International Football

YUSUF AHMED COMMENDS EAGLES AS TITLE FAVOURITES

Published

6 years ago

January 29, 2018

Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed, better known as “Fresh” has praised the resoluteness of the Super Eagles following their 2-1 win over Angola on Sunday that took Nigeria to the semi-finals of the African Nations Championship for only the second time ever.

“The boys have really and truly done Nigeria proud. There are still battles to conquer but we must commend them for overcoming strong opposition right from the group stage to make it to the last four.

“Of course, it is one match at a time. But I am happy that we have a team that has been showing excellent spirit and resilience, and I see them going all the way.”

Nigeria have been in the CHAN’s last four only once before – when the squad coached by Stephen Keshi eventually took the bronze medals at the 2014 finals in South Africa.

Come –back kings, Nigeria have now emerged as real title favourites after a creditable day-in-the-office against Angola on Sunday.

The Super Eagles once more exhibited the globally –renowned ‘Nigeria spirit’ by coming from a goal down to triumph, for the second consecutive game at the 5^th African Nations Championship.

Against Equatorial Guinea in their last group phase encounter in Agadir on Tuesday, Nsi Eyama’s bullet header put the Eagles behind five minutes before half time. But Anthony Okpotu sneaked between two defenders to level up in the 59^th minute and further goals from Dayo Ojo and Rabiu Ali ensured Nigeria finished top of the table.

Angola had designs coming into Sunday’s match, with the plan being to use their pace and run hard at the Nigerian defence and force Stephen Eze, Kalu Okogbue, Osas Okoro and Ikouwem Utin to commit errors. That plan did not work against a tested back –line.

Utin, playing his first match of the tournament in place of the injured Daniel James, was calm and collected, and launched attacks brilliantly. He fitted well into the equation. Even when centre –back Kalu Orji Okogbue got injured, substitute Timothy Danladi acquitted himself well and showed that Nigeria indeed have strength-in-depth.

Old war –horse Rabiu Ali, showing no signs of slowing down, and Dayo Ojo worked hard in the midfield, same for Emeka Atuloma and substitute Augustine Oladapo. Another substitute, Gabriel Okechukwu, got the winner in extra time.

Wednesday’s semi-final against Zambia’s conqueors, Sudan in Marrakech will test the Super Eagles’ mettle further, but a team that has held its own while leading and came back from deficit in consecutive matches have tasted the swings possible in a match and have nothing to fear.

Anthony Okpotu, top scorer in the Nigeria elite division last season, has fought hard and worked hard in this competition, and is Nigeria’s leading scorer with two goals.

He has the potential to do more, of course, and that opportunity presents itself as Nigeria aim to bypass Sudan into Sunday’s Championship match at Casablanca’s Stade Mohamed V.

The Eagles have improved with every game, from a scoreless draw wih Rwanda in their first match, to pipping 2014 champions Libya with a late goal and then coming from behind to defeat Equatorial Guinea and Angola.

“Our progress has been remarkable. A team that gets better with each game is likely to emerge champions at the end of a competition. We are looking forward to the Eagles making us proud by winning this trophy for the first time,” Fresh’s deputy in the Technical and Development Committee, Sharif Rabiu Inuwa, told thenff.com.

Wednesday’s clash in Marrakech will kick off at 8.30pm Nigerian time.

International Football

Grudgingly, Eto’o accepts new Cameroon coach Brys, but fails to attend ceremony

Published

3 weeks ago

April 9, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

International Football

Cameroon FA to propose national coach after emergency meeting –

Published

3 weeks ago

April 6, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BREAKING! Turmoil In Cameroon Federation Over Naming Of New National Coach Brys -

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 –

Published

3 weeks ago

April 4, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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