The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)

  • I’m happy working with Super Eagles – Rohr

    I’m happy working with Super Eagles – Rohr

    A Franco-German tactician, Gernot Rohr, has expressed pleasure working with the Super Eagles, following the three-time African champions qualification for Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup on Saturday.

    Nigeria became the first African country to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia after defeating Chipolopolo of Zambia on Saturday in Uyo.

    The current Super Eagles re-enacted the feat of the Super Eagles’ class of 1997 that qualified for the France’98 World Cup with a match to spare.

    Rohr, in a statement by Ademola Olajire, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s spokesman on Tuesday, said that he was happy working with the team.

    Rohr said, “I am very excited to be working with this team, a blend of the experienced and the young and ambitious ones.

    “They are a delight to be with at all times, and I believe we are on to great things.

    “At the beginning of the qualifying series, many people said we were going to be chased out.

    “We sat down together and we promised ourselves that we would go all out and get the ticket.”

    The 64-year-old coach, who was employed 15 months ago, led the team to a 1- 0 defeat of Tanzania in Uyo in September 2016; 2-1 defeat of Zambia in Ndola in October, 2016.

    Also, at the start of the 2018 World Cup race, the coach led the team to a 3-1 defeat of Algeria in Uyo in November 2016; a 3-0 defeat of Togo in a friendly match in Paris in June 2017.

    His victories also include a 4-0 bashing of Cameroon in Uyo in September 2017 and a 1- 0 defeat of Zambia in Uyo in October 2017, which guaranteed the World Cup ticket.

    The only loss was against the South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Uyo, at the start of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June 2017.

    Rohr said, “The match was a big wake-up call for us. Now that we have the World Cup ticket, we will go all out for the AFCON ticket and get it.

    “When you have a team that has so much self-belief, a lot of things are possible.

    “Age is, but a number. I feel young and able and willing to go on working with this group.’’

    NAN

  • Udom redeems 50,000 dollars pledge to Super Eagles – NFF

    Udom redeems 50,000 dollars pledge to Super Eagles – NFF

    Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, has redeemed his pledge of 10,000 dollars per goal for the matches against Cameroon to the Super Eagles.

    The Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF ) made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja.

    Gov. Udom had promised the players 10,000 dollars for every goal, two days before their clash with the reigning African champions, whom the Super Eagles walloped 4-0 in Uyo on Sept.1.

    They went on to earn a 1-1 draw with the Lions in Yaounde on Sept. 4.

    “Gov. Udom has redeemed the pledge on Wednesday, while calling on the Super Eagles to go for the broke on Saturday and expect ‘a handsome reward’ from him.

    “There will be more incentives for the Eagles if the team could earn a sixth FIFA World Cup appearance by winning on Saturday,’’ NFF’s spokesman, Ademola Olajire said in a statement.

    “I know you have the quality to overcome in this important match, but I don’t want you to underrate your opponents.

    “I love the professionalism and dedication to cause that you have shown since the beginning of this qualifying campaign. Those efforts have put Nigeria at the top of the table.

    “I want to commend the NFF, your coaches and the support staff for the great job they have all done in support of your efforts to get to this position.

    “You are just one win away from achieving your goal. The Zambians are taking this game as a do-or-die affair, so we need to be totally focused and play like soldiers,’’ it quoted the governor as saying.

    The statement said Super Eagles’ Captain, Mikel John Obi, thanked the governor and pledged to him and indeed Nigerians everywhere that the team would not disappoint on Saturday.

    “We very much appreciate the role Your Excellency, the Government and good people of Akwa Ibom State, the NFF and Nigerians from all walks of life have played to get us to this position in this campaign.

    “We know how much this match means and we will go out there and do the job,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • WAFU Final: Dalung leads Pinnick, others to watch Eagles play Ghana

    WAFU Final: Dalung leads Pinnick, others to watch Eagles play Ghana

    Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung will lead a delegation of top officials to cheer on the Super Eagles when they clash with Ghana’s Black Stars in Sunday’s WAFU Cup of Nations final.

    A statement from the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF ) on Saturday said Dalung would be accompanied by the NFF President Amaju Pinnick.

    “Also in the delegation to the Cape Coast Stadium is NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, who arrived in the Ghanaian capital on Friday.

    “Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr also flew into Accra on Saturday and will be in the stands.

    “Head Coach of Super Eagles B, Salisu Yusuf is Chief Coach of the A team where Rohr is technical adviser,’’ it said.

    The statement also noted that Dalung has been an ever-present guest in Super Eagles’ most crucial matches in the past year.

    “He undisputable brings a rich vein of fortune around the team with the Eagles now only one win away from a sixth appearance in the FIFA World Cup finals,’’ it said.

    The minister led the Nigerian delegation to the 2-1 win over Zambia in Ndola at the start of the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

    He was equally in Uyo for the 3-1 thrashing of Algeria.

    He was there in Uyo when the Eagles bashed African champions Cameroon 4-0 and also arrived in Yaounde in time to see the 1-1 draw three days later.

    To reach the championship match, the Super Eagles B, who qualified for the 5th African Nations Championship finals after a 2-1 aggregate win over Benin Republic in August, ejected Sierra Leone with a 2-0 win in the first knock-out phase.

    They also drew 0-0 with Mali and Guinea before seeing off hosts Ghana 2-0 in last group phase attrition.

    In the semi finals, CHAN qualifying victims Benin Republic were turned back 1-0, meaning Nigeria has yet to concede a goal in the sub-regional football fiesta.

    Sunday’s match will kick off at 6 p.m. Ghana time (7 p.m. Nigeria time), and victory for the Super Eagles will mean a seventh major trophy for the Pinnick-led administration.

    The administration’s first trophy was the Women Africa Cup of Nations title won by the Super Falcons in Namibia in Oct. 2014.

    It was followed by the Supers and Eagles’ triumph in the COPA Lagos International Invitational Tournament (December 2014) and the Flying Eagles’ Africa U-20 title in Senegal (March 2015).

    The latest being the Golden Eaglets’ FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile (November 2015), the U-23 team’s Africa U-23 title in Senegal (December 2015) and the Super Falcons’ Women Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon (December 2016).

  • Super Eagles in Accra for WAFU

    Super Eagles in Accra for WAFU

    The Super Eagles on Sunday night landed in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, ahead of their West Africa Football Union ( WAFU ) Cup of Nations opener against Sierra Leone.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles will take on the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in a Group A clash on Monday at 6 p.m. Ghana time (7 p.m. Nigeria time).

    According to a statement by the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF ), the Super Eagles landed in Accra and immediately proceeded to Takoradi by road.

    “The trip to Takoradi, where all the participating teams except the host team, Ghana are being accommodated, took four hours.

    “Nigeria’s flag bearers are accommodated at the Best Western Hotel in the twin city of Sekondi,’’ the statement said.

    It quoted the Eagles’ Team Administrator, Dayo Achor, as saying that the Nigerian team would depart Takoradi for Cape Coast, a journey of an hour and half by road at 3 p.m. on Monday, for the game against the Leone Stars.

    Victory over the Leone Stars will take Nigeria into the tournament’s group phase contest that will see the surviving eight teams divided into two groups of four teams each.

    Hosts, Ghana and Guinea are among the teams that have made it into the group phase after the Ghanaians survived a tough duel with The Gambia 1-0 while Guinea came from behind to trounce Guinea Bissau 2-1.

    Mali will tackle Mauritania in Monday’s first match starting at 3 p.m. Ghana time ( 4 p.m. Nigeria time).

    Eagles’ Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf, is using the tournament as part of preparations for next year’s 5th African Nations Championship (CHAN), for which Nigeria has qualified after edging out Benin Republic.

  • Federation Cup: Plateau Utd hits Wikki Tourists 2-1

    Federation Cup: Plateau Utd hits Wikki Tourists 2-1

    Plateau Utd FC of Jos, on Wednesday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauch, beat hosts Wikki Tourists FC 2-1 in the ongoing Federation Cup competition.

    Anyor Ogbonna netted the opener for Plateau United in the 3rd minute after receiving a pass from Ogene Elijah.

    In the 45th minutes, Umar Kabiru broke loose, penetrated the  Tourists’ defence and found the net for the Plateau boys’ second goal.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Emma James would have given the United boys the third goal in the 47th minutes but wasted a penalty kick.

    Plateau United dominated the game and created many chances of scoring but their efforts failed to pay off due to yellow cards shown to Solomon Junior and Turba Benjamin by the centre referee.

    Wikki Tourists on their part, got the lone goal at the 85th minute through Abubakar Lawal.

    The tourists also lost the chance of leveling up when Solomon Junior of Plateau United brought down Abubakar Lawal and the consequent penalty kick by Chukwudi Samuel was ballooned.

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Federation Cup, also known as Challenge Cup, is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria.

    The Federation/AIETO Cup has a prize of N25 million in the men’s category.

    It was floated in 1945 as Governor’s Cup, having succeeded the War Memorial Challenge Cup which was limited to only teams in Lagos.

    Chief Coach of the Plateau boys, Kennedy Boboi, told NAN at a post match interview that he was happy that the team won.

    Kennedy described Wilki Tourists as a “good team to reckon with”.

    “They were not a bad team in today’s match, and hope that Wikki will get up from their slumbers; they are a good team and the coach too.

    “It is a very respectful team that you can give kudos to and they have a very sound coach,” he said.

    Wikki’s Chief Coach Bala Nikyu, declined comments when approached by a NAN correspondent.

  • Disu warns Rohr on tactics against Cameroon

    Disu warns Rohr on tactics against Cameroon

    Tunde Disu, former Technical Director, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Sunday warned Super Eagles coach Genort Rohr against wrong tactics against Cameroun in the Russia 2018 qualifiers on September 1.

    Disu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the team’s tactical formation against South Africa in the AFCON qualifiers was wrong and should not be used again.

    He said that the Eagles loss to Bafana Bafana in the AFCON qualifiers was due to wrong tactical formation, adding that the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun would be more tactical.

    “The formation used by Rohr during the AFCON qualifier against South Africa is wrong tactics. He cannot use a supporting striker as an arrow head when using 4-3-3.

    “Rohr should know that Kelechi Iheanacho cannot spearhead attack, that is not his role and that is why he is roaming about during the match against South Africa without a shot at goal.

    “I want them to sit down and analyse the match themselves, that system is faulty because most teams can now predict the formation. If we use that selection and tactics, we will be embarrassed.

    “Rohr should align with the modern tactics of play rather than stick with the old play which will not benefit us. We are too predictable now.

    Disu said that the players at the disposal of Rohr were good enough to accommodate another formation which was less probable to opposing teams.

    “We cannot continue to use the 4-3-3 formation, it’s outdated and counterproductive. We should rather play 4-2-3-1 which is far better for the defenders.

    “The players determine the system and not the system that determines the players. It is better to have two defensive midfielders in front of the defenders, maybe if there is an overlapping one.

    “Playing 4-3-2-1 formation also means that we need intimidating strikers like the late Rashidi Yekini to torment the opposing teams. We have Gbolahan Salami before but I don’t know if he is not called.

    “The lone striker may be very tall and strong to hold the ball up as his midfielders while full-backs join him in attack. The striker could also be very fast.

    “African soccer is more physical and there is need for us to have a strong striker in the manner of Salami that can torment the defence of our opponent,’’ he said.

    Disu warned Rohr to be wary of Cameroun threat could pose to the Eagles’ qualification, adding that a loss to Indomitable Lions would close the qualification ticket.

    “I want the coach to be careful with the Cameroonians so that they will not scuttle our chances; any defeat to them closes the qualification ticket.

    “It does not matter where we are now because we won’t be begging Cameroun to lose any of their games after defeating us.

    “The Indomitable Lions are in form now and they are using the modern formation. Rohr needs to change that formation or else we will be out of contention.

    “To beat those indomitable Lions, a very good top 9 will be a good option and not necessarily to score goals but to torment the defence line and maybe to create chances for others,’’ he said.

    Disu said that other countries and clubs have been winning through the golden formation, noting that countries that had yet to play the style were lagging behind.

    “I want to give the example between Spain national team and the Germans. The Germans are more tactical in their formation and are not playing false 9 like their Spanish counterparts.

    “The golden formation continues to have the upper hands. In these cases, the opponent’s defense will be forced to fall back early, thereby leaving space for the offensive central midfielder.

    “Rohr does not need to inject fresh blood into the team but play within what he has to achieve better results. We are blessed with players that can suit the golden formation.

    “The coach should also have two options in which he can switch and Iheanacho should drop back for a strong striker for him to be effective,’’ he said.

  • Club chairman advises NFF, Super Eagles’ technical crew to recall Enyeama

    Club chairman advises NFF, Super Eagles’ technical crew to recall Enyeama

    Emmanuel Zira, Chairman of Adamawa United Football Club of Yola, on Monday advised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles technical crew to bring Vincent Enyeama back from retirement.

    Zira gave the advice in Abuja while reacting to the Eagles’ 0-2 loss to Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Saturday in the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the 34-year-old Enyeama is the team’s former captain and former first-choice goalkeeper, and plays for French Ligue 1 clubside Lille OSC.

    Zira said Enyeama’s experience as both a goalkeeper and team captain was most needed in the team at this point, especially ahead of playing against Cameroon in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

    “I am not saying that Daniel Akpeyi, our first-choice goalkeeper in that match, is not good. But I believe that Enyeama would not have conceded those goals he (Akpeyi) did.

    “Enyeama gives the team leadership and quality, and that is what he does in his club Lille in France, keeping clean sheets.

    “Goalkeepers are not usually restrained by age, just as in the case of Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus.

    “Akpeyi is good, but we need a mixture of experience and youthfulness. So, I wish the NFF and the technical crew can call Enyeama back,’’ he said.

  • Super Eagles need more media support – Sanusi

    Super Eagles need more media support – Sanusi

    Mohammed Sanusi, the General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Thursday appealed for media support for the Super Eagles as they resume their campaign for qualification for major events.

    Sanusi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the media needed to report positive issues which could encourage the players and push them to winning ways.

    “The media stands between the players and fans but when the players realise that reports on them are only negative it discourages them.

    “When the players know that they are being supported at home, they will give their all in a match and that is what we all want to see,’’ he said.

    The General Secretary also advised the senior national team not to underrate any side in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

    NAN reports that the Super Eagles will take on the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo on Saturday in a Group A match of the 2019 AFCON Qualifiers.

  • ABS FC to sign a five-year sponsorship deal with Puma

    ABS FC to sign a five-year sponsorship deal with Puma

    Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubside ABS FC of Ilorin will on Thursday sign a five-year sponsorship deal with global sports branding outfit Puma.

    The club’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka, disclosed in a statement on Monday in Ilorin that the signing ceremony would also see the official launching of the club’s new kit.

    “The deal is part of Puma’s commitment to the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.

    “Puma, through its official franchisee in Nigeria, Persianas Retail Ltd, will be partnering with ABS FC to kit and sponsor the team for a period of five years,’’ he said.

    Chukwuemeka said the deal was the first of its kind and represents the biggest football kit sponsorship in the history of the Nigerian football league.

    “The partnership will see ABS FC and Puma working together to expand the profile of Nigerian football over the course of this partnership,’’ the ABS FC official said.

    He further said the signing ceremony which is scheduled for the Palms Mall in Ilorin would be graced by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick.

    “Also, the Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, will join him as Special Guest of Honour,’’ Chukwuemeka said.

  • Abia promises to support NFF

    Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Wednesday said that the state government would continue to support the efforts of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in developing football in the country.

    Ikpeazu made this known when the President of NFF, Amaju Pinnick and his team paid him a visit in Umuahia.

    The Governor said that Abia government would pay adequate attention to soccer, as it was a big business and expressed hope that the present leadership of NFF would record giant strides.

    He disclosed that the Nsulu Games Village in the state would be officially opened as part of the state government’s effort to encourage progressive sports development.

    Speaking earlier,Pinnick stated that Enyimba FC ranked among the most successful teams in Africa and had skills that could take it to the CAF champions league.

    He promised to assist in developing Enyimba FC to international brand and called for government’s commitment towards the achievement of the feat.