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Tag: Super Eagles

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Speculations were rife that he could well have been replaced by Zambia coach Herve Renard, who was first contacted for the Nigeria top post after the 2010 AFCON in Angola.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

February 26, 2013
Ogude hopes to quit Norway

Super Eagles ace, Fegor Ogude, has said he hopes to quit Norway in the summer with Italy or Germany his preferred destination.

The versatile player was prominent in Nigeria’s midfield in the team’s first three games at the recent Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

He told MTNFootball.com:”I am really hopeful that this would be my last season in Norway.

“I believe my performance at the Nations Cup would have earned me a move away from Norway. My agent said he is getting some offers, but I would not disclose the clubs for some reasons.”

The former Warri Wovles star noted that he would love to take his battling midfield style to either Italy or Germany.

The 25-year-old player, who could play anywhere in defence as well as in defensive midfield and attack, joined Norwegian club Valerenga in 2010.

He has made over 40 appearances and scored nine goals for the top Norwegian club.

February 25, 2013
Akwa Utd begs Eagles to shun victory party

Aggrieved Akwa United players have called on the Super Eagles not to honour an invitation from the Akwa Ibom State Government to host them for winning the African Nations Cup.

Speaking with MTNFootball.com, one of the players said they don’t know why the government would choose to reward the Eagles who worked for the nation and have been rewarded by Federal Government at their detriment.

“I am begging the Super Eagles on behalf of my fellow players at Akwa United not to come for the reception the Akwa Ibom State Government is planning for them. This is because we have not been paid our sign-on fees for the past two seasons on the account that there is no money. Now they have money to shower on the Eagles who are rich already,” the player told MTNFootball.com

“The Eagles should help us send a message to the governor to use the money he wants to spend on them to pay us because we are dying here.

“We are being owed 20 per cent from 2010/2011 and 80 per cent sign on fees for last season. We don’t know our fate this season.

“We need their help because they are big boys.”

The player further said: “We tried to see the commissioner and the Governor on our case to know what the problem is, but our chairman Isang Isong has always made it impossible for us to see any of them, maybe he doesn’t want us to expose him.

“This is an opportunity for us to let the governor hear our voice that we are suffering.”

Another player said, “This is an eye service, we have not been paid because the chairman has always made us to believe there is no money, now we know there is money, let them pay us instead of spending it on the Eagles.”

February 23, 2013
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.”

February 19, 2013
Super Eagles get rousing welcome in Lagos

Lagos residents on Friday gave the Super Eagles a rousing welcome as they arrived at the Domestic Terminal 1 of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, popularly known as the General Aviation Terminal.

The Super Eagles on Sunday defeated the Stallions of Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the 29th edition of the African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the players were in Lagos at the invitation of the Lagos State Government who will host the team for winning the competition.

Passengers and workers at the airport, including airline workers, security personnel and airport cab operators, trooped out in large numbers to welcome the team.

People of different vocations hailed the Super Eagles for their brilliant performance at the tournament.

Some described the light rain that heralded the team’s arrival in Lagos as a sign that “God approved their superlative performances.”

Some members of the crowd took photographs of the players on their cell phones as they filed out from the arrival hall of the airport into the buses that took them away to the Lagos House, Ikeja.

“We are proud of you for doing Nigeria proud in South Africa,” said an elated football enthusiast.

There were some policemen at the terminal to ensure that the players and the officials had a smooth passage from the airport into the buses.

Their motorcade was led out of the airport by men and officials of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) around 1:30 pm.

February 15, 2013
Nigeria now 30th in FIFA rankings

Nigeria leapt 22 places up the FIFA rankings on Thursday following Super Eagles victory at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations but the continent remained without a team in the top ten.

The Super Eagles, who edged Burkina Faso 1-0 in Sunday’s final in South Africa to win the competition for the first time in 19 years, rose to 30th place in the table, the team’s best position for three years.

The Burkinabes, who exceeded expectations by reaching the final, stayed outside the top 50 but had jumped 37 places to 55th, Supersport.com reports.

Ivory Coast, beaten by Nigeria in the quarterfinals, remained Africa’s highest-ranked side in 12th, followed by Ghana seven places below.

Surprise package Cape Verde, who reached the quarterfinals in South Africa, moved up 13 places to 63rd.

CONCACAF’s highest-ranked team is Mexico in 15th while the best Asia could muster was Japan, who is ranked 28th.

Five-times World Cup winners and 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil remained in 18th spot, the team’s lowest-ever ranking, after losing 2-1 to England in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s first game back as coach last week.

The win took England up two places to fourth.

The South Americans showed their strength-in-depth as Venezuela climbed 10 places to 45th, leaving all of the continent’s 10 teams in the top 50.

There was no change in the top three where world and European champions Spain lead, followed by Germany and Argentina.

The Turks and Caicos Islands, Bhutan and San Marino were tied in 207th and last place.

February 14, 2013
Senate stands still for Super Eagles

The Senate on Tuesday stood still for the Super Eagles.

This followed a motion on the superlative performance of the team at the just ended African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The motion entitled: “Nigeria’s glorious outing at the AFCON 2013” was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and 107 others.

No Senator wanted to be left out of the success story of the Super Eagles in South Africa as players were singled out one after the other for praise.

Besides, consideration of the motion was one rare moment when Senators threw politics overboard, and in one accord, poured encomium on the nation’s football ambassadors.

As if praises were not enough, the lawmakers gave a standing ovation to the Super Eagles describing them as the new kings of African football.

The lawmakers unanimously adopted a resolution urging Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi to rescind his reported resignation in the interest of the growth of the country’s sports.

Other resolutions are – to commend and congratulate the Super Eagles for winning the trophy and making the nation proud.

-To congratulate Coach Stephen Keshi and his technical team.

-To commend and congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan for this achievement and for motivating the team.

– Urge Mr. President and the Federal Government of Nigeria to reward the team handsomely materially and also by conferring befitting National Honours Awards on them.

– Call on the managers of sports in Nigeria to sit up and return to the grassroots to develop the nation’s abundant sports talents to sustain this new dawn in the nation’s football and sports in general.

– To urge Coach Stephen Keshi to rescind his resignation in the interest of growth of sports in Nigeria.”

Ekweremadu in his lead debate said the AFCON trophy had eluded the country for the past 19 years since she last won it in 1994.

He noted that until this year, the performance of the Super Eagles had been grossly dissatisfactory to the generality of Nigerians, while Nigerian football had nosedived abysmally.

Ekweremadu urged the Senate to note with pleasure, “the splendid performance of the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Nigeria’s emergence as champion of Africa at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in South Africa.”

The Senate, he added, should also note with “delight the tenacity of spirit, patriotic zeal as well as unity and team spirit displayed by players, coach, and entire team management.”

February 12, 2013
Keshi withdraws resignation

Super Eagles coach , Stephen Keshi, has changed his mind about resigning his position after leading the Nigerian team to win the African Cup of Nations in South Africa.
Keshi, in a statement on Tuesday morning, said his decision to withdraw his resignation followed a meeting he had with the Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi.
“My attention has been drawn to reports in the media that I have resigned my appointment as the Head Coach of Super Eagles of Nigeria.
“While I have had cause to express my displeasure over some issues that happened in the course of our participation in the AFCON 2013, which my team won by the grace of God, especially concerning my relationship with the Nigerian Football Federation, I have since had opportunity to discuss the various issues with all concerned. I am therefore pleased to say that I have reconsidered my position and have decided to continue with my job.
“I want to thank the Honourable Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, for his swift and kind intervention,” Keshi popularly known as the ‘big boss’ said in the statement.

February 12, 2013
Nigerians, others in UK celebrate Super Eagles victory

Nigerians in the United Kingdom are ecstatic over the Super Eagles victory at the just concluded African Cup of Nations in South Africa..

The Super Eagles defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 in a highly tensed final played in Johannesburg on Sunday evening.

Most African restaurants and bars in London were packed full of Nigerians, Ghanians, and supporters of the Super Eagles from Europe and the Caribbean.

The Western Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria reports that football analysts in London had earlier tipped the Super Eagles as favorites and potential winner of the tournament.

Speaking to NAN, after the match, Mr. Jehrome Ndukwe, a lawyer and member of the Central Association of Nigerians (CANUK) said “it was a well deserved victory, the boys played their hearts out.”

Ndukwe, however, said more goals would have been scored if all the opportunities were utilized.

Similarly, Mrs. Grace Duniya who travelled from Derby to London to watch the match with fellow supporters called for the inclusion of younger players to the team.

“You can see the difference in the selection of players, initially, Stephen Keshi was criticsed but he knew what he was doing, the game of football goes with stamina which younger players have the better advantage,” she said.

Duniya also commended the Burkinabes for getting to the finals for the first time

“They are a very strong team also, I congratulate them for coming this far.”

Others, who spoke to NAN, also commended the Burkinabes, and urged the federal government to always motivate athletes before any competition.

February 11, 2013
Ekweremadu, governors hail Super Eagles’ victory

The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the Super Eagles on their emergence as the new champions of Africa.

Nigeria beat Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the competition for the third time in a tension soaked final on Sunday in Johannesburg.

In a congratulatory message in Abuja, Ekweremadu described the Super Eagles’ lifting of the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in South Africa as “a new dawn in Nigerian football.’’

He noted that the emergence of the Super Eagles as the champions of Africa was especially symbolic as Nigeria was marking its 100 years of existence as a nation.

Ekweremadu urged all Nigerians to imbibe the patriotism, commitment, faith, and zeal demonstrated by the Eagles despite being written off early in the competition.

“Winning the trophy on the threshold of our centenary is symbolic and I urge Nigerians to emulate the team’s spirit, patriotism and unity.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Nigeria won the trophy for the first time when it hosted the tournament in 1980 and the second time in 1994 in Tunisia.

Also Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun hailed the victory of the Super Eagles over the Stallions of Burkina Faso, describing it as instructive.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Funmi Wakama, on Monday.

Amosun described the success of the Nigerian team as “great”, especially coming at a time when many people had written the team off.

“It shows that as a nation we can always achieve our dreams if we are dedicated, committed and unwavering in the face of daunting challenges,” the governor said.

Amosun recalled that the Eagles went to the championship as ”an underdog”, but the ”can do it” spirit in an average Nigerian kept motivating them at every stage until they won the trophy.

“Our dream of a great and united nation is always within our reach and attainment if we are committed and regard our challenges as mere stepping stones to the much-desired destination,” Amosun noted.

The governor congratulated the Eagles and Nigerians for the AFCON success and the restoration of Nigeria’s glory in Africa football.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to the mental and physical development of the youth in the state so that they could continue to win more laurels for the state and Nigeria in general.

In Maiduguri, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno congratulated the Super Eagles for their victory in South Africa.

Shettima said this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, Isa Gusau, in Maiduguri.

“I wish to congratulate the Super Eagles, their coaches and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their victory at the AFCON finals.

“I also wish to congratulate the President and all Nigerians on the victory,” he said.

Shettima said the victory was a good omen for Nigeria.

February 11, 2013