Sports

Football Administrators Charged To Improve Local League

Published

15 years ago

June 24, 2010

Odi Ikpeazu, the Chairman, Anambra United FC, Onitsha, has called on the country’s football administrators to make a concerted effort at developing the national league.

Reacting to Nigeria’s exit from the 2010 World Cup, Ikpeazu, in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday, said the solution lay in the improvement of the local league.

He said the failure of the Eagles at the World Cup called for an “inward search” for a solution through grass-roots football development.

“Forget about the Super Eagles or national team; what we need is to concentrate on our football development through grass-roots clubs and league development.

“I call on the Nigeria Football Federation, Nigeria Premier League and other football-related bodies to come home, inject money and commitment to our national league and other football developmental projects just as Argentina did some years back,” Ikpeazu said.

He expressed regret that a lot of money was spent on the country’s campaign to participate in the World Cup.

If part of the amount was made available for the local league, Nigeria’s football would be better for it, the chairman said.

Goddy Agbarakwe, a football administrator and ex-Green Eagles player, said the early exit of the Eagles was because of the shoddy preparation for the mundial.

Agbarakwe told newsmen in Owerri that the ouster of the Eagles should be a lesson to all, pointing out that without adequate preparation for such important competitions, the result could only be failure.

“We (Nigeria) got what we bargained for,” he said. “This should teach us a big lesson to always have long-term plans and prepare adequately for important events such as the mundial.”

According to him, “our characteristic fire brigade approach to sporting competitions should stop if we want the world to take us seriously as a sporting nation.”

Agbarakwe said Nigeria was billed to fail “when we hired a coach only five months to the kick-off of the tournament” and added that “Nigeria did not present a team in the World Cup.”

Another football enthusiast, Kingsley Eme, who spoke in the same vein, urged the country to put its acts together and return to the drawing board.

In Port Harcourt, Nigerians interviewed were in agreement that the Eagles’ lack of preparation was responsible for their early exit.

According to the fans, the team’s failure to beat the South Koreans in their last and decisive match showed that they depended on luck and not hard work.

The Eagles had earlier lost 0-1 to group leaders Argentina and

1-2 to Greece.

The fans said that instead of hoping to win through luck, the team’s handlers should return and begin work immediately for future competitions.

Chinwe Okparanma, a student, said the team had from their first match (against Argentina) failed to justify the confidence reposed in them.

Jane Williams, a civil servant, called on stakeholders in the sports industry to see the poor outing as a challenge to get things right.

“We still have time to get things right; now is the time. We do not have to go to bed and only begin to prepare a few months to the next competition,” she said.

City Crime

‘NFF Conducted Federation Cup Draw Fairly’

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.

Sports

Act Sports Signs New Teqball Specialist Contract In Nigeria

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.

Sports

Nigeria Name Handball Squads For Zonal Champs

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

The Tide

Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.