International Football
NIGERIA’S CHRISTIAN EMERUWA ASSUMES DUTIES AS CAF HEAD OF SAFETY AND SECURITY
A staff member of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Christian Emeruwa, has assumed office in Cairo, Egypt as Head of Safety and Security of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Emeruwa, who has served as special assistant to three successive NFF General Secretaries, is on a two –year leave of absence at the CAF Headquarters in 6th October City, near Cairo.
Holder of a doctorate degree in health education and human kinetics from the University of Ibadan, Emeruwa took up appointment with the Nigeria Football Federation in 2007 and has, over the years, brilliantly coordinated safety and security matters at venues of major international and domestic games round the country.
He is also a FIFA Security Officer.
Before taking up appointment at CAF, Emeruwa had coordinated safety and security issues at a number of matches and competitions for CAF and world footballing –governing body, FIFA on invitation.
He becomes the second Nigerian to take up a high –profile appointment at CAF headquarters since the election of NFF President, Amaju Pinnick into the CAF Executive Committee less than 22 months ago.
The first was Samson Adamu, who is CAF’s Director of Competitions.
Apart from the duo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, A. U Mustapha, is the President of CAF Appeal Board, with so many other Nigerians on several committees of the continental body as well as FIFA.
While Pinnick has been elevated to the 1st Vice President of CAF and is also President of the AFCON Organizing Committee, NFF 1st Vice President, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, 2nd Vice President, Mallam Shehu Dikko, Executive Committee members Ibrahim Gusau and Yusuf Ahmed, as well as Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, Mrs Chisom Ezeoke, Dr. Peter Singabele and Senator Obinna Ogba are on various panels.
At the level of FIFA, where Pinnick is a respected Member of the Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions, he has been able to get the former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips and NFF 2nd Vice President Dikko into committees. While Justice Philips is the only African on the FIFA Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber), Dikko is a Member of the FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee.
“I am delighted with the number of Nigerians we have been able to get into key positions and committees in FIFA and CAF, but we are just starting. I have always been saying that Nigeria is a big country globally and we can no longer remain a silent voice in international football politics. The work is ongoing to ensure more Nigerians come to the fore at global and continental levels,” Pinnick said on Tuesday.
NIGERIANS IN FIFA
. Mr. Amaju Pinnick – Member, Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions
. Justice Ayotunde Philips – Member, FIFA Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber)
. Mallam Shehu Dikko – Member, FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee
NIGERIANS WORKING IN CAF
. Mr. Samson Adamu – Director of Competitions
. Dr. Christian Emeruwa – Head of Safety and Security
NIGERIANS IN CAF COMMITTEES
. Mr. Amaju Pinnick – 1st Vice President/Member, Emergency Committee/President, AFCON
. Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi – Member, Youth Competitions Committee
. Mallam Shehu Dikko – Member, Inter-Clubs and Club Licensing System Committee
. Alh. Ibrahim Gusau – Member, Organizing Committee for CHAN
. Alh. Yusuf Ahmed – Member, Technical and Development Committee
. Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah – Member, Organizing Committee for AFCON
. Mrs Chisom Ezeoke – Member, Women Football Committee
. Dr. Peter Singabele – Member, Committee on Sports Medicine
. Senator Obinna Ogba – Member, Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Morocco 2025: Nigeria qualify for FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup
NFF ‘shocked and saddened’ by the demise of former NRA President, Otunba Tade Azeez
Heartbreak for Al Ahly as Sundowns edge to CAF Champions League final on away goals rule
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL7 days ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY4 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON7 days ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- feature4 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United