The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nff

  • NFF pledges support for Women League

    NFF pledges support for Women League

    The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has reiterated its commitment to fulfil all financial obligations due to the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) ahead of the 2012/2013 season which commences on March 9.

    The president of the Federation Aminu Maigari stated this on Thursday while opening the NWFL annual congress in Abuja. Speaking through the NFF director of competitions, Muhammad Sanusi, Maigari said 2013 will mark the start of growth in women football and enjoined all those involved to support that goal.

    “Women League has suffered a lot of setbacks in the past due to instability but it is about to change. From henceforth, the NFF will begin to fulfil its financial obligations to women football,” the address read.

    The NWFL congress unanimously approved of the proposal of the NFF to meet its financial obligations and enjoined Nigeria corporate bodies to support the women league by getting involved as sponsors.

    The chairperson of NWFL, Dilichukwu Onyedinma said despite the poor performance of the Super Falcons at the last edition of the Africa Women Championship (AWC) in Equatorial Guinea, women football has succeeded in projecting the country’s image positively to the outside world.

    “It is on record that while it took the Super Eagles over 40 years to get to the FIFA World Cup, the Super Falcons participated in the very first edition of the FIFA Women World Cup. While the Super Eagles have won the Africa Nations Cup three times, the Super Falcons have won the Africa Women Nations Cup for a record six times.

  • My sack letter was ready in October – Keshi

    My sack letter was ready in October – Keshi

    Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has revealed that his sack letter was ready by October and it was not from the Nigeria Football Federation.

    Keshi said on Supersport Monday Night Football programme his dismissal letter was already prepared after his team thumped Liberia 6-1 and qualified for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

    “I know for sure the letter was there, the letter was waiting before Nations Cup after we won 6-1 against Liberia in Calabar,” MTNFootball.com quoted Keshi as saying on the live television programme.

    “It wasn’t from my president, not from the board of the federation, but from one or two other people.

    “We were not told directly but the speculations were all over the place for some time.

    “I kept hearing the same thing at the Nations Cup.

    “But we said we are not bothered by this. Let them give us the sack letter and we leave. But for now there is no sack letter, let’s move on. Our job is hire today, fire tomorrow.”

    Speculations were rife that he could well have been replaced by Zambia coach Herve Renard, who was first contacted for the Nigeria top post after the 2010 AFCON in Angola.

    Keshi maintained he enjoys a good working relationship with the NFF led by Aminu Maigari.

    “For now, I have a wonderful relationship with my president, apart from one or two individuals (at the NFF),” he said.

    “If I’m tired of staying here, if I don’t enjoy what I’m doing, I walk.

    “It’s not the end of the world, coaching Nigeria is not the end of the world. But you have to give me the respect, the freedom to do my job.”

     

  • NFF big shots wear long faces

    NFF big shots wear long faces

    Top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), who have officially resumed duties at the Glass House, have been wearing long faces, SportingLife has gathered.

    They have been keeping to themselves since their return from the Nations Cup in South Africa.

    The sudden change in attitude has become a subject of discourse among staff of the federation. Prior to their departure, they were very cheerful.

    A competent source however revealed that the unusual behaviour may not be unconnected with the reception organised for the Super Eagles by President Goodluck Jonathan and some state governors.

    SportingLife’s source added that the officials have not been happy with the persistence criticism of the leaders by different sections of the country, which was further worsened by the purported resignation of head coach Stephen Keshi.

    “It is very unusual of them to be in that mood. I can tell you that since some of them returned from South Africa their behaviour has changed. In fact you can hardly get them to laugh with the workers. We don’t know what really happened in South Africa and after, but l must tell you they have really changed,” said a staff.

  • NFF denies plans to hire foreign manager

    NFF denies plans to hire foreign manager

    Nigeria Football Federation has denied that it planned to hire a foreign coach to boss Stephen Keshi.

    Senate President David Mark had said after the team’s arrival from South Africa that Keshi told him that he was asked to accept a foreign coach to boss him and he turned that down leading eventually to his short-lived resignation.

    However, NFF media chief, Ademola Olajire said there was no truth in the report that the body planned to hire a foreign technical adviser, maintaining the NFF has been fully behind the Super Eagles gaffer.

    “It is not true that we wanted to employ a foreign coach for the Super Eagles, we have no reason to do that. We gave Keshi all the support he needed to do well,” MTNFootball.com quoted Olajire as saying on a television programme in Lagos Monday night.

    “We never discussed that since Keshi took over the team. What we had planned was to have a technical director which is not for the Super Eagles. I see no reason why we will want Keshi that we employed to fail.”

    Olajire also said the NFF has suspended all requests to host the Super Eagles till after a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya next month.

    He said, “We have a crucial World Cup qualifier in March against Kenya, so preparation starts now. We don’t want any distraction so we told the states that still want to host Eagles to wait till after that game because the team needs full concentration ahead of the game.”

  • Omeruo out of AYC

    Omeruo out of AYC

    Flying Eagles officials have left out Kenneth Omeruo from a 30-man provisional squad for the 2013 African Youth Championship.

    The biennial championship, which kicks off in Algeria from March 16, will produce four African representatives for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey later this year, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Omeruo featured for the Flying Eagles in the AYC qualifier in October against South Africa, but he has since made the big jump to the full international side where he shone as the Super Eagles emerged African champions in South Africa last weekend.

    The John Obuh- led technical crew picked four overseas-based players in the provisional squad for the tournament,.

    The final 21-man list will be submitted to the Confederation of African Football not later than March 6.

    The foreign-based players are Mikel Agu (FC Porto), Saliu Sodiq (FC Metz, France), Bright Osagie (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria) and Edafe Egbedi (AGF Aarhus, Denmark).

    26 other players are drawn from the Nigeria domestic league.

    The squad will depart Abuja on Monday afternoon for two warm-up matches in Cairo against their Egyptian counterparts and later fly out to Tunisia for a three-week training camp ahead of the tournament.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has tasked the team to retain the trophy the country won in South Africa two years ago and qualify for the U20 World Cup in Turkey.

    NFF technical director, Emmanuel Ikpeme, addressed the players before their departure to Cairo.

    “We expect you to successfully defend your title and qualify for the World Cup,” Ikpeme urged the Flying Eagles.

    “You should fight to make a name for yourselves in Algeria and we will support you fully.”

     

    The squad:

     

    Goalkeepers: Emmanuel Daniel, Jonah Usman, Samuel Okani

    Defenders: Chizoba Amaefule, Shehu Abdullahi, Ikechukwu Okorie, Kingsley Madu, Hassan Abubakar, Ekoh Favour Oke, Aliyu Mohammed Goyi, Aigbe Oliha

    Midfielders: Chidi Osuchukwu, Abduljeleel Ajagun,Uche Agbo, Ibrahim Abubakar Aliyu, Nzube Anaezemba, Moses Orkuma, Ovbokha Agboyi, Oluwaseun Taro, Okechukwu Azubuike, Saliu Sodiq, Mikel Agu

    Strikers: Alhaji Gero, Umar Aminu, Christian Pyagbara, Harrison Egbune, Bright Ejike, Edafe Egbedi, Yahaya Adamu, Bright Osagie.

  • Super Eagles’ supporters club gets N5m gift from Fed Govt

    Super Eagles’ supporters club gets N5m gift from Fed Govt

    For playing a key role in the Super Eagles’ victory and winning of the trophy at the just concluded African Cup of Nations in South Africa, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday announced a N5m gift to the national team’s Supporters’ Club.

    Jonathan made the announcement at a special opening session of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.

    The President had on Tuesday night announced national honors, cash and plots of land for the players and technical crew.

    Jonathan yesterday said that he would have announced the donation during the dinner he organised in honor of the players.

    According to him, since the Super Eagles have gone this far, they must ensure that they did not only qualify for the next World Cup but also ensure that they qualify for the final match of the tournament.

    The President said: “I want to thank the Minister of Sports and of course the NFF which has always been associated with a lot of stories for this feat. If you had lost, you would have been humiliated.

    “I know that it is challenging to manage a team. We will continue to praise and encourage the boys and charge them to ensure they qualify for the World Cup and get to the final.

    He continued: “We also commend the supporters’ club. This really escaped me yesterday (on Tuesday) when we were announcing gifts for the players.

    “Government will give the club N5m to encourage them. It is not easy supporting a team, be singing and dancing even when it seems the team is not winning. We need to encourage them.”

    Recalling making request for prayers when he made a presentation to FEC on the team’s preparation about three weeks ago, the Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi noted that President Jonathan gladly obliged.

    He said: “We can conveniently say that God has answered our prayers after 19 years of waiting. With the winning, the mood of the country has changed. God rewarded the President’s passion and commitment because before now, past administrations tried without success. God ordained it that this will happen during your (Jonathan’s) time.”

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, said that Nigeria has been re-branded among comity of nations with the Super Eagles’ victory.

    According to him, Nigeria does not need to spend money on external publicity since the match was watched worldwide.

    “With this victory, Nigeria has been re branded  for the next six months, we do not need to spend money on external publicity because that match was watched all over the world,” he stated.

    On his part, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku while stressing that football is very crucial to national development, noted that the nation stood still for the final match.

    He said: “When the match was being played, we were here and we watched it. The whole country stood still for the match. Even Boko Haram and kidnappers suspended actions during the match. Football has always been crucial to national development,”

    Agitation for the actualization of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and the civil war, he said, were stopped for a period of time because of football matches.

    The Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “It is a fantastic win. It signaled an opening up of the sports sector under your (the President’s) leadership where we can create jobs though it. For our young people, the spirit of negativism that tends to prevail has been turned around. This is just the beginning,”

    Minister of Interior, Aba Moro, said that prayers and hard work were responsible for the nation’s victory at the tournament.

    “A combination of patience as exemplified by the First Lady (Mrs. Patience Jonathan) and the resilience of the President gave us the goodluck we are celebrating. Those were the things that saw Nigeria through this crystal moment. Prayers and hardwork saw us through. The lesson for us is that if we are patient, committed and work hard, Nigeria will go places. We will continue to assist you to achieve greater things for the country,” he added

  • NFF, Warri Wolves mourn Joe Ighile

    THE Nigeria camp at the 29th Africa Cup of Nations in Johannesburg, South Africa was badly jolted on Saturday morning when news filtered in that ace broadcast journalist Joseph Ighile had died in Lagos.

    Ighile, a member of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, was in South Africa for the group stage campaign of the Super Eagles. He was presenting his sports programme on CHANNELS television on Friday evening when he reportedly slumped and died before anxious colleagues could get him to hospital.

    NFF President Aminu Maigari was taken aback when the sad news was broken to him. “Oh, my God! What happened to him? How did it happen?

    “Joe (Ighile) interviewed me and I saw him doing his work quietly but diligently during the group stage in Nelspruit. A good man has gone. May his gentle soul rest in peace.”

    in same vein, The Management of Warri Wolves Football Club has joined the entire sports family in mourning the untimely death of Igbile.

  • AFCON: Jonathan charges Eagles to beat Mali

    AFCON: Jonathan charges Eagles to beat Mali

    President Goodluck Jonathan has charged the Super Eagles to beat Mali and qualify for the final of this year’s African Nations Cup in South Africa.

    Nigeria battle Mali in Wednesday’s semi-final in Durban.

    President Jonathan has promised to be at the final this weekend if Nigeria qualifies.

    President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, said the Super Eagles are ready to fulfill President Jonathan’s desire to travel to South Africa for the championship game.

    “I have just spoken to the head coach (Stephen Keshi) and the captain (Joseph Yobo), and they have assured me that they will fulfill Mr. President’s desire. It is rare to have this kind of support from a Head of State,” MTNFootball.com quoted Maigari as saying on Tuesday.

    “On our part, the NFF has motivated the team enough to do Mr. President and the nation proud by not only winning on Wednesday, but lifting the trophy on Sunday.”

    The team arrived in Durban, venue of Wednesday’s semi final against Mali, to a glorious welcome by the people of Durban (Nigerian residents and other nationals) who desire to be compensated for the disappointment of Super Eagles’ group stage elimination from the FIFA World Cup finals 32 months ago.

    Needing only a win to reach the knock-out phase of Africa’s first FIFA World Cup, and backed by a vociferous full house at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Eagles played a 2-2 draw with Korea Republic and exit the tournament.

     

  • Eagles to get $15,000-a-man for Cote d’Ivoire duel

    Eagles to get $15,000-a-man for Cote d’Ivoire duel

    Super Eagles’ players will each receive $15,000 if they beat Cote d’Ivoire and qualify for the semi-final of the 2013 African Cup of Nations on Sunday.

    A top Nigeria Football Federation official reconfirmed an MTNFootball.com exclusive of several weeks ago when he also disclosed each player will be $20,000 richer if they triumph in the semi-final.

    For victory in the championship game on February 10 inside the National Stadium in Johannesburg, each player will pocket another $30,000.

    Each player received $30,000 a day after the team qualified for the quarterfinal on Tuesday.

    Team sponsor Guinness has also made a financial commitment for goals scored at the AFCON, while the Eagles are expecting billionaire Aliko Dangote to splash more cash after they reached the last eight.

    Each player was paid about $80,000 when Nigeria finished third at the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.

    On Sunday afternoon in Rustenburg, the team will face 1992 champions Cote d’Ivoire.

    The winners of this match-up will clash with the winners of the quarterfinal between hosts South Africa and Mali.

     

  • Cash rolls in for Eagles

    Cash rolls in for Eagles

    Super Eagles will get $30,000 each for reaching the African Nations Cup quarterfinal, while sponsors and businessman Aliko Dangote will also splash on the team.

    Nigeria defeated Ethiopia 2-0 in last group game on Tuesday to book a quarterfinal match-up against Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Team secretary Dayo Enebi will hand over the qualification bonus to the players who are still basking in the euphoria of their qualification on Wednesday.

    Officials have already promised more financial windfall.

    Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi who gave the team $100,000 has also told them that Dangote has promised them a huge sum of cash if they advance to the last eight of the tournament.

    Team sponsors Guinness also promised $5,000 for each goal scored by Eagles and so the boys have so far fetched $10,000 after their 2-0 win over Ethiopia.