Tag Archives: eagles

Vice President Osinbajo Pays Eagles, Falcons Surprise Visits In Camp

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Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (GCON) on Tuesday paid a surprise visit to the country’s senior national football teams, Super Eagles and Super Falcons at their respective training sessions at the National Stadium, Abuja.

 

While the Super Falcons are preparing for the 10th Women Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Cameroon 19th November – 3rd December this year, the Super Eagles are getting set for Saturday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Algeria.

 

The Vice President arrived the practice pitch of the National Stadium, Abuja at about 5.30pm, as the teams were rounding off evening sessions. To the Super Eagles, Vice President Osinbajo said: “I commend you for your patriotism and commitment to the cause of fatherland. By going to Zambia to defeat the Zambians on their own ground for the first time, you have shown your determination to conquer your group and qualify for the World Cup.

 

“I want to assure you that the Government and people of Nigeria are behind you in your quest to qualify for the World Cup. I believe that you will certainly pick the ticket from your group to make it to the World Cup finals.”

 

While Sports Minister Solomon Dalung presented the Super Eagles to the Vice President as a bunch of disciplined and dedicated patriots, NFF President Amaju Pinnick assured Osinbajo that the Eagles will fight hard to qualify for the World Cup.

 

Skipper Mikel John Obi praised Vice President Osinbajo for finding time to spur the team, saying Nigeria has one of the youngest national teams in Africa presently, and Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr declared that as a German, he has brought the German mentality of resilience and perseverance to the team’s camp.

 

To the Super Falcons, Osinbajo said: “I am happy that you girls are the reigning African champions, and I believe you will go to Cameroon and retain your trophy. The whole nation is behind you. You must start by beating Mali and then going all the way so as to bring the Cup back to Nigeria.”

 

Captain Evelyn Nwabuoku thanked the Vice President and promised that the Falcons are committed to retaining their continental title.

No fund to accommodate Eagles in Zambia – Pinnick

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The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has raised an alarm over paucity of fund to facilitate the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifiers against the Chipolopolo of Zambia. The match will hold in Ndola on Sunday.

Pinnick, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Sports, in Abuja, lamented that lack of adequate funding was frustrating efforts by the NFF to operate efficiently.

He said: “Nigeria was paired against Zambia, Cameroun and Algeria. It is a group that is called “group of death,” which means we need to intensify our preparations. We need to monitor our players and make sure that the ticket is made available.

“The good news is that I think we have a very sound technical crew and we also have a lot of our players doing very well, but the missing link is our financial incapacitation, which activates practically everything you do on the field and off the field.

“Before now, we have sent representation to government for intervention because funds were not coming in from our sponsors, which relates to the economy of the country at the moment, and is being very difficult for them. That is what they claim. So, we didn’t have any option than to result to writing to government, which we did and we are still awaiting response from them and the match is in five days.”

The NFF boss said a chartered flight arrangements had been made with Arik Airline, which has assigned a technical crew. He revealed that the federation was able to secure accommodation in Protea Hotel, which is 10 minutes away from the stadium, but it had not been able to pay for it.

“We have been able to secure about 60 to 70 rooms but we need to make some payments so that they (the hotel) will keep the rooms because everybody from Zambia wants to come and watch that game and that is our predicament.

“Beyond that, we are also looking at the next game against Algeria, which is coming up on November 9 in Uyo (Akwa Ibom State). The Algerian national team has informed me that they are coming with two to three private jets that will be bringing their team.

“As it is, everybody is taking this championship or qualifiers very, very serious but, like I said, the good news about us is that we have a very good team and we have a strong technical crew.”

See How Much Eagles Got For Egypt Trip

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It has been revealed that each player of the Super Eagles received $400 as allowances from cash-strapped Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their trip to Alexandria, Egypt.

This was far short of $1,000 each player usually received as allowances for an away game.

It was further gathered that for the 1-1 home draw in Kaduna, the players were paid in Naira the equivalent of $2,500.

This is a massive drop for some of these players who at the last World Cup in Brazil were on $10,000-a-man.
“Most of the players were unhappy with how they were treated as everyone was for himself after the match in Egypt,” another source informed AfricanFootball.com.

Credit: Thisday

Samson Siasia Releases List Of 21 Players For Under 23 Nations Cup

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Nigeria’s under – 23 team coach Samson Siasia, has announced a 21-player list for the upcoming Africa U – 23 Cup of Nations to take place in Senegal. Golden Boot winner at the 2015 Fifa Under 17 World Cup, Victor Osimhen, and Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi are the big names on the list.

In the Nigeria Under 23s latest friendly, they were held to a 1 – 1 draw by the Under 20 National Team of Gambia, with skipper Oghenekaro Etebo opening scoring in the 53rd minute.
The u-23 team will depart their training camp in the Gambia on Thursday, November 26 ahead of their first game against Mali on Sunday.
Squad list in full:-
Goalies: Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland), Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers)
Defnders: Zaharadeen Bello (Kano Pillars), Seun Olubayo (Sunshine Stars), Chizoba Amaefule (Dolphins), Ebuka Iroha (Diamond Football Academy), Sincere Seth (Supreme Court FC), Seun Oduduwa (Nath Boys)
Midfielders : Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Matalatyaspor, Turkey), Godspower Aniefiok (Kano Pillars), Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors), Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba),Tiongoli Tobara (Bayelsa United), Bature Yaro (Nasarawa United), Oghenekaro Etebo, Stanley Dimgba (both Warri Wolves)

Strikers:Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt, Germany), Victor Osimhen (Ultimate Strikers), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia), Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves)

Faulty Abuja Stadium Floodlight Hinders Eagles’ Training

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The Super Eagles were not able to train under floodlight yesterday because the Abuja Stadium does not have the facilities to supply light to the pitch at night, an official of the team has revealed.

The Super Eagles were earlier scheduled to train at least three times at night to condition the players with what they will encounter when they meet Swaziland in a World Cup qualifier in Mbabane this weekend. But the team was forced to cancel such plans when they realized the stadium did not have the facilities to power the floodlight.

Credit: Guardian

Ifreke Inyang: 5 Things We Learnt From Tanzania vs Nigeria

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1. Difficult start for Oliseh

As soon as Sunday Oliseh was announced as Stephen Keshi’s successor, he has been submerged in a giant wave of optimism and goodwill. A lot of people – this writer included – has been genuinely hopeful and excited. Well, it is not as if all that has evaporated, but this is surely not the start he hoped for. He will have more time to work on the squad and the results will start showing soon.

2. Carl I keep your shirt, Vincent?

Amid the inexperience and lack of basic intelligence in the Eagles squad, debutant Carl Ikeme managed to stand out and cover himself in glory. The Wolves goalkeeper, who was called up to replace the bereaved Vincent Enyeama was a commanding presence, calm and classy. Ikeme pulled off some nice stops in the second half, when the Tanzania threatened to shock.

3. Beginning of the end for Haruna

One of the major talking points of the game, was Oliseh pulling out Haruna Lukman in the 35th minute of the game. The Anzhi midfielder looked lethargic prior to that, playing with little or no energy and enthusiasm. It is one thing to have ability. It is not thing to use it well. Once again, we saw that the line between arrogance and confidence is painfully blur. For someone who had been in the international wilderness for five years, he should have grabbed this opportunity with both hands.

4. Emenike, Musa don’t do enough

For a team that was sprinkled with debutants and a lot of inexperienced heads, the more experienced players did not come to the party. Emmanuel Emenike was a bit average and did not link up play as well as he can. CSKA Moscow winger, Ahmed Musa, sparkled in bursts – and it was really more about his pace than end product.

5. Tanzania give good account of themselves

Most pundits expected the Eagles to impose themselves on their hosts and claim another routine victory in Dar es Salaam. That was not the case. Tanzania provided real threat all through the game and if not for Ikeme and some wayward finishing, they should have scored a goal or two, especially in the second half.

‘Ifreke Inyang tweets via @Ifreke

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