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Super Eagles 2021 Fixtures Set To Return To Lagos

24Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Super Eagles 2021 Fixtures Set To Return To Lagos

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has assured that the National Stadium pitch in Surulere, Lagos could be ready to host Super Eagles and other international matches by May 2021. The Minister made this assertion during an inspection tour of the Surulere National Stadium, Lagos which is undergoing rehabilitation. His words: “It’s high time we had a familiar ground for our national teams. The Moshood Abiola National stadium Abuja and the Surulere National Stadium, Lagos will be ready to host matches next year and it will be a major plus to our teams when they have a familiar ground. “This arrangement is under the adopt initiative which is a public-private model that we developed. We were able to pitch that to the private sector. We discussed with a philanthrop...

Eagles Yet to Have First Choice Goalie – Rohr

15Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Eagles Yet to Have First Choice Goalie – Rohr

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has said Maduka Okoye must work twice as hard if he wishes to maintain his position as the first-choice goalkeeper for the national team. Okoye has featured for the Super Eagles in their last four matches, but his performance against Sierra Leone last month was questioned by the fans after he conceded four goals. The goalkeeper has been in sublime form in recent weeks for his club side, Sparta Rotterdam. Okoye who once played for Fortuna Düsseldorf rose through the ranks as back up goalie to book a place as a regular first choice for Sparta Rotterdam, keeping four clean sheets in the process; the most by any goalkeeper in the team this season. Rohr while commenting on the recent form of the goalkeeper warned Okoye not to rest on his oars as the r...

Why I Declined NFF Technical Director Job —Amuneke

11Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Why I Declined NFF Technical Director Job —Amuneke

Former Super Eagles star, Emmanuel Amuneke, has disclosed that he rejected an offer to become the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation because of his existing contract with a club. He said this on Friday while speaking to newsmen on topical issues in Nigerian football. Though the 1994 African Player of the Year did not mention the club, it was learnt that Amuneke joined Misr Lel-Makkasa Sporting Club, popularly called El Makkasa, in Faiyum, Egypt, after leaving Tanzania on mutual consent. He explained that the club he was working with agreed to release him after the season. Amuneke, who won Olympic Gold in 1996 as a player and led Nigeria to the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile, said, “I was approached by the NFF for the role of a technical director but I had a...

Rohr Travels to France For Christmas Holidays

10Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sports

Rohr Travels to France For Christmas Holidays

Super Eagles Head coach Gernot Rohr is set to travel back to his base in France in the next few days ahead of the Christmas celebration with his family. The German has been in the country since last month when the Super Eagles engaged the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in the 2021 AFCON double header and attended to other sundry issues. Apart from being part of the crowd at the NFF President Amaju Pinnick’s 50th birthday celebration in Warri, Rohr also watched the country’s representatives in the CAF Club competitions including Plateau United home tie against Simba of Tanzania and Rivers United’s home game against Futuro Kings of Equatorial Guinea. “The home based players need to play regularly and in good conditions, especially infrastructures,” Rohr told NationSport. “I saw two tea...

Super Eagles Need A Proper Number 10 – Okocha Suggests

7Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Super Eagles Need A Proper Number 10 – Okocha Suggests

Former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha says what the team need at the moment is a playmaker who can open up spaces for the attackers to score. The team has struggled to replace the veteran midfielder since his exit with no real number ten emerging as his replacement in the team. Speaking on the short comings of the team, Okocha suggested that coach Gernot Rohr should intensify efforts to get a natural number ten for the team. “What the Eagles need now are natural midfielders who can create chances and change the course of a game. We need midfielders who can run at defenders and pick their teammates with good passes. “ We have midfielders but not in that level at the moment. Some of them are just scared and the fact that they are being compared to the 1994 Eagles bring a bit ...

Home-based Super Eagles Camping To Precede Future Matches

3Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Africa, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Home-based Super Eagles Camping To Precede Future Matches

The Nigeria Football Federation has responded to calls by Nigerians for the involvement of domestic league players in Super Eagles’ matches, by agreeing to commence camping with home-based players, for a week or two, prior to the arrival of the overseas-based players. According to a report by Completesports.com, the Federation came to this conclusion after a meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in his office last Tuesday in Abuja, and a followup by the Executive Committee later same day. “The minister suggested to us to involve more home-based players in the the Super Eagles’ games, and we have agreed to camp the local boys for between one to two weeks before the overseas-based players report to camp for any particular match in Nigeria or abroad,” ...

29Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Africa, Sports, Tanzania, Youths

I Can’t Be Assistant To Rohr – Amuneke

Former Tanzania coach Emmanuel Amuneke has denied suggestions that he was keen on working as assistant to coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr. Amuneke was previously reported to have been offered to the German coach as an assistant but the coach turned down the suggestion insisting on having Salisu Yusuf back. Yusuf was suspended from all football activities for 18 months following his implication in a cash for spot scandal as coach of the Nigeria home based team during the CHAN tournament. Reacting to the news, Amuneke said: “I categorically deny nursing any ambition to work under any other coach either in Nigeria or elsewhere with my pedigree in the game. I did not apply to work as Rohr’s assistant and nobody has also approached me about it,” he was quote...

Ahmed Musa Denies Sheffield Wednesday Links

26Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

English Premiership, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

Ahmed Musa Denies Sheffield Wednesday Links

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has debunked reports linking him with a move to Sky Bet Championship club Sheffield Wednesday. Musa is currently a free agent after terminating his contract with Saudi Arabia Professional League club Al Nassr. The winger insists he wants a return to top-flight football and is not interested in a move to Sheffield Wednesday. “I don’t know where the story [potential move to Sheffield] is coming from because I don’t pay attention to rumours and gossip,” Musa told BBC Sport Africa. Musa also talked about his time with English Premier League club Leicester City. The 28-year-old scored five goals in 33 appearances for the Foxes. “For some reasons things didn’t actually work out there [at Leicester], but you can’t focus too much on the past,” h...

22Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

AFCON, Africa, Nigeria, Sports, Youths

We Won’t Sack Rohr – Pinnick

President of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pelvin Pinnick has reiterated his support for Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr despite recent calls for the German's sack. Rohr has been a subject of major criticism after the Super Eagles failed to beat the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header. The Super Eagles were forced to a 4-4 draw by the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City last Friday, while both sides battled to a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture on Tuesday at the Siaka Stevens Stadium, Freetown. Pinnick has however backed the former Gabon and Niger coach to continue on the job. “Rohr has done well as our coach, qualifying us for the World Cup and finishing third at the AFCON. It was the same coach...

Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa Linked with West Ham, Newcastle

20Nov

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

English Premiership, Nigeria, Uncategorized, Youths

Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa Linked with West Ham, Newcastle

Reports making the rounds have it that Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa’s representatives are talking with a host of clubs in Europe, including some in the Premier League. Musa is hoping to secure a move back to English football in the coming weeks. Various sides in England’s top flight have been approached to see if they would like to acquire the player, including Newcastle, West Ham, Burnley and Sheffield United, as well as Palace – but it remains to be seen if they will make an offer. The Nigeria international is one of the higher profile free agents currently available having left his former club Al Nassr last month.