Sports
‘Rangers’ Unbeaten Runs Raise Players’ Confidence’
Rangers International FC of Enugu media officer says the club’s seven matches unbeaten runs in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) have raised the players’ confidence.
Rangers made its eight matches unbeaten in all competition and seven in the ongoing NPFL when they held Akwa United of Uyo 0-0 in the domestic league match day 19.
Speaking to newsmen in Enugu, yesterday Okolie said that the unbeaten run is as the result of existing unity among the players, technical crew and the management.
He noted that all in the club are happy that the results are now coming in and still believed that more are on the way.
“Though, we played out a goalless draw with Akwa Utd in our last match of the NPFL.
“It is better than losing away match in the ongoing NPFL and we still have some outstanding matches to pick points in the league.
“Our unbeaten run in the league has put confidence in the players that we can end the league well, compare to when we are losing matches week in, week out,” he said.
Speaking on the match against Akwa United, Okolie said that Rangers is gradually coming back to its best.
“It was by far the most difficult match prosecuted since the arrival of Coach Salisu Yusuf.
“Despite resting five players that started against Lobi Stars FC in a rescheduled match day six of the NPFL, we could not lose.
“New boys, Ifeagwu Ojukwu and Israel Abia started the match and did not disappoint.
“This speaks volumes of the club management, coaches, players and a testimony that the continental slot will not elude us at the end of the season,” Okolie said.
However, the media officer was happy that the match ended on a good note in Uyo as the players came out unscathed.
He said that they were confident of picking three points from each of their clubs outstanding matches at home.
Rangers will on Wednesday in Enugu trade tackles with Jigawa Golden Stars FC of Dutse in a rescheduled match day seven.
The Enugu based club occupied 18th position in the league with 17 points after 13 matches in the ongoing Nigeria domestic league.
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
The President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ibrahim Gusau, has decried the state of playing pitches in Nigeria yesterday saying only one stadium can host grade A matches in the country.
The NFF President, who spoke yesterday shortly after accompanying Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to inspect ongoing total rehabilitation work at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi, expressed delight over the standard of work being done by the contractor.
He commended Governor Alia for undertaking the total rehabilitation of the stadium noting “I am very impressed with what am seeing on ground.
“You all know that for now, you can play grade A match, which is Super Eagles matches in Nigeria only in Uyo stadium. It is becoming a major source of worry for me and other Nigerians that in a country like Nigeria, we have only one stadium where we can play grade A matches.
“So when I heard that the Governor has awarded contract for the upgrade of facilities at the Aper Aku Stadium, I hurriedly came to talk to him to see the extent to which we can come in to assist and I must confirm that I am really happy with what I have seen on ground.
“We have our Technical Director here who will be working hand in hand with the contractors to ensure that everything is done correctly so that in the nearest future, we can have an alternative stadium for Super Eagles matches and that alternative should be Makurdi.
“With the commitment of the governor I know it is going to be possible and by the grace of God, we will do everything to support him to achieve the dream.
On his drive to resusitate grassroot football development, the NFF President said, “part of my campaign promises was to see how we can develop football at the grassroots and part of the process to develop grassroots football is to organise under 15 and the under 17 Governors Cup Competitions and it is not only in Benue State.