Sports
Nigeria Coach, To Recall Ayegbeni, Utaka
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has promised to hand recalls to forwards Yakubu Ayegbeni and John Utaka if they continue their run of form.
Both players have been in good form for their respective clubs, with Yakubu scoring a brace for Blackburn over the weekend and Utaka also netting before the international break.
The goals took Yakubu, who was granted British citizenship earlier his year, to five strikes for the season.
Neither have been called up for Nigeria since the 2010 World Cup where Utaka was an unused substitute as Nigeria finished bottom of the group with just one point.
Yak played all three games at the tournament, but is infamously remembered and unfortunately vilified for a close-range miss against South Korea; even though he went on to score a penalty less than a minute later.
But Keshi insists that they will get their opportunities.
“John Utaka has been a very good player. An outstanding player with great quality. You just have to know how to use him,” the Nigeria coach said.
“I am not surprised about his performance. I know him, just like Yakubu. These are people that have a lot of experience that we can use in the Nigeria team to make us better.
“If you play them in the right position and make them believe they are among the best players in the world, they will give you everything.
“They are Nigerians and if they are performing well, I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t invite them.”
Keshi says the team, the young players and the players themselves will benefit from having the experience of the duo in the squad.
“I think it’s going to be a big challenge for them to come down should I give them the opportunity and for the younger ones to learn from them.
“You want to play with young players, at the same time you want to have a balance of youth and experience which will give you equilibrium and make you a better team.”
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”