Gov. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, says the Super Eagles will progress in the ongoing AFCON, in spite of drawing its first two matches. Amaechi told the players that President Goodluck Jonathan had promised that the team would lack nothing to ensu...
Football stakeholders in Ilorin have advised Coach Stephen Keshi to reinforce the Super Eagles attack, ahead of the team's make-or-mar encounter with the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia on Tuesday.
Scores of football fans, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Saturday, said that the team had so far performed poorly.
NAN reports that the 1-1 draw the team played against the Zambians would be the second in a row after its earlier 1-1 draw with the Stallions of Burkina Faso.
The Stallions had meanwhile, trounced Walya Antelopes 4-0, to boost their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The Eagles would have to defeat the Walya Antelopes by a wide margin, without conceding any; to stand a chance of progressing to the Quarter finals of the tournament.
Alloy Chukwuemeka, the General Manager of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC of Ilorin, said the performance of the Eagles in the championship was below average.
He stressed that the team’s attack should consist of Ike Uche, Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike for the desired results in the team's subsequent matches.
``The defence is better, especially with the removal of Joseph Yobo from the line. You can see that his omission was not felt at all.
``Let him combine Uche, Musa and Emenike together, instead of substituting one for the other,” the ABS manager said.
In the same vein, Coach Tunde Kazeem, the Director, Kwara Sports Council, also described the team’s performance as unimpressive.
The coach told NAN that he was, however, optimistic that the team would qualify from the group stage.
He harped on the need for Keshi and his technical crew to be on their feet during matches in order to appropriately direct the proceedings from the sidelines.
``All departments needed to be reinforced.
``The issue of substitution and the time to do so is a decision that should be left to the coaches.
``They are also monitoring as well. I noticed that their game is improving with each match; their performance against the Zambians was an improvement on their performance against Burkina Faso,” he added.
Mr Kunle Alao, said that the Eagles should strive to score as many goals as possible, to avert the disappointment of having a slender lead being cancelled out through an equaliser.
``If Nigeria had scored more goals in the first place, the issue of a shock equaliser at the dying minute would not be,” he said.
Meanwhile Julius Ogunro the Special Assistant on Media to Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the Minister of Sports has said that the team was improving with each match.
``I urge fans to be patient and not relent in their support for the Super Eagles.
``The team will surely defeat the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia to boost its chances of playing in the quarter-finals of the AFCON,’’ he added.
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) on Saturday solicited for private and Federal Government’s support in the building of Mamman Vatsa writers’ village in Abuja.
Prof. Remi Raji, the National President of the association, made the plea in interview with News Agency of Nigerian (NAN).
Raji said that the plan to build the village began in 1985 when the late Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa allocated the land for the association to build a world-class writers’ village in Mpape district, Abuja.
He thanked God and every member of the association who had contributed to the realisation of the dream of the late writer.
NAN reports that the president of the association performed the inauguration of the writers’ village on Jan. 24.
Vatsa was an accomplished poet and writer, with eight poetry collections for adults and 11 for children, with titles such as Back Again at Wargate (1982), Reach for the Skies (1984) and Verses for Nigerian State Capitals, (1973), among others.
He was a Major-General in the Nigerian Army, a Minister of the Federal Capital Abuja, and was executed by government in 1986 for an alleged complicity in a coup d’état.
Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, the Technical Director, Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on Saturday said the federation would select about 120 athletes to camp ahead of the Africa Youth Athletics Championships (AYAC). Nesiama told the News Agenc...
Football fans on Saturday called on the technical bench of the Super Eagles to improve on their quality of play to ensure a win against Ethiopia on Jan. 29. Nigeria played a 1-1 draw in their second Group C match against Zambia at the ongoing Africa Cu...
Gombe State Government and Arik Air Ltd. will partner to ensure daily flights from Abuja to Gombe, the Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure, Alhaji Hadi Shehu, has said. Shehu disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Friday. H...
Having served out his term as a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Board of Trustees (BOT), former Minister of Health Dr. Tim Menakaya, has ceased to be a member of the party’s BOT. This is as two members of the National W...
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Rivers State has called for the removal of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND in Port Harcourt, the part...
For the 78-year-old mother of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly speaker, Mrs. Betinah Okunwa Benson, the act of praying was not entirely new to her and her family members, including her son, Hon. Kombowei Benson. When she was kidnapped by gunmen and ...
President Goodluck Jonathan and leaders of the two arms of the National Assembly yesterday entered into a closed door meeting which lasted for over two hours at the Presidential Villa. Although details of the meeting was not disclosed, LEADERSHIP WEEKE...
Cote D’Ivoire head into their second 2013 AFCON encounter today in group D with Tunisia under intense pressure despite a slim victory over the Harks of Togo in the opener game. A first half goal from the reigning African footballer of the y...
Victoria Azarenka had to endure some anxious moments before and after her win over American teenager Sloane Stephens. Li Na wasn’t flustered at all as she beat No 2-ranked Maria Sharapova. The result is that Li will play for the Australian Open t...
For months it seemed Pep Guardiola was leaning towards a move to the Premier League with Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea showing interest. But after months of speculation regarding his future, he left the Premier League reeling and chose to coach German giants Bayern Munich.
However, the Spaniard shocked the entire football world by signing with Bayern. Pep had his choice of a number of big teams, so why did he choose the Bundesliga leaders?
Although England was the most likely destination for Guardiola, his appointment means great things for German football. Bayern Munich in particular has had consistent runs in the Bundesliga and the Champions League but has lacked a killer instinct, which could have propelled them to numerous League titles, and Champions League honours.
With the team having only won one honour in the past 3 seasons, Pep Guardiola is the man to change all that. With 14 trophies in 4 seasons to his name, Guardiola can combine great coaching with a superb and talented squad to take Bayern Munich to the top of the football world.
Also, Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge revealed Pep turned down big money offers from other clubs to join Bayern. “If it were purely down to money, then Bayern would have had no chance,” he said. “I think he was impressed with our overall concept.”
Bayern Munich has no ‘Messi like’ player but they do boast a talented German core and other immensely talented players.
With the likes of Ribery, Robben, Gomez, Lahm, Neuer among others, Pep Guardiola will have a great squad at his disposal and this is unlikely to be the last we hear of them going forward.
Guardiola’s appointment will bring more deserved spotlight to the Bundesliga and give German football the recognition it deserves.
Like Barcelona, Bayern Munich also boasts a successful youth system. With the likes of Owen Hargreaves, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Müller and Bastian Schweinsteiger coming through the system, Pep Guardiola can expect a wave of intriguing talent coming through the ranks in Munich.
“I’ve always found English football fascinating,” Guardiola said on the 150th birthday of the FA, further speculating that he would end up in England.
The Premier League’s elite suffered a painful reality check when Guardiola turned his back on them. The reasons for not choosing an English club are debatable.
Running a club under Roman Abramovich, arguably deterred Pep from joining Chelsea and arguably Arsenal’s transfer policy and Manchester City’s Champions League failures also deterred Pep from joining.
What does the future hold for Pep Guardiola after his 3-year contract at Bayern is up? Could we see the Premier League as a destination for Pep?
Could he be waiting on Sir Alex Ferguson to bring an end to an illustrious career at Manchester United before he takes the helm at Old Trafford? Only Pep has the answers to these questions, but the next three years at Bayern Munich are sure to be eventful and entertaining for the Bayern fans. called from: hereisthecitycom
Super Eagles were yesterday held to 1-1 draw by the defending champions, Zambia in their second group match of the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup of Nation in South Africa. Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene scored an 85th minute penalty that saved the defending champ...