Nigerian Football
FC Naija’s Editor Presents Book
Former Super Eagles captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha has endorsed a book: Nigerian Football’s Finest Quotes & Notes written by Victor Akhidenor, the current editor of online publication, www.fcnaija.com.
However, the former banker turned journalist, Akhidenor, said that Nigerian Football’s Finest Quotes & Notes is not the book he is presenting to the world.
Rather, it is Football Memories, a compilation of the best articles he had written as an award winning sports journalist that is up for sale onthe world’s leading online retail platform,Amazon.com.
In his first book on the game – his third in a growing collection – the author explores with poise and creativity, articles, features, reviews, previews, travelogues, analyses, and opinions on the number one game in the world.
“I am tremendously excited for Victor Akhidenor’s book on Nigerian football,” Philip Amiola, the publisher of the book, said.
“We are very proud to publish the work of such a creative, young writer and are eager to embark on this new adventure of his considering the fact that he has a lot of publications up his sleeve.”
The author, a Diamond Award in Media Excellence (DAME) winner in 2015, however, wants to clarify some issues.
“The book Okocha endorsed is actually my first book on the game,” he said.
“But due to cost constraints, I decided to come out with this new title while I hope to publish the other one once I can sort out some issues clogging the publication of the book.”
The paperback edition of Football Memories can be purchased through this link. The electronic version is also available on Kindle.
In describing the book, the author tried to bring a correlation of a beauty pageant and football and also between a soccer match preview and curses and insults.
According to him, the book is meant for student of journalism, seasoned journalists, researchers, and writers hoping to live, eat, and breathe the fun messages like the author.
Serious issues like the first and second burial of Stephen Keshi, a former player and coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, are well researched and told in this collection of the writer’s best articles on the beautiful game.
Nigerian Football
Remo Stars add fuel to the fire as title chase turns East – West battle
Added time-goal specialists, Remo Stars pulled off one of their now familiar traits, chalking up a valuable point as Skipper Nduka Junior scored in the 90+4 minute to scuttle an impending victory by Doma United on Wednesday evening.
When all-hope seemed over, Remo Stars had scored hope-reviving goals as they did against Lobi Stars, Insurance and a host of others in the Nigeria Premier League.
Getting a valuable point take them from fifth position to fourth their haul to 50, just a point below that of second and third placed Enyimba and Lobi Stars respectively.
The 1-1 scoreline also changed the complexion of the league table as their South West rivals were pushed down from their initial fourth position.
As it is, the struggle for the title is taking regional colouration as the top two- Enugu Rangers and Enyimba are from the South East while fourth and fifth – Remo Stars and Shooting Stars are from the South West.
Lobi Stars from the middle belt, stand in-between the South East and South West in the power struggle.
Remo Stars at the fourth position however still have an outstanding home game against Rivers United and that could still change the positions of the top six teams when the match is played.
Attention will now shift to match-day 31 as the league embarks on its home stretch.
On Friday, relegation-bound Heartland will be hosting rejuvenated Shooting Stars who have suddenly discovered they could return to continental competition next seasons after 25 years.
They have lately been having unbeaten runs. On Saturday, Kwara United will host desperate Akwa United who are struggling to avoid dropping into the lower league.
On the same day, Abia Warriors will be at home against Bayelsa United.
On Sunday seven matches are on the card. They are:
Kano Pillars v. Gombe United
Katsina United v. Sporting Lagos
Lobi Stars v. Bendel Insurance
Niger Tornadoes v Doma United
Plateau United v. Remo Stars
Rivers United v. Enugu Rangers
Sunshine Stars v. Enyimba
Nigerian Football
Rangers tenaciously hold on at Nigeria League top position
Enugu Rangers are holding on firmly at the top of the Nigeria Premier League after getting a hard 3-2 victory over visiting Abia Warriors.
The win consolidated their top position as the 2016 Nigerian champions now have 54 points, three points ahead their oriental brothers, Enyimba who are currently second on the log.
But the keen battle this season sees Lobi Stars who lost 2-0 to a rejuvenated Shooting Stars in Ibadan.
The victory has seen the Shooting Stars climbing up steadily and now placing fourth on the log. But their fellow western rivals may bounce back into reckoning and could leapfrog into second position if they obtain full points in their away duel on Wednesday with Doma United.
Just as the battle at the top is tough, so also it is at the backwaters. Probably Gombe United are the first confirmed for relegation. Heartland, Akwa United, Rivers United and borderline candidate, Sunshine Stars are in fierce battle.
Rivers United however still have six outstanding matches and could still leapfrog into safety zone. But Akwa United continued to their struggle to swim out of the relegation zone as they hammered Niger Tornadoes 4-1.
Tuesday results
Shooting Stars 2-0 Lobi Stars
Sporting Lagos 1-0 Sunshine Stars
Rivers United 3-1 Plateau United
Gombe United 1-2 Kwara United
Enyimba 1-0 Heartland
Enugu Rangers 3-2 Abia Warriors
Bendel Insurance 2-1 Kano Pillars
Bayelsa United 1-1 Katsina United
Akwa United 4-1 Niger United
Wednesday Fixture
Doma United v Remo Stars
Nigerian Football
Manu Garba, U17 World Cup winner, returns as Golden Eaglets’ Head Coach
The Board of Nigeria Football Federation has appointed former U17 World Cup winner Manu Garba as Head Coach of the Nigeria U17 boys, Golden Eaglets.
Garba had, in the same role, led the Golden Eaglets to win the FIFA U17 World Cup for Nigeria in the United Arab Emirates in 2013 – Nigeria’s fourth triumph at that stage.
Garba’s world-conquering squad in 2013 included Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi, Isaac Success, Musa Mohammed, Chidiebere Nwakali and goalkeeper Dele Alampasu.
The squad, which finished as runners-up at the African U17 Championship in Morocco after a penalty shootout defeat by Cote d’Ivoire, defeated Mexico 6-1 in their opening game, drew 3-3 with Sweden and hammered Iraq 5-0. In the Round of 16, they ran Iran ragged 4-1, dispatched Uruguay 2-0 in the quarter-finals and trounced Sweden 3-0 in the semi-finals, before they dislodged Mexico by the same margin in the final to lift the trophy.
The former Nigeria international will now immediately resume the role and take charge of the team’s preparations for next month’s WAFU B U17 Championship, taking place in Ghana.
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