Sports
FCA Backs Yusuf On Bribery Allegations
The Nigeria Football Coaches Association has pledged their support for embattled Super Eagles Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf, who insists that he is innocent of bribery allegations made against him.
This was after he was caught on camera taking cash from men posing as football agents in a “sting operation’’.
The Tidesports source reports that the footage was captured by controversial Ghanaian journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in September 2017, and was broadcasted for the first time by BBC Africa Eye.
In the video, the chief coach of the Super Eagles, and first assistant during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, appeared to have received 1, 000 dollars (N360, 000) to select two players for the 2018 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) championship.
He was further promised 15 per cent by the men posing as football agents of the players once they are able to seal a deal abroad.
The association pledged their support in a statement by its Chairman, Ladan Bosso, who is also the head coach of the Nigeria Professional Football League Club, FC Ifeanyi Ubah.
According to the statement, the association said they did not believe the coach should be held liable for any wrongdoing, even though they respect the FIFA code of ethics.
“It is clear to the blind that the coach’s stand wasn’t distorted by the “triviality”of the pecuniary gift made to him.
“The players in question prior to the issuance of the gift had already made the team, and were in fact among the pillars of the team,” the statement said.
“We do not think that the integrity and reputation of football has been affected by this, though we shall investigate further as it dents the reputation of our association and members.
“Again, we think that the coach should be commended for stating clearly that players’ selection is based on performance.
“It makes no sense that our colleague, who earns over N3 million would stoop so low for pittance of 750 or 1000 dollars, which does not compare to the salary he earns. The trivial nature of what he received is the issue.”
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor