The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nff

  • NFF seeks good show for CHAN Eagles

    NFF seeks good show for CHAN Eagles

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi has not been charged with winning the title at the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in South Africa.

    The NFF through an executive committee member, Chris Green, explained that “presenting a good team and playing good football” is more important than winning the title.

    “Let’s not forget that Nigeria has never qualified for the CHAN in two previous attempts. The most important thing is to present a good team and to play good football. If we win the trophy, then it’s a plus,” he told supersport.com.

    The tournament is exclusively for footballers who ply their trade in their domestic leagues and Green is confident a solid outing by the Super Eagles will attract traffic to the Glo Nigeria Premier League (NPFL).

    “A good outing by our team will attract attention to our domestic league and even attract players from different countries to the NPFL.

    “We hope for a good outing at the CHAN but we are not putting any pressure on the players and coaches because we are looking at the bigger picture,” he said.

    The Super Eagles will begin their preliminary campaign at the 2014 CHAN on January 11 against Mali in Cape Town.

  • CHAN 2014: No target for Keshi, says NFF

    CHAN 2014: No target for Keshi, says NFF

    NFF Technical Committee Chairman, Christopher Green, has insisted that no one would give the Super Eagles technical crew a target at the forthcoming Africa Championships for home based players, but said that Stephen Keshi and his boys have all it takes to win the championship

    Speaking in Abuja, the NFF executive committee member said “it doesn’t warrant giving Stephen Keshi a target at the CHAN tournament holding in South Africa. One thing that is obvious is that Keshi has done very well with the team within a space of one month. We have also seen that he is very determined to make a maximum impact in the championship, so we need to encourage him. The boys on their parts, would not want to disappoint the Coach and the country, because they know that if they play well in this championship, they can make it to the World cup, so they would have to put in their best”.

    Continuing, the Rivers State FA Chairman said “that makes it very good for us as everyone would want to strive to write his name in gold”.

    He promised that the NFF would give the team all the support to ensure that they excel at the Africa Championships and World Cup proper in Brazil later in the year .

  • NFF badges Nigeria’s international referees for 2014

    NFF badges Nigeria’s international referees for 2014

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday in Abuja presented badges to Nigeria’s international referees for the year 2014.

    Speaking at the ceremony in Abuja, NFF President, Aminu Maigari charged the referees to always conduct themselves in ways and manners that would lift the image of the country. He praised the Nigeria Referees Association and the NFF Referees Committee for the great job they have been doing to improve the standard of refereeing in the country.

    Also at the ceremony were Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Muazu Suleyman, President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Ahmed Maude, NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, FIFA Advisor Linus Mba, NFF Referees Committee member Sunday Audu, NFF Refereeing Consultant Sani Zubairu and retired FIFA referee Engineer Emmanuel Imiere.

     

    FULL LIST OF THE FIFA-BADGED REFEREES

     

    FIFA Referees (Men): Abubakar Ago, Opeyemi Amao, Benjamin Odey, Henry Ogunyamodi, Ferdinand Udoh and Abdullahi Shuaibu.

    FIFA Referees (Women): Foluso Ajayi, Uloma Nwogu and Hadiza Musa.

    FIFA Assistant Referees (Men): Peter Edibe, Robert Aundugh, Abel Baba, Tunde Abidoye, Isah Usman, Azeez Orowole and Samuel Pwadutakam.

    FIFA Assistant Referees (Women): Bosede Momoh, Mimisen Iyorhe, Bukola Olisa and Hilda Nkwocha.

    FIFA Futsal Referees: Mark Agbo, Ibrahim Umar, Paul Umuago and Ndubuisi Ukah.

    FIFA Beach Soccer Referees: Jelili Ogunmuyiwa, Suleiman Jimeta, Sani Mohammed and Michael Ushie.

  • Fraudsters hack Green’s Facebook, e-mail accounts

    Practitioners of advance fee fraud and their agents have hacked into the e-mail and Facebook accounts of the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s Technical and Development Committee, Barrister Chris Green.

    “I don’t understand what is happening. They hacked into my e-mail and Facebook accounts which is syncronised. The scamsters are, in their usual practice, asking for money from some persons, claiming that I am the one.

    “The truth is, I have not travelled outside the country this year and definitely not carrying out any project for which I need money personally. I want to warn friends and associates, and the entire Nigeria football family, to beware of the antics of these characters,” Green said on Tuesday.

  • BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP: No Miami, Houston camps for Eagles

    BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP: No Miami, Houston camps for Eagles

    • NFF insists on high altitude areas for camping
    • Nigeria’s two matches hold in altitude zones
    • Search for training site continues

    Sportinglife can reveal authoritatively that Super Eagles players will not be camping in Houston or Miami in the United States, ahead of the 2014 World Cup because the two cities’ weather conditions do not correspond with the prevalent conditions that the Nigerian side will be facing in two of her Munidal matches in Brazil.

    A decent source at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) told SportingLife that: “I can tell you for free that NFF is looking for a training camp for the Super Eagles. Miami and Houston don’t fit the climatic conditions in the cities where we will play two of our three preliminary games at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    “We found out that two of those cities where we will be playing are high altitude areas and neither Miami nor Houston is a high altitude zones. So, both cities, no matter how beautiful their faciltities, won’t be what we need because weather is critical for the players during matches.”

    “We prepared the Eagles very well for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and you saw how well we did during the competition. We don’t want to give any of our opponents any advantage, let alone the weather.

    “If our players are struggling to cope with the weather, how do you expect them to give their best? So, undue advantage is what we shouldn’t give our opponents. Instead, we should be seen to have done our home work well before matches, hence the quest to look for high altitude areas akin to those two cities,” SportingLife’s source said.

  • ETHIOPIA FRIENDLY: Keshi salutes NFF

    ETHIOPIA FRIENDLY: Keshi salutes NFF

    Super Eagles gaffer Stephen Keshi has appreciated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for organising the international friendly match between his team and the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia.

    The match which was played at the Abuja National Stadium on Saturday, ended 2-1 in favour of the Super Eagles.

    Keshi, who spoke after the game, said: “I’m very happy with my employers, the NFF for organising the match for us at a very short notice. I really appreciate them. The match has given us the opportunity to take a very close look at our boys in a very serious match situation. You can see that the Ethiopians are a very experienced side. They have been together for long.

    “This was exactly the same team that we played at both the African Nations Cup and the World Cup qualifiers last year, and if our three weeks’ team who were playing under various pressures here at home for the first time can hold them, then, we can say we are heading somewhere.”

    Continuing, the Big Boss said: “I will say I’m impressed with the performance of our boys. They were playing together for the first time, and playing under pressure to impress me, impress the crowd, impress the media and impress everybody. It should be like that, and we are optimistic that with time we will improve”.

    He said that he does not have a team yet, that they are still working towards perfection.

    “This is not a team yet, we are still working. I am not going to tell you that we are going to win the African Championship now, because there is no way you can put a winning team together in three weeks. Even if you are a magician, you cannot do it. What you see us play in that match was put together in 24 hours, so we are moving ahead, and there is no cause for alarm,” the former Nigeria international said.

    He further revealed that he does not know his starting line up yet, as that would unfold as the championship gets underway.

  • We won’t judge Keshi by CHAN result — NFF

    We won’t judge Keshi by CHAN result — NFF

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that Super Eagles’ head coach, Stephen Keshi will lead the country to the Brazil 2014 World Cup, irrespective of Nigeria’s outing at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) slated for South Africa.

    Keshi qualified the Eagles to the World Cup in November last year with a 4-1 aggregate win over the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia, but calls for a foreign manager to work with the Big Boss have sometimes been made in the local media.

    Although the NFF has on many occasions denied that it has such intention, there is a lingering suspicion that the calls for an expatriate to assist Keshi might have official backing.

    The fate of Shaibu Amodu as Super Eagles manager is a case in point. Amodu qualified Nigeria for the 2002 World Cup finals but was axed after a third place finish at the African Cup of Nations in Mali, held earlier in the same year.

    Keshi also booked a World Cup ticket for then underdogs Togo to the 2006 World Cup but was unable to lead the team to Germany after the West Africans’ poor display at Egypt 2006, exiting the competition in the first round.

    Against this backdrop, SportingLife contacted NFF Technical and Development Committee chairman, Christopher Green, who confirmed that the Football House would not judge Keshi by the CHAN result, and that the Big Boss is a sure bet to lead the Eagles to the World Cup.

    “I believe this will put an end to the rumour making the rounds that the NFF is planning to hire a foreign coach. We don’t have such in our agenda at all.

    “We are supporting Keshi all the way. We won’t use the CHAN result to determine his fate regarding the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

    “That is the reason why we have not given him any target at CHAN. It is our first outing and we know it may not be that easy.

    “We want the team to have a meaningful impact in South Africa. Even if they are unable to win the title they should ensure that Nigeria’s image is not soiled at all,” Barrister Green told SportingLife.

  • Glo-CAF Awards: NFF, Globacom perfect arrangements

    Glo-CAF Awards: NFF, Globacom perfect arrangements

    Top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation and Globacom Communications have been perfecting strategies and methods for a highly successful Glo-CAF African Football Awards, which will take place at the Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday.

    The Glo-CAF Awards traditionally rewards the best men and women performers in several sectors of the game in the continent in the outgone year.

    At the weekend, NFF President, Aminu Maigari held a meeting with a delegation from the telecommunication giants, where several issues, especially the reception, transportation, accommodation and security of the CAF delegation as well as the role of Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) were highlighted.

    Noting that the NFF is one of the most respected football federations in Africa and that the Aminu Maigari administration is a brand to associate with, Globacom’s Director of Public Relations, Olabode Opeseitan declared that “our objective is to deliver a world class event interspersed with unique brand of African entertainment, and we need the support of NFF to achieve this.”

    Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh will anchor the event alongside renowned South African broadcaster Carol Tshabalala. NFF President, Aminu Maigari, pledged the support of the federation to ensure that the showpiece is a huge success, “to the glory of our country.”

    At the meeting were NFF President Aminu Maigari; Chairman of Technical Committee, Chris Green; General Secretary, Musa Amadu; Director of Competitions, Mohammed Sanusi and Assistant Director (Media), Ademola Olajire. From Globacom were Olabode Opeseitan, Vincent Oparaeke (Head, Marketing Afolabi Otufowora (Head of Events).

    For the first time in decades, and underlining the tremendous success that year 2013 was for Nigeria football, several Nigerian players and teams are in line for honours on the night.

    Nigeria’s National Team, winner of the 29th Africa Cup of Nations and first African team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, is nominated for National Team of the Year, while the U-17 Team, record fourth winners of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates, is nominated for Youth National Team of the Year.

    Midfield lynchpin John Mikel Obi is nominated alongside Ivorians Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba for Player of the Year, with Coach Stephen Keshi in the race for Coach of the Year alongside compatriot Manu Garba of the U-17 side, and Kelechi Iheanacho, Most Valuable Player of the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013, in the race for Most Promising Talent.

    Attacking midfielder Sunday Mba, who scored the only goal of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Final, is nominated for African Player of the Year (based in Africa) while the Nigeria Football Supporters Club will pick up the Fair Play Award.

  • NFF Technical C’ttee to meet on Friday in Abuja

    NFF Technical C’ttee to meet on Friday in Abuja

    The Technical Sub Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will on Friday meet in Abuja to deliberate on crucial issues and chart a way forward for the country’s football in 2014.

    Nigeria excelled in most of the international competitions participated in 2013 with the heights being Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets’ conquests at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa and the FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in February and November last year respectively.

    The country also qualified for the FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Turkey, though the coach John Obuh tutored lads got booted out in the second round.

    The female national teams were not left behind in the strings of successes with the Flamingoes qualifying for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica without kicking a ball.

    To maintain the country’s ratings in 2013 and work towards surpassing those feats, the Chairman, Technical Sub Committee of the NFF, Barrister Christopher Green told SportingLife that the meeting on Friday is to harmonise, cogitate and make recommendations on the activities of the various national teams.

    Barrister Green noted that the NFF deemed it necessary to consolidate on the feats achieved in 2013 hence the decision to meet very early in 2014 to come up with another roadmap the nation’s teams would be working towards this year.

    “The Technical Committee will meet on Friday in Abuja to discuss crucial issues bothering on how not to lose track in 2014 because of what we achieved in 2013. So many issues would be well deliberated upon by the committee with the interest of Nigerian football the priority,” Barrister Green told SportingLife.

     

  • Eagles to play top South American country on March 5th

    Eagles to play top South American country on March 5th

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will in the coming days finalise discussion with a top South American country to keep the Super Eagles busy on March 5th, 2014, the next date approved by FIFA for friendly matches.

    The Nigeria senior national team have had series of friendly matches since the assumption of office of the incumbent NFF officials headed by Alhaji Aminu Maigari and barely two days after sealing a fifth World Cup ticket, the Eagles battled Italian’s Azzurri to a 2-2 draw in London, England.

    With emphasis now on the Brazil 2014 World Cup, the NFF has reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring that the Eagles better their second round best outing when the world converge on the South American land in June this year.

    The Chairman of the Technical Sub Committee of the NFF, Barrister Christopher Green has told SportingLife that all is almost set for the March 5th international friendly with the yet to be revealed South Amrican giants.

    “The NFF will make good use of the next FIFA free day for friendly matches on March 5th. We are discussing with a top South American country that I won’t like to reveal just yet. We are confident that the team will bring out the best in the Eagles ahead of our duel with Argentina in June,” Green said.

    The Eagles had played Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, Chile among others from that continent in friendly matches with the latest being the home-based players’ encounter against Peru. The Eagles lost 0-1 last year. It was Keshi’s first loss as the national team’s head coach.