The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nff

  • ‘LMC lacks power to exclude Nembe, Giwa from league’

    ‘LMC lacks power to exclude Nembe, Giwa from league’

    THE League Management Company (LMC)’s decision to exclude Nembe City FC and Giwa FC of Jos from participating in the Glo Premier League on the grounds of non-compliance with registration requirements, has been condemned by a stakeholder who said it lacks the powers to do so.

    Speaking with sports writers in Abuja on Tuesday at his arrival for the Club Owners’ Association executive meeting with the affected clubs, Acting Secretary of the Association Alloy Chukwuemeka said the LMC was in a hurry in taking such decision, stressing that the exclusive powers to relegate, promote, dismiss, exclude and suspend any team from any cadre of the leagues in Nigeria resides with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

    He added that what the LMC should have done was to recommend their findings to the NFF for action, not rushing to the media to announce their exclusion which amounts to usurping the powers of the NFF/AGA.

    He began: “Yes, we are here for the meeting as you rightly observed, but I cannot pre-empt the outcome of the meeting, so you can wait until we come out of the meeting.

    “The essence of the meeting is first, in solidarity with our colleagues whose clubs were excluded from participating in the league. We are here also to find out the true position of the issues on ground so that we can present it to our larger forum and other relevant quarters.”

    “Personally, I think the LMC lacks powers to exclude any team from participating in the league, it is the exclusive power of the federation, they can only recommend. That is all I can say for now, so just wait until after the meeting”, said Chukwuemeka.

  • 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.

  • NFF proud of Eagles’ outing against Mexico

    NFF proud of Eagles’ outing against Mexico

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed satisfaction with the Super Eagles’ performance in the international friendly against Mexico at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, USA on Wednesday.

    “The match ended scoreless but I can tell you that the NFF is happy with the output of the players and it was well worth the effort to arrange this game,” NFF President Aminu Maigari said in Atlanta, minutes after the game that ended 0-0 but saw the nearly 70,000 crowd applaud both teams into the dressing room.

    Maigari was especially delighted with the performance of new boys Michael Uchebo, Leon Balogun, Imoh Ezekiel and Ramon Azeez in the prestige encounter.

    “The new players did not show any stage fright, and the old guard provided them with the confidence necessary to stand up to the Mexicans. We must remember that Mexico is one of the strongest teams in the world, and our ability to stand up to them on a neutral soil means we are gradually getting into the form for the FIFA World Cup finals,” Maigari added.

    The Eagles next play Scotland in London on May 28 before flying to Philadephia for the first of two friendly matches in America, with the second coming up in Jacksonville few days to the team’s departure to the 20th FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

    In Brazil, the Super Eagles will stay at the Vitoria Hotel Concept in Campinas, 70 minutes’ drive from Sao Paulo International Airport, and play Iran in Curitiba on June 16, Bosnia-Herzegovina in Cuiaba on June 21 and Argentina in Porto Alegre on June 25 – exactly 20 years to the day Nigeria and Argentina first squared up at the biggest stage, in Boston, United States of America.

  • NFF upholds NNL’s ruling against Jigawa

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has further sanctioned Jigawa Golden Stars in the wake of crowd trouble at their home ground, the Hadejia Township Stadium last weekend.

    Fans believed to be that of Jigawa Stars disrupted their opening day clash in the Nigeria National League (NNL) against Wikki Tourists who led the contest by a goal before abandoning the match.

    The NNL swiftly clamped down on Jigawa Stars and stripped them of three points and three goals and also fined the Dutse-based club N1 million (around $6,250).

    The disciplinary committee of the football federation also upheld NNL’s decision and asked the club to cough up N530,000 (around $3,300) “without any delay or face more sanctions for acts of hooliganism.”

    Jigawa Stars were further ordered to pay N800,000 ($5,000) for the destruction of the video camera of Wikki by their fans and another N200,000 ($1,250) for the damaged video tape of the opposing team.

    The offending club would also pay another N200,000 to the assaulted match referees.

    The NFF disciplinary committee explained that it took the decision in line with Article 6.5(2) of the league and believes the sanctions should serve as a deterrent to other clubs competing in Nigeria’s second tier.

    Jigawa Stars are expected to pay up the fine before their next NNL home match against Plateau United on Wednesday.

  • NFF proposes Portugal friendly

    NFF proposes Portugal friendly

    The Nigeria Football Federation has proposed a World Cup warm-up against Portugal, MTNFootball.com reports.

    The African champions had confirmed only next month’s friendly against Mexico as a warm-up game for Brazil 2014.

    However, Chairman of the NFF Technical Committee, Chris Green, has now said another match against Portugal could well be on the cards.

    However, Green said the match will be played if Portugal accepts the arrangement.

    “We are considering playing a friendly with Portugal, the team plays like Argentina and Bosnia-Hezegovina. But for the friendly to come to life, Portugal have to accept and be interested,” MTNFootball.com quoted Green as saying on Brila FM.

    Nigeria is also working on another test game against Croatia.

    Nigeria will play against Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina, while the Portuguese are pitched against Ghana, Germany and United States of America in the World Cup.

     

  • ‘Glo League needs more sponsors’

    ‘Glo League needs more sponsors’

    John Fashanu, a former member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Monday said the Globacom Premier League required more than one sponsor to thrive as a world-class league.

    Fashanu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. The former Wimbledon FC of London striker called on the League Management Company (LMC) to take the necessary steps to encourage multiple sponsors for the league.

    “We want to make sure we have multi-sponsors, that’s the most important thing, bring money into the game of football in this country. Then we will be able to compare international football and the local football, the only difference now is the technical side of things in the premiership and the money.

    “We need to increase the money coming into football that’s the important thing; as we said, our players in the local league have shown that they can be some of the best players. That is why all the international clubs now want Nigerian players and it’s great news for us.”

    NAN reports that the kick-off date for the league has been postponed by the LMC to enable clubs that had yet to comply with its registration requirements to do so.

    According to the LMC, the 2013/2014 season would now kick-off on March 7 in all the centres across the nation.

  • Keshi defies NFF over holidays

    Keshi defies NFF over holidays

    Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi is again on a collision course with his employers after he flouted an order to stay back for a Presidential reception for his team.

    Top officials informed MTNFootball.com that Keshi was ordered to stay back for Thursday’s reception for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) Eagles by President Goodluck Jonathan, but he still went ahead and flew out to the United States of America on holidays.

    ‘The Big Boss’ was conspicuously missing at the reception, where the country’s President rewarded him with a cash gift of 1.5 million Naira after he led the country to finish third at the 2014 CHAN in South Africa.

    Keshi’s presence was also needed for Wednesday’s technical committee meeting in Abuja, where he was expected to defend his call-ups for next month’s World Cup warm-up against Mexico. He would later talk with the technical committee on phone from his house in the US.

    “Keshi was clearly told to stay back for both the technical committee meeting and the Presidential reception, but he chose to fly out to the United states for holidays,” a top official informed MTNFootball.com.

    Keshi’s latest defiance comes at the height of a controversy that he has been asked by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to recommend an additional assistant. However, the NFF have denied this.

    “We have faith in Keshi and we trust him. He is our coach for the World Cup,” said NFF president Aminu Maigari

    Keshi has endured a frosty relationship with his employers and this reached a peak when he quit his post moments after he led Nigeria to win a third Africa Cup of Nations a year ago.

    The former Togo and Mali handler has been rumoured to have interested several other countries with South Africa his latest suitor.

  • Keshi defies NFF on holidays

    Keshi defies NFF on holidays

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi is again on collision course with his employers after he flouted an order to stay back for a Presidential reception for the team.

    Top officials informed MTNFootball.com that Keshi was ordered to stay back for Thursday’s reception for the CHAN Eagles by President Goodluck Jonathan, but he still went ahead and flew out to the United States on holidays.

    ‘The Big Boss’ was conspicuously missing at the reception, where President Jonathan rewarded him with a cash gift of 1.5 million naira for leading the country to finish third at the 2014 CHAN in South Africa.

    Keshi’s presence was also needed for Wednesday’s technical committee meeting in Abuja, where he was expected to defend his call-ups for next month’s World Cup warm-up against Mexico.

    He would later talk with the technical committee on phone from his house in the US.

    “Keshi was clearly told to stay back for both the technical committee meeting and the Presidential reception, but he chose to fly out to the United states for holidays,” a top official informed MTNFootball.com

    Keshi’s latest defiance comes at the height of a controversy that he has been asked by the Nigeria Football Federation to recommend an additional assistant.

    However, the NFF has denied this.

    “We have faith in Keshi and we trust him. He is our coach for the World Cup,” said NFF president Aminu Maigari

     

  • Foreign Coach for Eagles: It’s a big lie, says NFF

    Foreign Coach for Eagles: It’s a big lie, says NFF

    The leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has voiced it loud and clear that they have no plans to hire a foreign coach for the Super Eagles as it was being rumoured in some quarters.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation Media Committee who is also a Board member of the federation, Emeka Inyama on Tuesday said on NTA that whoever is carrying the rumour should put a stop to it.

    The issue of hiring a foreign coach was more in the news shortly after the Eagles managed to win the bronze medal of the last Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa. But the NFF chieftain has come out publicly to rubbish the claims.

    “This is not the first time we have been hearing this (that the NFF wants to hire a foreign Coach for the Super Eagles) even after we won the African Nations Cup in South Africa on February last year (2013). It was everywhere that the NFF wanted to bring a foreign Technical Adviser to the team even at the middle of the AFCON 2013 in South Africa then.

    “I have discussed with the President of the Nigeria Football Federation and I want to speak officially on this matter also that there is no truth in the rumour, there is no truth in the speculations, there is no truth in the comments going all over. Keshi is in charge and there is no contemplation to employ a foreign Technical Adviser for the team.

    “Honestly speaking, I don’t know anything about any body language to hire a foreign coach for the team; the truth is that there is no contemplation to employ a foreign Technical Adviser for Stephen Keshi of Nigeria for the World Cup and that is official”, he stated clearly.

    Inyama also made it clear that the Federation would give full support as usual to Keshi to be able to lead the team to an impressive campaign in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil come June.

    “We will give Keshi all the support as Nigeria Football Federation to ensure that the best legs are the ones that would take us to the World Cup in Brazil this year. Nigeria has always been a team that adds colour to any international competitions like we did at the 1994 World Cup in USA, The Atlanta 1996 Olympics and the Saudi ’89 U- 20 World Cup and so on. This time around we want to add a positive colour to the Brazil 2014 World Cup. The Nigeria Football Federation will continue to give Keshi the enabling environment to do his job”, he promised.

  • U-20 COACHING JOB: NFF Technical C’ttee picks Manu

    U-20 COACHING JOB: NFF Technical C’ttee picks Manu

    • Ugbade assistant

    The Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation rose from its 22nd meeting on Wednesday, 12th February, 2014, recommending the appointment of a new technical crew for the U-20 boys. It also slammed speculations of a planned ‘foreign technical assistant’ for Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi.

    Furthermore indigenous Coaches are to obtain a Nigeria Football Federation Coaching License.

    1) The Technical and Development Committee would want to restate its stand that at no time did it contemplate, approve or recommend for the appointment of any foreign Technical Assistant to Head Coach of Super Eagles, Mr. Stephen Keshi.

    2) Committee reiterates the fact that it has given, and will continue to give, its unflinching support to Mr. Keshi and the team to do Nigeria proud at the 20th FIFA World Cup finals, Brazil 2014.

    3) The Committee recommended to the Executive Committee the following persons to make up the technical crew of the U-20 Men National Team, Flying Eagles: Manu Garba (Head Coach); Nduka Ugbade (Assistant Coach); Fancy Ewulu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer)

    4) Committee recommended to the Executive Committee to make it compulsory for all indigenous Coaches to obtain a Nigeria Football Federation Coaching License.