted that Super Eagles players will be restricted on their use of social media while on international duty following the face off between Sunday Oliseh and Vincent Enyeama last Tuesday.

    NFF supremo Amaju Pinnick made this known after a meeting in Belgium on Saturday with the main protagonists involved in the dispute.

    Lille numero uno Vincent Enyeama made headlines last week after he took to Instagram to express his disappointment on how he was mistreated by Sunday Oliseh.

    “No player launches his career through the social media. When players are at their clubs, they don’t broadcast camp situation on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, ” Pinnick said.

    “The same restraint and discipline must be observed in the national camp.”

    Enyeama won’t be the first Super Eagles player to take to a social networking site to voice his displeasure at team officials, with ex-West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie launching an attack on the NFF via Twitter after his omission from the 2013 African Cup of Nations roster.

  • Nigeria plans testimonial for Enyeama – NFF

    Nigeria plans testimonial for Enyeama – NFF

    The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said a testimonial will be organised for Vincent Enyeama, saying he deserves “an honourable exit” from the Super Eagles.

    On Saturday, Enyeama returned to Belgium to meet with NFF president Amaju Pinnick, NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi and 2nd Vice President Shehu Dikko.

    Pinnick told Enyeama in clear terms that the country is bigger than any individual, and that even if he was determined to quit international football, he did not have to do so in a situation of acrimony.

    “I told him that he did so well for Nigeria over the past 13-and-half years that he had been there, and by all means, is deserving of a honourable exit,” the NFF boss said.

    “Whatever the situation, whether he decides to return to the team or not, the NFF will organise a worthy testimonial match in his honour because he served the nation so well.

    “However,the head coach is in full charge of the team and the camp at all times,and that fact must be respected. The NFF will support and respect the decision of the head coach of any of the national teams at all times.

    “Both Oliseh and Enyeama are true heroes of Nigeria football, if you look at what they achieved at different times. But Oliseh is head coach now and in charge of the team. We will continue to respect his contract; our role as a federation is advisory.”

    Pinnick further hinted that a code of conduct for players and officials of the various national teams will soon come into force.

    Speaking from Belgium on Sunday, NFF President Amaju Pinnick assured that the document was ready and would be implemented soonest to guide the conduct of players, officials and coaches and minimise areas of conflict and tension in the national camp.

    “A small group had been working on the document and I am happy to say that it is now ready for implementation,” he said.

    “This will spell out how players and officials must conduct themselves while in any of the national camps, and minimise the probability of misunderstanding between coaches and players.”

  • NFF to organise testimonial for Enyeama

    NFF to organise testimonial for Enyeama

    The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has said a testimonial will be organised for Lille goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, saying he deserves “an honourable exit” from the Super Eagles.

    Enyeama returned to Belgium on Saturday to meet with Pinnick, NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi and 2nd Vice President, Shehu Dikko, africanFootball.com reports.

    Pinnick told Enyeama in clear terms that the country is bigger than any individual, and that even if he was determined to quit international football, he should not do so in a situation of acrimony.

    “I told him that he did so well for Nigeria over the past 13-and-half years that he had been there, and by all means, is deserving of a honourable exit,” Pinnick told africanFootball.com.

    “Whatever the situation, whether he decides to return to the team or not, the NFF will organise a worthy testimonial match in his honour because he served the nation so well.

    “However, the head coach is in full charge of the team and the camp at all times, and that fact must be respected. The NFF will support and respect the decision of the head coach of any of the national teams at all times.

    “Both Oliseh and Enyeama are true heroes of Nigeria football, if you look at what they achieved at different times. But Oliseh is head coach now and in charge of the team. We will continue to respect his contract, our role as a federation is advisory.”

    Pinnick further hinted that a code of conduct for players and officials of the various national teams will soon come into force.

  • Enyeama returns to Eagles’ camp in Belgium

    Enyeama returns to Eagles’ camp in Belgium

    Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama will head back to the Super Eagles’ training camp in Belgium on Saturday to meet with top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation over a major row with Sunday Oliseh, officials told africanFootball.com.

    Enyeama left the Eagles’ camp for  his  France base on Thursday after Oliseh announced CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa as the team’s new skipper.

    The NFF president Amaju Pinnick and as his two vice-presidents – Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, are all in Belgium for the friendlies against Congo DR and Cameroon.

    Enyeama, who has been the country’s skipper since Joseph Yobo retired from international football, has already announced his retirement from international football.

  • NFF hails team spirit as Eagles set to tame Leopards

    NFF hails team spirit as Eagles set to tame Leopards

    NFF President Amaju Pinnick on Wednes-day hailed the spirit in the camp of the Super Eagles in Belgium, as Nigeria’s senior boys banished memories of a brief misunderstanding that reared its head on Tuesday night.

    “I’m happy there is absolute peace in the camp and the players and coaches are thinking of nothing other than the two matches against DR Congo and Cameroon.

    “Whatever misunderstanding that happened on Tuesday night has been peacefully resolved and everyone’s forgotten about it. Anywhere you have a group of people there is propensity for misunderstanding now and again. The key thing is the immediacy of resolution and the maturity to forgive and forget.”

    Head Coach Sunday Oliseh assured there were no longer issues and that the three –time African champions were focused on Thursday’s high –profile friendly against the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    DR Congo, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1968 and 1974, has remained a strong force in African football, and never a squad to treat with kid gloves. But they face a supercharged Eagles loaded with plenty of new and enthusiastic talent, and fortified by some of the old guard.

    There are three –time FIFA World Cup star Vincent Enyeama, defenders Efe Ambrose and Elderson Echiejile, midfielders John Mikel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi as well as forwards Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike (who have all played at the FIFA World Cup), and relatively new faces Carl Ikeme, Dele Alampasu, Leon Balogun, Abdullahi Shehu, Kingsley Madu, Wilfred Ndidi, William Troost Ekong, Obiora Nwankwo, Rabiu Ibrahim, Sylvester Igbonu, Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi.

    Oliseh called up former junior international goalkeeper Dele Alampasu from Portugal, as well as defenders Kingsley Madu and Wilfred Ndidi, and on Wednesday directed the six players and backroom staff yet to be issued visas by the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja to report to Port Harcourt.

    Today’s clash of the Eagles and Leopards will start at 7pm at the VISE Stadium, and will be the first between both countries’ senior teams in five-and-half-years.

    A largely home –based Nigeria squad walloped the Leopards 5-2 in a friendly in Abuja in March 2010. Two goals by Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) accounted for the Leopards in a quarter -final match of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, just as Yekini had scored the only goal of another quarter -final tie between the two teams in Senegal two years earlier.

    Yet, the most memorable clash between both nations was far back in March 1976, when a young Green Eagles’ squad stunned the reigning African champions 4-2 in a Cup of Nations group phase match in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.

    After a meeting on Tuesday that involved officials of the Union Royale Belge des Societes de Football Association (Belgian FA), a decision was taken to stage the Super Eagles’ clash with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Sunday at the Edmond Machtens Stadium in Brussels, with the match now to start at 8pm local time.

    In Port Harcourt, the home –based professionals continued their preparations for the 2016 African Nations Championship final qualifying round against the Etalons of Burkina Faso. All 19 players trained on Monday evening and on Tuesday.

    PLAYERS IN BELGIUM: Vincent Enyeama, Carl Ikeme, Leon Balogun, Abdullahi Shehu, Elderson Echiejile, William Troost Ekong, Efe Ambrose, Ogenyi Onazi, Obiora Nwankwo, John Mikel Obi, Rabiu Ibrahim, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike, Sylvester Igbonu, Moses Simon, Odion Ighalo, Alex Iwobi. NEW INVITEES: Kingsley Madu, Wilfred Ndidi, Dele Alampasu

    PLAYERS IN PORT HARCOURT: David Obiazor, Okemute Odah, Solomon Kwambe, Kalu Orji, Osas Okoro, Idris Aloma, Ezekiel Bassey, Samson Gbadebo, Jamiu Alimi, Abdulrazaq Aliyu, Stephen Eze, Bright Onyedikachi, Bature Yaro, Ifeanyi Mathew, Usman Mohammed, Chisom Chikatara, Tunde Adeniji, Dayo Ojo, Gbolahan Salami. EXPECTED: Femi Thomas, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Chima Akas, Austin Oboroakpo, Paul Onobi, Prince Aggrey.

     

  • NFF backs Enyeama against Oliseh

    NFF backs Enyeama against Oliseh

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has backed goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to remain in the Super Eagles camp after the row with Coach Sunday Oliseh.

    Oliseh, who was physically angry over the late arrival of goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to the team’s camp in Belgium, asked the player to shut up and be thrown out of camp by security operatives.

    Nigeria will play two international friendlies against Congo DR today and Cameroon on Sunday in Belgium.

    A bereaved Enyeama was in Nigeria last weekend to bury his late mother, who’s death saw the Eagles captain miss Nigeria’s last two games against Tanzania and Niger. That development did not go down well with Oliseh who did not show remorse over the Lille shot-stopper’s sad condition at the time.

    Oliseh told the media in September that the goalkeeper opted out of the Super Eagles ahead of their trip to Tanzania without an excuse.

    Enyeama arrived Belgium late on Monday to meet an angry Oliseh who ordered him out of the team’s Hotel Verviers camp, and subsequently named Ahmed Musa as captain for the two friendly games.

    But the NFF would douse the tension as they waded into the matter.

    “It’s true that there was a little misunderstanding in the camp of @NGSuperEagles, but the matter has been resolved. Enyeama remains in camp,” the NFF said on Twitter.

    With the latest development, Nigerians wait to see who stands in between the sticks for the Super Eagles two friendlies, as well as who captains the side.

    Enyeama is Nigeria’s longest serving player with 101 appearances for the Super Eagles.

  • Why NFF is focusing on youth development – Dikko

    Why NFF is focusing on youth development – Dikko

    Shehu Dikko is the Chairman, League Management Company (LMC) and second Vice President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He believes the federation would devote more time to development rather than relying on past glories.

    Dikko, who represented the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick during the unveiling of the federation’s Youth Football Development Plan on Tuesday in Lagos, said the plans by the federation would surely restore the country’s lost glory.

    “Youth development is very important to this new board and for us we must sustain the successes we had recorded in the past by focusing on youth development so that so many stars can come through the system to make it to the senior national team. It is the need to put a system in place that necessitated this idea of the youth development plan, which we believe will yield positive results,” he said.

    For NFF assistant secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, youth development is vital to football growth. “I have been concerned about youth development in the past and I have made several efforts to convince the previous boards to consider this initiative. I am happy that since this board came on board, the idea has been bought over and with the unveiling of the plan, I believe Nigeria is on the road to reclaim its glory in the world,” Ikpeme said.

    Sponsor of the initiative, Zenith Bank PLC, represented by its chief economist, Marcel Okeke, said their support for the idea would be enduring, while assuring that the bank would support the policy as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR).

    He praised the NFF for the idea, adding that Zenith Bank would ensure the objectives of the programme are achieved. Okeke, however, called for transparency and accountability of the exercise.