The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pinnick

  • Pinnick to Eagles: Re-enact 2001spirit against Sudan

    Pinnick to Eagles: Re-enact 2001spirit against Sudan

    • Akinwunmi leads delegation

    As the Super Eagles flew out of the country yesterday for the first of two quick –fire sessions against Sudan in the on –going 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, President of Nigeria Football Federation,  Amaju Melvin Pinnick has charged the players to remember the heroics of their predecessors and imbibe the spirit with which the Class of 2001 demolished the Falcons of Jediane3-0 at home and 4-0 away in Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

    On January 27, 2001, the Eagles lashed the Falcons 3-0 in Port Harcourt, and then secured a vital 4-0 win in Omdurman on July 1 of the same year to virtually seal the ticket to the Far East.

    “I am of the firm belief that you are capable of re-enacting those wonderful memories of fabulous wins over Sudan home and away, and the NFF is fully behind you to go to Khartoum and conquer. Then, we will prepare to complete the job here in Abuja before we plan for the two remaining games in November,” Amaju said in Abuja yesterday.

    He added: “As true warriors and champions of Africa that you are, Nigerians have no doubt about what you are capable of doing in Khartoum. This is the first competitive match under this new administration and we are giving you every motivation to achieve victory.”

    In 13 contests at senior level since November 1963, Sudan has only beaten Nigeria on two occasions. The more experienced Falcons battered the Red Devils 4-0 in Nigeria’s first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963, in Kumasi (Ghana), and then narrowly edged a 1968 Olympic Games qualifier 2-1 in Khartoum, though Nigeria qualified after winning the home leg 1-0.

    The most famous two-leg showdown between both countries came in 1969, when both teams tied 2-2 in Ibadan and 3-3 in Khartoum in a 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.

    Nigeria narrowly eliminated Sudan from the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations race, though failed to reach the finals in Egypt. On the way to winning bronze at the 1976 finals in Ethiopia, the Eagles defeated the Falcons 1-0 in Dire Dawa, and a 0-0 draw in Khartoum in a 1994 Cup of Nations qualifier preceded a 4-0 thumping by the Eagles in Lagos.

    Meanwhile, NFF’s 1st Vice President, Barrister  Seyi Akinwunmi will lead the Super Eagles’ delegation to Khartoum for tomorrow’s showdown. There will also be  Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Director of Technical, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme and a couple of secretariat Staff.

    The aircraft chartered by the Nigeria Football Federation for the round trip departed the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 11pm yesterday and arrived in Khartoum by 6am Sudan time. The Nigeria delegation will stay at the Grand Holiday Villa Hotel, with the players scheduled to train at the Khartoum Stadium by 8pm. Tomorrow match will start at 8pm Sudan time, and the delegation will return to Nigeria immediately after the game.

  • Onigbinde: Nigerians should help Pinnick to succeed

    Onigbinde: Nigerians should help Pinnick to succeed

    Former FIFA and CAF Instructor, Adegboye Onigbinde has called for support for Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick who succeeded Aminu Maigari at the federation’s Elective Congress in Warri, Delta State on Tuesday.

    “Amaju Pinnick has been elected as the new president of the NFF and there is nothing else anyone can do but to rally round him to succeed. It is Nigerian football that we are talking about here. So, we all need to help him in whatever way we can to move the game forward in the interest of Nigeria,” the respected football tactician said.

    Onigbinde also had words of advice for the Delta State indigene. “I want him to come up with a standard that will move Nigerian football forward,” he said. “At times we like deceiving ourselves in this country. Many people were talking as if the last regime of the NFF was the best ever tenure in the history of football in the country. But everybody is entitled to his/her opinion.”

    Onigbinde continued: “You know I am an apostle of development football and I have not witnessed any administration of football in the country that has touched or dwelled on that.

    “They were only concerned about competitions and results gathered from such competitions were used to measure the success of such administration. But that is not the yardstick. Development is the key to football successes anywhere in the world.”

  • FIFA warns Nigeria against leadership tussle

    FIFA warns Nigeria against leadership tussle

    FIFA on Thursday said it would ban Nigeria if the newly elected executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation is not allowed to function.

    There have been media reports that a group led by the controversial Chris Giwa, who claimed to have been elected NFF president on August 26 will “resume work in Abuja on Thursday.”

    “We now expect the NFF and its new leadership to carry out its activities without any hindrance in order to avoid having to again refer the case to the appropriate FIFA bodies for an automatic suspension as stated in our previous correspondence,” africanFootball.com quoted the world soccer governing body as saying in a letter signed by its general secretary, Jerome Valke.

    The letter reads: “We would like to congratulate the members of the new board on their election and are confident they are committed to continuing the development of football in Nigeria.”

    FIFA also commended the NFF for the successful completion of the executive committee elections on Tuesday with a special mention for NFF general secretary Musa Amadu.

    “We would also take this opportunity to praise the NFF and especially you (Amadu) on what had been achieved in recent weeks despite the various difficulties,” FIFA stated.

    On Wednesday, FIFA President Sepp Blatter sent a letter of congratulations to the new NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, saying that he (Blatter) is looking forward to meeting and supporting him and his new board towards ensuring stable development of football in the country.

  • Pinnick tips Warri Wolves for double

    Pinnick tips Warri Wolves for double

    Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick has tipped Warri Wolves to claim both the Nigeria Premier League and the Federations Cup this season.

    The Delta State club side are having a great season as they are second on the Premier League log and have also qualified for the semi final of the Federations Cup against Akwa United on August 21. Pinnick revealed that the motivation of the players by the club management has been the secret of their performance this seasn.

    “We are praying (to win double). If you look at Warri Wolves, you will be wandering why is it that we have between three to five players in the national team? This is because it is the club that believes in the career of the players. We are a club that believes in motivating the players. There are some clubs owing players from 2010, in Warri Wolves if you play a league game in the evening, the players immediately sign for their bonus. Owing players is alien to Warri Wolves, you can call any player, they will tell you. That is why they refer to us as Manchester City.

    “That is why I commend the Godwin Abigor led board, Kenneth Nwaomacha and Alex Amudo the Vice Chairman, they’ve done very well. The club is run very professionally, no player is being owed a dime. If you come to Warri Wolves camp, you’ll see various cars as if you are in national camp. We have players that earn up to nine million naira as sign-on, seven, six million. Our sign-on fee is structured, once you get into the team, you get 25 per cent for the first 10 games, another 10 games 25per cent, another 10 games 25 per cent and the final game, 25 per cent. Right now I think we’ve done up to 50 or 60 per cent and we have 25 per cent in the bank because the sign on fee from the beginning was kept in the bank 100 per cent. So, as time to pay reaches, they go to the bank and they pay the players the sign on fee,” he noted.