The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nff

  • Danagogo hails Jonathan’s intervention in NFF crisis

    Danagogo hails Jonathan’s intervention in NFF crisis

    Sports Minister and Chairman National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo has commended President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his timely intervention in the crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation which he said will be resolved before the expiration of the deadline given by FIFA to avoid its hammer falling on the country.

    The minister said during the beginning of the retreat for the President Cup which he declared open in Abuja yesterday that the interest of the president in the sport which unifies the country led to the invitation of the warring factions in the NFF for a truce meeting which would lead to true reconciliation of the parties.

    “I can assure you that Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief as the president, who is a strong supporter of our national teams met with the warring parties and everything to ensure that Nigeria is not banned by FIFA will be done”, Dr. Danagogo said to a resounding applause from the audience at the ceremony at the Media Centre of the Abuja National Stadium.

    On the President Cup which is aimed at scouting for young football talents in the country, the minister reaffirmed his call on the committee to do a painstaking job by combing all the nooks and crannies of the country to fish out the talents, as he commended all the ex internationals who are part of the committee for being part of the programme.

    Present at the ceremony were the representatives of the Minister of Youth Development and the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, NSC Director of Grassroots DEvelopment, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut who is also Chairman of the President Cup Organising Committee as well as former Super Eagles players like Peter Rufai, Taribo West and Tijani Babaginda.

  • NFF may hire Avram Grant for AFCON

    NFF may hire Avram Grant for AFCON

    Sky Sports understands the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) wants Avram Grant to manage the team during the Africa Cup of Nations.

    Former coach, Stephen Keshi was sacked on October 16 after a poor run of results.

    Grant succeeded Jose Mourinho as Chelsea manager in 2007 and also managed Portsmouth and West Ham in the Premier League.

    During his time in charge at Stamford Bridge, Grant led Chelsea to the Champions League final in 2008 and runner-up spot in the Premier League in the same season.

    Grant has spent the majority of his career coaching and managing in Israel, winning a number of national league and cup victories with different teams, and also managing the Israeli national team for four years.

    Grant moved to England in 2006 to become Technical Director of Portsmouth before being appointed Director of football at Chelsea in July 2007. Two months later, in September 2007, following the departure of José Mourinho, Grant was appointed manager of Chelsea. Despite steering the team into the Champions League final, the League Cup final and contesting the Premier League title to the last day, his contract was terminated at the end of the season.

    Grant returned to Portsmouth as Director of football in October 2009, and was made manager the following month. After the club’s relegation to the Football League Championship Grant resigned and, on 3 June 2010, was appointed as manager of West Ham United, a role he held up until 15 May 2011, when he was sacked after the club was relegated to the Football League Championship.

    On January 13, 2012, Grant was named the new manager of Partizan Belgrade. After guiding Partizan to their fifth consecutive Serbian championship, Grant resigned on May 14, 2012.

  • Court strikes out NFF case

    Court strikes out NFF case

    Following application for discontinuation of case, the Federal High Court in Jos has struck out the case challenging the Executive Committee of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) led by Amaju Pinnick.

    The court presided over by Justice Ambrose Allagoa struck out the case yesterday following a notice of discontinuation filed by counsels to the plaintiffs who said the notice of discontinuation led from appeals by well-meaning Nigerians who were concerned that further delay of the case could attract FIFA’s wrath.

    The court had fixed yesterday for a ruling on a stay-of-execution of its earlier ruling dismissing the election of the Pinnick-led NFF executive committee and a preliminary objection by the NFF insisting that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the case.

    Justice Allagoa said: “I have prepared his ruling the previous night only to be confronted yesterday with the notice of discontinuation, but that because the rules say a plaintiff could request the  discontinuation of a case at any point, he had to strike out the case.”

    Counsel to the plaintiffs, Habila Arzard, who addressed journalists after the court proceedings, restated the reason for asking that the case be discontinued: “Since yesterday when we left court, several well-meaning Nigerians have called the plaintiffs and appealed to them to give greater consideration to the interest of this nation. The plaintiffs are Nigerians and they love football. So, in view of the appeals by the well-meaning Nigerians and the interest of the nation, they decided to terminate the proceedings. That’s why this morning (Thursday) we decided to file the notice of discontinuation.”

    Defense counsel Damon Dashe who expained the implication of the court proceeding of Thursday, said: “Now that the matter has been struck out, it means the order of October 23 (dismissing the Pinnick executive committee) has no life now and there are no more restrictions. The entire NFF execo elected on the 30th of September 2014 is the substantive exco of the NFF. That is the position of the law now.”

  • Pinnick promises to restructure NFF

    Pinnick promises to restructure NFF

    • Salutes Adenuga for being rallying symbol of football 

    The declining state of football is set to take a better turn as the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF board has promised a restructured and sustainable football culture that will ensure optimum performance both locally and internationally.

    Speaking during a courtesy call at the corporate headquarters of Globacom in Lagos on Thursday, Pinnick assured Nigerians that the era of mediocrity in football administration was over and that the people will see a change in the performance of Nigerian teams when their blue print is finally set in motion.

    Mr. Pinnick praised Globacom for comprehensively supporting the national teams over the years adding that Globacom would henceforth get more value for invested money as the sponsorship fee would be attached to clearly defined programmes.

    “We congratulate Glo. We believe you should get double the value of what you have invested in football . We also appreciate Dr. Adenuga who is a Pillar on the continent and a rallying symbol. We promise a symbiotic relationship that would be mutually beneficial and henceforth you will see visibly what your funds are being used for. We want to glow in every way” the NFF President noted.

    He announced that the Association would be restructured for optimum performance  and capacities would be developed in various ways adding that they had secured sponsorship for fifteen coaches and ex-internationals to attend a course on match reading while some referees would also undergo refresher courses.

    Welcoming the NFF President earlier, the Director, Promotions & Sponsored Assets, Achuthan Kutty congratulated him on his recent election and promised Globacom’s continued support to the Nigeria Football Federation at all times.

    He re-echoed Dr. Adenuga’s charge that an African team would win the World Cup and expressed the hope that Nigeria would be the country to break the record for the continent during the tenure of the Pinnick led Board.

    The NFF President was accompanied by the First Vice P?resident of the Federation, Mr.  Seyi Akinwumi and the Director of Marketing, Mr. Adama Idris.

  • We must get it right – Baribote insists

    We must get it right – Baribote insists

    • Says cabal should stay away from Nigeria football
    • No condition attached to court withdrawal

    Former chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), Victor Baribote, has urged all genuine stakeholders to use the recent impasse to do the right thing in the Nigeria football.

    President Goodluck Jonathan saved Nigeria from FIFA ban after calling a truce meeting between the leading football stakeholders in the country, which led to the resolution of the recent NFF elective process.

    Baribote in a telephone chat with SportingLife said the transformation of the Nigeria football should be all encompassing and not to be left in the hands of some individuals.

    “For the fact that the case has been withdrawn from court does not mean everything has been settled. The president who is number one citizen in the country pleaded with all parties concerned to withdraw the case from court and there is nothing anybody can do but to abide with the president directive,” Baribote told SportingLife.

    “For you to build you have to destroy first. You need to destroy before building a good structure.

    “We have to take Nigeria football to a level that will make us be in the same level with international world. Again, we have to liberate Nigeria football from the cabal who believe it is their personal estate.

    “For you to make the necessary change you have to first of all sanitise the system. That is exactly what happened. It is not a day job to just make those changes. We are in the process to change it.

    “For example, in the past all twenty Nigeria Premier League clubs used to be part of the congress and they have voting right. But it is now in the hands of the state FAs which is not supposed to be so.

    “At the end of every season, there should be a congress to make amendment where necessary in our rules. It is very wrong to allow some set of people to decide the fate of our football. It has to be all-embracing things. All genuine stakeholders have to be involved not just stakeholders that are benefiting from the system but those that are contributing or people giving back to the system should be part of those that will decide the fate of football.”

    The chairman of Nembe City Football Club also disclosed to SportingLife that no condition was attached to withdraw of court case by Ambassador Chris Giwa.

    “We did it for Nigerians. We will still come to the round table to talk and see how to correct some anomalies in the system.”

    The former Bayelsa United chairman has also urged Nigeria journalists to report fact and not to whip up sentiments against individuals.

    “In as much as we give thanks to the press for what they are doing but they should still try and report back to the public exactly what happened and not to present some people in a negative way to public or whip up sentiments against some people,” he added.

  • Appeals C’ttee set to nullify NFF elections

    Appeals C’ttee set to nullify NFF elections

    The NFF electoral appeals committee are set to void a September 30 elections that ushered in Amaju Pinnick.

    The appeals committee headed by Okey Ajunwa have taken in the appeals of several aspirants and have now set November 12 and 13 for those protested against to make their own case for fair hearing.

    “Justice will be served,” declared Ajunwa.

    Leonard Igbokwe one of the aspirants protested against this decision, saying he handed in his appeal since October 10 and the appeals committee had two weeks to decide on it.

    Sani Fema and Suleyman Muazu are the other aspirants who appealed against the elections.

    Fresh elections to the NFF executive committee would be ordered should the elections be finally nullified.

  • Court annuls NFF elections

    Court annuls NFF elections

    A Federal High Court sitting in Jos has  invalidated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) election of September 30, 2014 held in Warri.

    The NFF polls of September brought Amaju Pinnick into office as president of the federation succeeding Aminu Maigari. But two members of the Chris Giwa-led group went to court to seek redress asking the court to stop the NFF congresses from holding.

    Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Jos declared in his ruling on Thursday that “I have set aside all the proceedings and decisions of the Warri Extra-Ordinary meeting of the 20th September and the Elective Congress of 30th September which were direct contraventions of the orders of this court as granted on the 19th September.

    “Nobody should foist on the court a complete case of hopelessness so that the principles of law and justice can be upheld. It’s not enough to say that the order of court was wrongly made, no matter how unorthodox, its subsisting orders, unless set aside, remains law and must be respected.

    “Defendants in this matter have not filed any counter affidavits in this court to contest the facts. There is no motion nor Memorandum of Appearance. This is a court of Record. On this note, the court has no option to protect the integrity and sanctity of court. Court orders are not tea party. Nobody is above the law. Impunity must be stopped.”

    The judge did not treat the contempt issue but added that all “parties (in the suit) are however warned” of disobeying his court.

    Supersport.com sources have, however, learnt that the NFF executive committee presided over by Pinnick will apply for a stay of execution of the ruling. The substantive matters in the case were adjourned by Justice Allagoa till November 25.

    With this development, there are fears that the world’s football-governing body, FIFA, could be forced to clamp down on the NFF and impose immediate sanctions that will include being barred from international football activities.

    FIFA had warned the country’s football federation that should any mishap befall its governance again, the international football body will be left with no option than to apply automatic sanctions that will run till May 2015 when FIFA’s congress holds.

  • AFCON QUALIFIERS: NFF denies inviting 66 players

    AFCON QUALIFIERS: NFF denies inviting 66 players

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports in the Nigerian media about the invitation of 66 players by new Super Eagles coach Amodu Shuaibu for AFCON 2015 qualifying games.

    The body denied the reports through the Super Eagles of Nigeria Twitter handle, but confirmed to SL10 the listing of a pool of players from which Amodu Shaibu is expected to pick players.

    “Coach Shaibu has not invited 66 players for 2015 AFCON qualifiers in November. NFF tech department only gave him a pool of players as guide,” reads a tweet from the handle.

    “It is the normal procedure for NFF tech department to give such guidance for any new technical crew for all national teams.”

    The coach is, however, at liberty to pick any player out of that pool he/she feels has something special to offer his/her team.

    Furthermore the statement confirmed that the Super Eagles will play a friendly match with a yet-to-be-known team in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to formally open the Akwa Ibom Stadium where they will play South Africa in their last group game of the AFCON 2015 qualifiers.

  • NFF Exco appeals Jos Court ruling

    NFF Exco appeals Jos Court ruling

    • Files for stay of execution

    The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has swiftly filed for appeal against the ruling of the Federal High Court, Jos Judicial Division of Thursday, which annulled the NFF Elective Congress of 30th September, 2014.

    The Judge had given the order annulling the elections despite a Preliminary Objection filed by the NFF challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

    NFF 1st Vice President, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi said: “We have been notified of the ruling of the court, which was made in spite of our filing for a Preliminary Objection concerning the jurisdiction of the court.

    “However, our lawyers have gone to work immediately the order was made. We are appealing the ruling and also filing for Stay of Execution of the order.”

  • OCTOBER 2014 FIFA RANKINGS: Nigeria drop five places

    OCTOBER 2014 FIFA RANKINGS: Nigeria drop five places

    •Now 42nd in the world; 9th in Africa

    Nigeria have dropped five places from their  previous 37th position, and are now placed 42 on the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.

    The Super Eagles’ uninspiring displays have seen the team plummet to number nine in Africa below countries like Cape Verde and Senegal.

    The Les Fennecs of Algeria, who have won four out of their four AFCON 2015 qualifiers, are the number one team in Africa with 989 points and 15th on the world ranking ahead of England.

    Nigeria are behind several countries, including Ivory Coast who are second, Tunisia, Ghana, Cameroun and Cape Verde. Egypt and Senegal make up the remaining African top ten spots.

    Evidently, the goalless draw in South Africa and the 1-0 loss to Sudan didn’t do the Eagles any good in the latest rankings.

    World Cup winners Germany still maintain the number one spot in the world. Argentina and Colombia are in second and third respectively while Brazil, who hosted the FIFAWorld Cup lie in sixth place on the world rankings.