Nigerian Football

ROHR’S FEAR OF BACKLASH HOLDS BACK EJIDE’S SUPER EAGLES’ RECALL

Published

7 years ago

October 28, 2017

BY BOLAJI OKUNOLA.

Super Eagles’ manager, Gernot Rohr is still having headaches over the last line of his World Cup-bound squad. The goalkeeping department is still a source of worry for him. In the five World Cup qualifying matches he guided Nigeria to, the Franco-German coach made use of three goalkeepers.

Ikechukwu Ezenwa featured lately and most prominently in three of such matches while the duo of Carl Ikeme and South Africa based Daniel Akpeyi had a match each and conceded a goal in each of the encounters.

Ezenwa in three consecutive matches conceded just a penalty kick goal, away from home in the encounter with Cameroon in Douala.

While Ezenwa is just warming himself into Rohr’s heart, the coach admits he needs strong back up for the World Cup and also for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series which resume in March.

His desire to bring back a seemingly unwilling self-retired Vincent Enyeama appears doomed as feelers indicate that the Nigeria Football Federation is not inclined to the goalkeeper’s recall.

Yet, it is almost generally agreed that the Super Eagles do not have a goalkeeper that can grace the esteem stage of the World Cup. The team must have three goalkeepers in its final 23-man squad.

A source in the Super Eagles technical crew informed Sports Village Square that Rohr was thinking of recalling World Cup’s negative record holder, Austin Ejide. But the possible backlash from pundits has held him back.

Austin Ejide has been to three World Cup finals in 2002, 2010 and 2014 without seeing a minute of action.

After almost two years of layoff, he is currently back with an Israeli club, Hapoel Hadera. He last kept the goal for Nigeria in a goalless outing with South Africa in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in September 2014.

The inside source told Sports Village Square that Rohr was aware of Ejide’s experience but he was also worried by the goalkeeper’s lack of action which will possibly draw a lot of criticism that may also affect Ejide’s composure.

Independent sources told Sports Village Square that Ejide’s weight and increased size are additional worries. Last January, while featuring in a Joseph Dosu organized novelty match at the Julius Berger ground in Lagos, Ejide told Sports Village Square that his not getting a national call-up was due to his not featuring for any club side since he left Hapoel Be’er Sheva of Israel in 2015.

As at January, he still nursed a possible return to the Super Eagles’ fold if he was able to secure a contract with a club which he has since done.

His contract for the Hapoel Hadera is for three years. Before, Vincent Enyeama, Ejide was the first choice goalkeeper when the 2002 squad was disbanded after the turmoil that afflicted the Super Eagles at the Mali 2002 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ejide debuted for the Super Eagles on June 16, 2001 when he came off the bench as a substitute for Sunday Rotimi in an away 0-2 win for Nigeria against Namibia in an Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifier.

He was looking like a possible permanent holder of the number one shirt having featured in the pre World Cup friendly matches under Coach Adegboye Onigbinde.

However, Vincent Enyeama stamped his authority as a goalkeeper the moment he debuted on May 4, 2002 in a 3-0 defeat of Kenya in a friendly match in Lagos.

But in 2008, Ejide was preferred by Germany’s Coach Berti Vogts ahead of Vincent Enyeama at the Africa Cup of Nations.

But is he ready to bounce back again? In the encounter with him months ago, he told Sports Village Square: “I still wish to keep for the Super Eagles. All goalkeepers must be in top form before getting a national team call up. I am not under a contract with any club for now.

“No one knows what tomorrow or the nearest future will be. As soon as a get signed with any club then I will certainly be battle ready for the Super Eagles gloves. Nigeria is my country and I derive pleasure in staying between the sticks whenever I am called upon.”

Has the time come? The Super Eagles source said while Rohr seemed inclined towards, Ejide, the foul aroma over his inactivity may make the NFF to kick against his invitation.

Nigerian Football

Remo Stars close to winning their first Nigeria Premier League title

Published

22 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Remo Stars on Friday inch closer to achieving their first ever title in the Nigeria elite division league after beating visiting Niger Tornadoes 3-0 to move second on the log and just a point behind league leaders, Enugu Rangers.

Remo Stars are now with 53 points and still have an outstanding home game to play.

Friday’s win which comes on the eve of the proprietor’s birthday has put the team back into contention for the title.

They have progressively become prominent in the Nigerian premier league having placed third two seasons ago and second last season.

Top finish this season will confirm their progression and also a third consecutive continental outing.

Top scorer, Sikiru Alimi launched them of victory path as his 28^th minute penalty kick heralded their return to high scoring ways.

It has been a while since they scored high in the league. Barely three minutes later, Sikiru, a contender for the top scorer award increased the tally to two.

Ahmed Akinyele completed the route in the 75^th minute.

Nigerian Football

Nigeria face tough defence as Burkina Faso lie in wait at U17 WAFU B AFCON qualifiers

Published

4 days ago

April 23, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Defending champions Nigeria have been handed a difficult path to the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations finals after being drawn in the same group as Burkina Faso for next month’s WAFU B qualifying tournament in Ghana.

The Golden Eaglets, who won the last edition of the regional championship in 2022, will also face Togo and Niger in Group B of the competition which runs from 15-28 May.

Hosts Ghana find themselves in Group A alongside Cote d’Ivoire and Benin in a tough-looking section of the competition to be played in Accra.

The draw was conducted by 1970s Ivorian football legends Kobenan Kouman and Die Foneye at the Ivorian FA headquarters in Abidjan on Friday.

Nigeria claimed their WAFU B U17 AFCON title by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1 in the regional final in Ghana two years ago.

However, they will need to overcome some familiar foes if they are to defend their crown and with the Burkina Faso finishing third at the last TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations, some exciting matches are expected.

Arch-rivals Nigeria and Ghana are among the two favourites and could meet in the final in Accra on 28 May, should they top their respective groups and make it through the semi-finals.

Ghana also have pedigree at this level, having the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 as they bid to reach the U17 AFCON finals on home soil.

The top two teams from the WAFU B tournament will qualify for next year’s U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Groups:

Group A: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin

Group B: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Togo, Niger.

Nigerian Football

Former Nigeria international, Onye recommends Amuneke-Siasia combo for Super Eagles

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Kingsley Onye, the left sided defender who was a member of the first Flying Eagles side to have a podium finish at the U-20 World Cup has suggested the employment of Emmanuel Amuneke as the coach of the Super Eagles.

He wants him to be assisted by Samson Siasia when the ban on the latter lapses in August. Alternatively, Onye pointed to Sylvanus Okpala as alternative to Siasia.

The Super Eagles are in dare need for a head coach as the clock ticks down to the Match day 4 and 5 of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in which the team is trailing at the third position.

The two matches in early June are crucial for the Super Eagles to bounce back into reckoning as the team can not afford to drop any of the available six points in the duels with South Africa at home and away to Benin.

From this Monday, it is 41 days to the potentially challenging tie with South Africa, but the Nigerian national team has been without a coach since the expiration of the contract of Portugal’s Jose Peseiro shortly after the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Without mincing words, Onye remarked: “Emmanuel Amuneke is the right man for the job of the coach of Super Eagles. He has been there before.

“He tasted it and had been fantastic with the Nigeria youth team, the U-17 by assisting Manu Garba to win the U17 World Cup in 2013 and as head coach, led the Golden Eaglets to win the cup again in 2015.”

Onye who played for the Enugu Rangers in Nigeria before venturing to the UK but had his career scuppered by freak injury pointed out that the solution to Super Eagles’ technical deficiency is the appointment of an indigenous coach and that Amuneke is the man.

In buttressing his assertion, he declared: “As a senior team coach, Amuneke qualified a long standing absentee team, Tanzania for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

“His record as a player is also very impressive. He played and won with the Super Eagles, the AFCON 1994. He played at the Olympic Games and was also the first Nigerian to score two goals at the World Cup.

“He has played at the African Games and also for top clubs in the continent as he was a member of the Egyptian giants, Zamalek. In Europe, he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal and then Barcelona before injury ended his playing career.”

Onye also looked at the personality of Amuneke in recommending him for the Super Eagles job.

His record as a player is also very impressive. He played and won with the Super Eagles, the AFCON 1994. He played at the Olympic Games and was also the first Nigerian to score two goals at the World Cup.

He has played at the African Games and also for top clubs in the continent as he was a member of the Egyptian giants, Zamalek. In Europe, he played for Sporting Clube de Portugal and then Barcelona before injury ended his playing career.