The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Zachary Baraje

  • Baraje to NFF: Allow Yusuf to lead Super Eagles

    Baraje to NFF: Allow Yusuf to lead Super Eagles

    Plateau United head coach, Zachary Baraje, has said it is absurd that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is thinking of hiring a foreign manager for the Super Eagles despite the federation’s investment on training programme for the team caretaker boss, Salisu Yusuf and other Nigerian coaches.

    Baraje told Goal that the cash, energy and the time expended on trip to England for a training programme would amount to a waste if the NFF eventually appoints a foreigner as Eagles’ coach.

    “I want to state my own view regarding the craze for a foreign coach,” Baraje told Goal.

    “I want to ask a question, what has happened to the training received by some coaches taken abroad by the NFF some time ago last year? Will the training they had just go down the drain like that?

    “I am not in support of bringing a foreign coach to lead the Eagles when we have coaches that are qualified and have gone through the necessary training to be equipped for the challenge of coaching the senior national team.

    “Salisu Yusuf was one of the coaches sent to the United Kingdom not too long ago for a training course and he has worked with past Super Eagles coaches as assistant coach and should be given the chance to lead the team now.

    “We are still struggling to pay the salaries of national team coaches including the ones that are dead and how are we going to offset the salaries of a foreign coach?”

    The NFF had said over 20 coaches including Peter Ijeh and Salisu Yusuf applied for the Super Eagles job with applications expected to close on Wednesday.

     

  • Zachary Baraje roars: No ache over NPFL record

    Zachary Baraje roars: No ache over NPFL record

    Plateau United head coach, Zachary Baraje has said his side will maintain 100% home record against Abia Warriors.

    The newly promoted side will host Warriors in Sunday’s NPFL matchday 5 clash at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos.

    Baraje said his side will not give up on its firm grip on their home supremacy but fight hard to make positive breakthrough on the road performances.

    “Of course, we have kept a clean slate so far on our home matches though same cannot be said on the away record. However, we are not in a hurry to let go our firm hold on home ground rather we want to be counted on the road, too.

    “Against Abia Warriors on Sunday in Jos we hope to keep intact the 100% home record in the ongoing league season.

    “We cannot just give up not now the players are doing their very best to ensure we are counted. If you observe the team play especially in the first 20 minutes you will readily conclude that they are the team for the future. We do not have the luxury of experienced players which I’m making frantic effort to find a way around it.

    “I will continue to work on the players to avoid conceding careless goals especially on away matches. That’s my main goal to reduce the shortcomings drastically and I think management can complement our efforts by coming out strongly on how to reinforce the team for optimum performance,” said the former Akwa United coach to supersport.com.

    The Jos landlords have raked in six points from possible 12 in the four-week old Nigerian top flight.

  • Baraje calls for Aba fans support

    Baraje calls for Aba fans support

    From Tunde Liadi, Owerri

    Enyimba’s head coach, Zachary Baraje has assured loyal fans that the People’s Elephant will be the team to beat this season in the Glo Premier League despite the club’s seeming poor start.

    Baraje recently returned to the post he was told to step aside owing to strings of poor results and the experienced tactician has revealed to SportingLife that he used the period to look at what went wrong so as to correct them.

    He also corrected the belief that he was on suspension or sacked as erroneously reported in some sections of the media following their loss to FC Taraba in Jalingo.

    Henceforth, Baraje said fans would see a new Enyimba side that is ready to fight for all the available points starting with their home tie against Lobi Stars on Wednesday.

    “I don’t want to say much than to assure our fans that Enyimba is in no form of crisis. We are working at correcting our mistakes which have cost us dearly on some occasions. We have a game at home to Lobi and I want to assure our fans that they will start seeing a renewed Enyimba from this match.

    “I also want to correct the impression that I was suspended by Enyimba. I was not suspended or sacked. I was only told to step aside

    and now I have returned to my duty post,” the former Dolphins and El Kanemi Warriors’ boss told SportingLife.

    Enyimba are on eight points from six matches despite having a good pre season campaign before the start of the season.

  • Amapakabo: Enyimba can beat Wolves

    Amapakabo: Enyimba can beat Wolves

    Enyimba caretaker coach, Imama Amapakabo says they will go into today’s game against Warri Wolves with the determination to win despite the indefinite suspension handed the Head Coach, Zachary Baraje and his assistant, Monday Odigie by the club management.

    Speaking in a chat with Sportinglife from Warri, Imama pointed out that it always difficult when you don’t have the full compliment of your coaches and the responsibility lies on you to take charge.

    “We will approach this game with caution. Am sure we will get a good result but it won’t be easy.

    “Like I said when you don’t have the full complement of your coaches it always difficult.

    Zachary and Monday’s absent will be felt but am optimistic we will put in our best,” the former Sharks Coach stated.

    Baraje and Odigie were suspended indefinitely for the two consecutive losses Enyimba recorded against Abia Warriors and Taraba FC respectively.

     

    “As a coach you just want to give your best even if the conditions are not favourable,” Imama concluded.

    Amapakabo who has been saddled with the responsibility to take charge of the team and will put his coaching skills to test as he face his former colleague Paul Abiogun in the dugout in today’s Globacom Premier League rescheduled match Warri Township Stadium.

  • Bukar relishing foreign tour

    Bukar relishing foreign tour

    El-Kanemi Warriors captain Bamai Bukar, believes the club’s tour of Benin Republic will boost their performance this term.

    It’s the first time the club will tour Benin Republic after successive trips to Chad and Cameroon.

    “We played two matches against Police and Dragons, which was good for us. Both matches helped us with lessons ahead of the new season. Our new players are getting to understand the old players,” Bukar said to supersport.com.

    Both matches in Cotonou ended goalless. The Maiduguri side returned to the top flight in style and finished fourth on the 20-team log under former manager, Zachary Baraje, who joined runners-up, Enyimba.

  • Enyimba will ‘fight’ Pillars – Baraje

    Enyimba will ‘fight’ Pillars – Baraje

    From Tunde Liadi,Owerri

     

    Enyimba’s head coach, Zachary Baraje has hinted that the People’s Elephant won’t play ‘soft’ despite being tipped as the overwhelming winners of the League Management Company(LMC)’s Super Four pre-season tournament when they host Kano Pillars in the final day of the games today in Abuja.

    The Aba Millionaires have maximum points from two matches after wins over Bayelsa United(3-0) and Warri Wolves(2-0) and sit comfortable at the pole position with six points and plus five goals difference while Pillars, Warri Wolves are only left to chase the crumbs with three points apiece and inferior goals difference. Bayelsa United are yet to record a point after two losses to Enyimba and Pillars.

    Enyimba will play against the reigning league champions today with relaxed minds with words rife that they would only miss the first position if they lose by 6-0 to the Sai Masugida at the Abuja National Stadium.

    Despite the odds in favour of the Aba Millionaires, Baraje told SportingLife that his boys will end the Super Four with a flourish against Pillars.

    “We thank God we beat Warri Wolves. It was a very tough and very physical match but we thank God we have put that behind us. We are firmly focused on our game against Pillars.

    “We know that it won’t be easy and that we would be declared the Super Four winner if we don’t lose scandalously. We will go out against Pillars with the determination to win and that is what we are focused on. Our objective is to have a dignified preparation for the CAF Champions League,” Baraje told SportingLife.

    Baraje also confirmed that the People’s Elephant would head back to Aba immediately after the Super Four with barely a week to their preliminary round first leg tie against their Togolese counterparts in the CAF Champions League billed for Aba on February 9th.

  • Baraje delighted with AWOL players’ response

    Baraje delighted with AWOL players’ response

    From Tunde Liadi,Owerri

     

    Enyimba of Aba’s head coach, Zachary Baraje has expressed his happiness at the response to the ultimatum he gave to some of the Peoples Elephant’s players who were yet to report for the pre season activities.

    Baraje slammed a 72-hour deadline for the affected players to find their way to their Ota Camp or forfeit being players of the Aba giants next season.

    The former El Kanemi Warriors’ coach opined that report on the deadline given to his players which was published on the Thursday issue of SportingLife worked wonders as all the players yet to report players beat the Friday ultimatum and are now poised to resume training in earnest for the new season.

    “Thanks for the report. It made the desired impact because all the affected players have arrived the camp. We are now focused on raising a good team for Enyimba ahead of the next Globacom Premier League,” Baraje told SportingLife.

    The Peoples Elephant are seeking an improved season than last season when they only lost the league title by a solitary point to Kano Pillars. They have won the league title a record six times alongside Enugu Rangers.

  • Why we chose Ota for camping – Enyimba

    Why we chose Ota for camping – Enyimba

    Enyimba head coach, Zachary Baraje has stated that the “Peoples Elephant” opted for the Temperance Guest House, Ota, for the final phase of the pre-season camping in order to avoid distractions.

    Enyimba had the first phase of the camping exercise at the Enyimba International Stadium and rounded that off few days before Christmas.

    The players have been recalled to Aba after they were allowed to go to their respective abodes to celebrate the holidays.

    Speaking with Goal, Baraje who replaced coach Salisu Yusuf at the beginning of the pre-season hinted that the club recorded success during the first phase of camping and that most of the players that will represent the team next season have been known.

    “We are almost set to hit Ota for our pre-season. We have finalised the arrangement and very soon we shall go so that players can be focused 100 percent,” Baraje told Goal.

     

  • Baraje: Enyimba will be better under me

    Baraje: Enyimba will be better under me

    New unveiled head coach of Enyimba of Aba, Zachary Baraje has promised to ensure that the Peoples Elephant get even better under his tutelage.

    The Aba Millionaires came second in the premier league and also won the 2013 Federation Cup last season when former coach, Salisu Yusuf was in charge.

    But after the former Super Eagles’ coach dumped the Aba Elephant for a more lucrative deal with El Kanemi Warriors, Baraje has been contacted to lead the affairs of the team and he would be assisted by coaches, Monday Odigie, Imama Amamakapor and Shuiabu Suleiman.

    Baraje was introduced to the Enyimba’s players, supporters and top officials on Thursday night at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba.

    Speaking with SportingLife on Friday afternoon, the coach informed that his desire to take Enyimba to the next level was the motivation behind his signing for the Aba giants.

    He noted that it won’t be a difficult task succeeding at the club since Enyimba is a club that is always associated with victories.

    “It is a dream come true for me to sign for Enyimba. Other coaches that came here have excelled and mine won’t be any different. I knew I would be leaving El Kanemi Warriors because of the lack of support from the management of the club. I will be eternally grateful to the club’s Chairman Alhaji Zannah Mala who was more than dedicated to my programme from the first day.

    “Enyimba is a new adventure for me and I am ready to lead the team to more greatness because I know that the club’s name is associated with victory,” Baraje told SportingLife

  • El Kanemi want LMC to monitor key fixtures Rangers: El Kanemi will fall

    From Tunde Liadi,Owerri

    El Kanemi Warriors boss, Alhaji Mala Zannah and Technical Adviser, Zachary Baraje have called on the League Management Company(LMC) to beckon on the match officials detailed for their blockbuster Matchday 38 Glo Premier League clash against Enugu Rangers today to give them a level playing ground.

    The Maiduguri side will win the league if they beat the Flying Antelopes and Lobi Stars and Gombe United stun Kano Pillars and Bayelsa United in Katsina Ala and Gombe respectively.

    Speaking in separate chats with SportingLife on telephone both top officials stated that a good officiating would be augur well for the league than previous seasons.

    “We do not only crave for good officiating, we also pray the LMC to properly monitor the game in case of any underhand tactics. The LMC must also keep a close tab on all the high profile matches and should enforce stiffer sanctions against clubs that err,” Alhaji Zannah told SportingLife.

    Meanwhile, Enugu Rangers’ spokesman, Foster Chime has stated that El Kanemi would be beaten in spite of their threat because the Flying Antelopes’ players have been well motivated ahead of the game.

    El Kanemi are third on the log with 60 points while Rangers are fifth with 55 points from 37 matches.