International Football
BELIEF, MENTAL STRENGTH WILL MAKE EAGLES SOAR, SAYS PINNICK
Nigeria Football Federation chieftain, Amaju Pinnick is very positive that the Nigerian Super Eagles will soar at the World Cup next year.
Already the draw which has pitched Nigeria with usual opponent, Argentina, has put the country in limelight, especially after last month’s humiliation of the former two-time World Cup holders.
Pinnick is confident that mental strength, self –belief and youthfulness will serve the Super Eagles well at the 21stFIFA World Cup finals in Russia next year summer.
He spoke on the World Sport programme of the Cable News Network (CNN) from the station’s London studio on Monday.
Pinnick, who is a Member of the CAF Executive Committee and President of AFCON, also commended the African body for its decision to support the continent’s five flag bearers’ preparations for Russia 2018 with much –needed cash.
“First and foremost, I must commend all the 32 qualified teams because they came from very intense qualifying campaigns.
“What will then matter at the finals in Russia are factors such as the quality of preparation by each team, the mental state of the players and prayers from back home.
“We are in a ‘decent group.’ Argentina have such a high pedigree and Croatia and Iceland are very good. Iceland reached the quarter –finals of the European Championship last year and topped their qualifying group, so there are no minnows in there.
“We are banking on good preparation and the belief that our young players have in themselves. I am also happy that CAF is weighing in with some good money ($500,000 each) to support the preparation of the African flag –bearers.
“I can also tell you that CAF is looking to see an African team in the semi –finals or even to go all the way to win the trophy.”
Pinnick said nobody gave the Super Eagles any chance of defeating Argentina in a friendly in Krasnodar last month.
Significantly, that was the first time the Super Eagles came from behind to win a match under Gernot Rohr.
“We have a coach who has the mentality of a winner, and he has imbibed the players with the same attitude.
“We can do very well at the World Cup in Russia. I am very delighted that we have a team for tomorrow; a team for the next (2022) World Cup finals.
“African players light up the English Premiership every weekend. Liverpool FC appear not to be able to do without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and Chelsea FC sometimes struggle without Victor Moses. We have bright prospects in Russia.”
Nigeria will trade tackles with two –time world champions and reigning world vice champions Argentina, Iceland and Croatia in Group D at Russia 2018.
Argentina have narrowly won all four previous FIFA World Cup clashes with Nigeria (all at group phase: 1994, 2002, 2010, 2014) but the Eagles have lashed the La Albicelestein two prestige friendlies (2011 and 2014), while honours in two clashes in the final of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament (1996 and 2008) have been shared.
Nigeria have never played Croatia – the small East European nation that shocked the world by winning bronze medals at her maiden FIFA World Cup appearance in 1998.
Nigeria and Iceland have met only once before in history – a friendly match in Reykjavik on August 22, 1981 that the Strakarnir Okkar (Our Boys) won 3-0. It was part of the Eagles’ preparation for the final round of qualifiers for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, which they lost to Algeria home and away.
Incidentally, the two teams’ clash in Russia will also be on the twenty –second day of the month – June 22, 2018 in Volgograd.
NIGERIA’S RUSSIA 2018 GROUP MATCHES
Croatia Vs Nigeria (Kaliningrad Stadium, 16th June, 9pm)
Nigeria Vs Iceland (Volgograd Arena, 22nd June, 6pm)
Nigeria Vs Argentina (Saint Petersburg Stadium, 26th June, 9pm)
International Football
Grudgingly, Eto’o accepts new Cameroon coach Brys, but fails to attend ceremony
Cameroon’s new coach Marc Brys penned a contract on Monday but the Belgian’s appointment by the government remains contentious as the football federation did not attend the signing ceremony.
Brys has been handed a 2-1/2-year contract by Cameroon’s sports ministry but the federation (FECAFOOT) was conspicuous by its absence at the event in Yaounde.
Last week, FECAFOOT criticised the unilateral decision of sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombito to appoint the 61-year-old Brys, who has no prior experience as a national team coach and has not previously worked on the African continent.
FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o issued a statement on Monday, excusing himself from the unveiling event.
“We thank you for inviting us to the ceremony. Following this, we inform you of the fact that we received the letter two hours before the said ceremony,” wrote Eto’o.
“Unfortunately, we are busy organising the funeral of our late Dad, and for this reason we will not be able to attend presence at the ceremony.”
His father’s funeral is to be held at the weekend.
Eto’o balked at Brys’ appointment and is now in a deepening standoff with the minister.
In Cameroon, the government has long paid the salary of the national team coach and therefore held powerful sway over FECAFOOT’s affairs, even if such state interference is frowned upon by world football’s governing body FIFA.
Any heightened dispute risks a potential ban from international competition for Cameroon, one of the heavyweights of African football.
FECAFOOT held an emergency meeting on Saturday and asked Eto’o to propose an alternative coach for the national team.
Earlier on the weekend, the minister had defended the appointment, saying he had acted in accordance with national and international regulations.
In a letter to FECAFOOT, Kombi said his ministry’s appointment of coaching staff “in no way affects the autonomy of FECAFOOT and does not violate any of the ‘supranational regulations”.
He said FECAFOOT had suggested three candidates to the ministry but their salary demands ranged between 1.5 million euros and 2.5 million euros ($1.63 million and $2.71 million) per year.
“These are excessive amounts never paid to any coach in the history of the Indomitable Lions,” Kombi said.
-Reuters
Cameroon’s football federation (FECAFOOT) held an emergency meeting on Saturday and asked its president to propose an alternative coach for the national team, deepening a standoff with the sports ministry.
FECAFOOT on Wednesday accused the ministry of unilaterally appointing Belgian Marc Brys as coach and other staff to manage the Indomitable Lions, who are five-times African champions.
The dispute risks a potential ban from international competition as world soccer’s governing body FIFA has strict rules against government interference in national federations.
In a statement, FECAFOOT said its emergency committee had met on Saturday and unanimously confirmed that the federation had not been involved in the appointments in alleged contravention of regulations.
As a result, it asked its president Samuel Eto’o to propose a national coach and other management staff for the national side within 72 hours.
Responding to a request for comment, a spokesperson for the ministry said the result of the FECAFOOT meeting was “an appeal. It is not yet a decision.”
On Friday, Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi wrote to FECAFOOT to defend the coaching appointments, which he said were in accordance with national and international rules.
In a letter seen by Reuters, Kombi said the ministry’s move “in no way affects the autonomy of FECAFOOT and does not violate any of the ‘supranational regulations’.”
A spokesperson for the ministry confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Kombi’s letter also said the salaries requested by three candidates earlier proposed by the federation for the position of coach ranged between 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) and 2.5 million euros per year.
“These are excessive amounts never paid to any coach in the history of the Indomitable Lions,” Kombi said.
FECAFOOT did not respond to a request for comment on the letter.
-Reuters
RELATED STORIES:
BREAKING! Turmoil in Cameroon federation over naming of new national coach Brys. https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2024/04/03/breaking-turmoil-in-cameroon-federation-over-naming-of-new-national-coach-brys/
Soccer Cameroon appoint Brys as new head coach https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2024/04/03/soccer-cameroon-appoint-brys-as-new-head-coach/
International Football
National team and club-mate Owolabi commiserates with grief-stricken Odegbami –
Powerful left-wing back in his playing days, Felix Owolabi has expressed great grief over the loss of a son of former teammate, Segun Odegbami.
Both Felix Owolabi and Odegbami share common traits as the earliest tertiary institution footballers featuring for clubs and the national team.
While Odegbami was a mechanical engineering student at The Ibadan Polytechnic, Owolabi was an undergraduate at the University of Lagos.
Both were players of the then rampaging IICC Shooting Stars and the Africa Cup of Nations winning team of 1980. The crucial goals that won the cup for Nigeria were scored by the duo.
While Owolabi’s goal against Morocco sent Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final match for the first time, Odegbami’s two goals in the final against Algeria put a stamp of definity to Nigeria’s victory before another club-mate Muda Lawal put in the third.
“We have come a long way”, remarked Owolabi in a message to the Sports Village Square Thursday morning.
“I have just arrived from Morocco on a national assignment trying to adjust and deal with the extreme and gruelling hot weather here in Nigeria when I got the sad news of the sudden death of the son of my dear brother and senior colleague Dr Olusegun Odegbami.
“Hearing the death of Oluwagbeminiyi Omo Odegbami, I paused for a moment and did not know what to say.
“All the media both print and electronics carried it as a breaking news.
“And that was when it dawned on me that I had to call ‘Big Sheg’ as he is fondly called by me.
“His authoritative confirmation about it dealt a blow on me and put me total darkness.What would have happened to this our vibrant and such an enterprising Oluwagbeminiyi?
“Why would death be so so wicked to suddenly take this gentleman away from us without notice. Going on a journey that he will need not to look at anybody, an eternal journey till Christ come.
“My heart and that of my entire family are with you and the rest of the family”, remarked Owolabi.
“It is well. I pray that God grant him eternal rest. I pray also that the almighty God grant you the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Today the death of Oluwagbeminiyi has made me to believe and conclude that death is real and it is universal
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Apart from Okwaraji, Nigeria’s Other Field-Related Obituaries
Grudgingly, Eto’o accepts new Cameroon coach Brys, but fails to attend ceremony
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CAF Confederation Cup3 days agoNigeria’s Samson Adamu signs Algeria’s USM match forfeiture
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FEDERATION CUP1 week agoBREAKING! Federation Cup acquires presidential nomenclature…7th name since inception
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CAF Confederation Cup1 week ago
CAF compels Algeria to release Morocco’s RS Berkane equipment