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U-20 World Cup: Minister wants action

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U-20 World Cup: Minister wants action

Sunday Dare charges NFF to prepare Flying Eagles to win FIFA World Cup

 

Sofoluwe, ex-Super Eagles defender, died when about to be helped: Sports ministerNigeria’s sports minister, Sunday Dare

 

Rasheed Adewuyi

 

Nigeria’s minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has tasked the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to adequately prepare the U20 team, Flying Eagles, to challenge for the FIFA U20 World Cup trophy in Indonesia in a few weeks.

 

The minister threw the challenge to the nation’s football federation and head coach Ladan Bosso at a reception he hosted for the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations bronze medalist at the Moshood Abiola national stadium in Abuja on today.

 

“You have returned from Egypt with the bronze medal and the FIFA World Cup ticket, and a few other prizes, but the FIFA World Cup is in a few weeks and I want you to focus your mind on winning it for Nigeria for the first time. I understand Ghana is the only African country that has won the FIFA U20 World Cup. If Ghana can win it, why not Nigeria?

 

“I am happy about your performance in Egypt because you were able to come from a position of adversity – a depressing loss to The Gambia in the semi final–to fire on all cylinders to defeat Tunisia for the bronze medals.

 

“That is the spirit that the government and people of Nigeria want you to take to the World Cup.

 

“We are on the same page with the NFF on adequate preparation of our National teams for matches and competitions, and I believe they will provide you with good-enough preparation for the global finals in Indonesia.”

 

Team’s Coach Bosso, praised the Minister for his fatherly love, encouragement and support for the team since hosting the team to a similar reception after it won the WAFU B U-20 championship in Niamey 10 months ago.

 

“We are always encouraged by your inspiring and motivating words, and the length you go to simply support the team and our dreams,” Bosso stated.

 

“I told you after the victory in Niamey that our target was doing well at the AFCON in order to earn a FIFA World Cup ticket. Now, just as I told the Nigeria Ambassador to Egypt in Cairo on Saturday, I want you to know that our fresh target is doing very well at the FIFA World Cup.”

 

All players and team officials were at the reception, bar Belgium-based Ahmed Abdullahi, who is back at his base in Europe.

 

Also at the reception were the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Alhaji Ismailia Abubakar; Director of Federations and Elite Athletes Department, Dr. Simon Ebhojiaye; Chairman of the IMC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye; Chief of Staff to the Hon. Minister, Alhaji Abba Abdullahi Yola; NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire and; NFF’s Head of International Competitions, Dayo Enebi Achor.

 

The Flying Eagles will go on a short break before reconvening for the phased preparations for the FIFA World Cup, taking place in Indonesia, 20th May – 11th June.  

 

GFA sets Chris Hughton unveiling date

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GFA sets Chris Hughton unveiling date

Chris Hughton will be introduced to the public on March 20, in Kumasi

 

Ghana Black Stars

 

By Rasheed Adewuyi

 

Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced that the new Black Stars coach Chris Hughton will be unveiled in Kumasi on March 20, 2023.

 

In a statement signed by GFA communication director, Henry Asante Twun, the former Brighton and Hove Albion FC manager will be unveiled as part of the build up to the African cup of Nations qualifier double header against Angola.

 

The first leg will hold at the Baba Yara stadium in Kumasi on March 23 while the return leg is slated for March 27 in Luanda.

 

According to the statement, Hughton will hold a world press conference where he’s expected to announce his plans, ideology and expectations for the Black Stars to the GFA before presenting him to the public.

 

Sports Joust reliably gathered that Hughton is yet to sign any contract with the GFA because the soccer governing body is still waiting for its Attorney for a comprehensive advice on the contract before it can be signed by both parties to avoid problems in the future.

 

The GFA in the past had problems with some ex Black Stars coaches over salary because of poor contract agreement.

 

Notable was erstwhile Black Stars coach Otto Addo who had to relinquish the role after last year over loose contract terms and roles.

 

Over Sixty foreign coaches applied for the Black Stars job. Some of the applicants include Georges Leekens, Bernard Simondi, Hugo Broos, Denis Lavagne, Hicham Jadrane Chazouani.

 

Others are Claude Leroy, Philippe Troussier, Badou Zaki, Roberto Mancini, Yasen Petrov,Gao Hongbo, Tom Saintfiet, Florent Ibenge, Paul Munster, Henri Kasperjack, Herve Renard, Milutin sredojevic, Ernest Mtawali, Laurent Blanc, Christophe Galtier, Bruno Genesio, Remi garde, Christian Gourcuff.

 

Coaches who also showed interest in the Ghana job were Nabil Maaloul, Benzarti, Sami Trabelsi, Pierre Andre Schuman, Paulo Silva, Claudio Robeirto Riveira, Georges Sorin, David Boulanger, Patrice Carteron, Bernard Casoni, Richard tardy, Jacky Bonnevay, Simon Mac Menemy, Franck Dumas, Raoul Savoy, Bernard Challandes, Didier Olle’ Nicolle, Georges Leekens

 

Pundit outlines the debacle of PSG

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Pundit outlines the debacle of PSG

It’s a week of deja vu all over again at PSG

 

 

By Edwin Emeanua

 

Habib Beye has given a precis of the fiasco at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as experts dissect a week of high drama with tumultuous ending for the French giants.

 

The Canal Football Club pundit joines other French football critics in their lamentation over PSG’s current UEFA Champions League pre-quarterfinals outster, on this occasion, to Bayern Munich.

 

According to PSG News, instead of prise apart the unit or present management, Beye feels the free-fall for PSG was caused by their decision to sack former manager Thomas Tuchel in 2020.

 

“The project should not be [Lionel] Messi, [Kylian] Mbappé and [Marco] Verratti,” Beye tells h/t GOAL France.

 

“It’s empowering a coach. When Tuchel started to have this power, it was taken from him. Leonardo wanted to establish his authority. 

 

“Who decides the team today? We haven’t given anyone the power to question Messi. In this case, you can bring any coach; it will not work … The coach must make strong choices in a very demanding competition. [Jürgen] Klopp and [Pep] Guardiola have that power.”

 

In 2021, PSG kicked-out Tuchel only to be immediately hired by Chelsea. The German tactician then guided the Premier League side to win the 2021 Champions League trophy with a defeat of Manchester City.

 

The nearest that the PSG has come to securing a Champions League title was in 2020 under Tuchel, when the team made the final but lost to Bayern Munich. 

 

Now that there’s some uncertainty with manager Christophe Galtier remaining with the side, rumors over a possible Tuchel return are in the air, but PSG’s decision would be intriguing.

Legendary Super Eagle Ismaila Mabo dies

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Legendary Super Eagle Ismaila Mabo dies

NFF mourns passing of former Super Falcons’ coach

 

Mabo Ismaila: Former Super Falcons Coach Dies After Illness - SportsBrief.comLate Ismaila Mabo

 

By Rasheed Adewuyi

 

The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep sorrow over the death on Monday morning of former Nigeria defender and an accomplished Head Coach of the Senior Women’s National Team, Super Falcons, Pa Ismaila Mabo. He was 80.

 

Reports said Mabo died in the early hours of Monday after a protracted illness.

 

“The death of Pa Ismaila Mabo came to me as a huge shock. Again, we have lost a great man and an accomplished trainer-of-trainers in the Nigeria Football fraternity, and my heart goes out to his immediate family and the other loved ones he has left behind.

 

“Mabo laid down a big marker for other coaches when he steered the Super Falcons to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in the USA in 1999. Yet, he was simple, humble and humane. We will miss him, but we are consoled that he left giant footprints in the sands of time and pray that God will grant him eternal rest,” President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau said on Monday.

 

A gifted central defender, Ismaila Mabo started as a schoolboy international with the Nigeria academicals team that broke the chain of Ghana’s constant whipping of Nigerian teams, when they defeated Ghana’s academicals 1-0 in Accra on 13th February 1966. It was the first time any Nigerian team would defeat a Ghanaian football team on Ghanaian soil.

     

Six days later, the Nigerian boys again defeated their Ghanaian counterparts 2-1 in Lagos. His team-mates included Peter ‘Baby’ Anieke, Tony ‘World 2’ Igwe, the illustrious Sam Garba Okoye, and Eyo Essien.

 

After that accomplishment, Mabo joined Mighty Jets of Jos and was part of that club’s famous squad of the late 1960s and 1970s. He also featured for the senior national team, making his debut in a 1972 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Congo in Brazzaville on 22nd November 1970.

 

Mabo would later go into coaching, and was in the dug-out as Head Coach when the Super Falcons defeated North Korea 3-2, lost to USA and defeated Denmark 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1999. The team stretched Brazil at that quarter-final stage before losing by a golden goal in extra time in Washington DC on July 1, 1999.

   

Ambassador honors bronze-boys Flying Eagles

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Ambassador honors bronze-boys Flying Eagles

Abba Rimi expresses satisfaction for the team’s performance at Egypt 2023

 

 Flying Eagles head coach, Ladan Bosso (left) with Ambassador Abba Rimi during the reception

 

The Ambassador of Nigeria to the Arab Republic of Egypt, his excellency, ambassador Nura Abba Rimi has honoured the Flying Eagles for scooping the bronze medal in the just–concluded Africa U-20 Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt.

 

Ambassador Rimi received the entourage of the Nigeria U-20 boys at the town hall of the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt on Saturday.

 

The diplomat expressed satisfaction with the performance of the team during the tournament, while  congratulating players and officials for successfully qualifying for the forthcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in Indonesia.

 

Rimi further charged the Flying Eagles to make Nigeria proud in the global tournament slated for May 20–June 11, 2023.

 

Responding, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, represented by Chief Technical Officer and former international player, Garba Lawal, commended the Embassy for the support rendered to the team throughout its stay in Cairo, which helped in steering the team to third place and a ticket to the FIFA World Cup. 

 

Also speaking, Flying Eagles Head Coach, Ladan Bosso assured the Nigerian Embassy officials that the team is motivated to do better at the World Cup.

 

A total of 21 players and 10 officials of the Flying Eagles received a plaque of honour from the diplomat for representing the nation creditably in Egypt.

 

The dying game

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The dying game

The demise of Nigeria’s tennis identified

 

22 Nigerian Players Get ITF World Junior Rankings – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

 

By Rasheed Adewuyi

 

visionless administrators with ill advised, and poor decision making skills, have been identified as the main reasons tennis is dying in Nigeria

 

This was the view of Seoul 88 Olympian Sodiq Abdulahi in an exclusive interview with Sports Joust.

 

Abdulahi explained that the Nigeria Tenis Federation (NTTF) would have achieved a lot, if those saddled with the responsibility of managing the game had known how to plan for the future.

 

” For us to take tennis to greater heights, we need people with good vision, those who can give better advice and leaders with the best decisions that can help develop the game”, Abdulahi said.

 

Abdulahi who assured that the problems facing tennis in Nigeria would soon be a thing of the past, said his vision 2035 grassroot programme slated for Abeokuta this summer is aimed at tapping budding talents in the game.

 

He added “Vision 2035 is all about taking the game from the grassroots to the top. It is a programme built around education with the aim of pushing out future stars”

 

Sodiq is partnering with former Super Eagles forward Segun Odegbami.

 

He won the Gulder championship, Kaduna clay court, Ikoyi Open, Anambra open and Dala hardcourt before he traveled to the United States of America.

Egypt 2023: Podium finish for Flying Eagles

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Egypt 2023: Podium finish for Flying Eagles

Flying Eagles hammers Tunisia 4-0

 

Jude Sunday of Nigeria celebrates goal during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations U20 3rd-4th place match between Tunisia and Nigeria

 

FIFA World Cup-bound Nigeria eased to a four-goal victory over Tunisia’s Young Carthage Eagles on Friday to claim the bronze medal at the 17th Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

 

It was clear from the first few minutes that the seven-time African champions had shaken off the lethargy from their lone goal semi-final defeat to The Gambia on Monday, which upturned their dreams of an eighth continental title for Nigeria

 

Ibrahim Muhammad, whose rocket accounted for one of the two goals that sank Mozambique in the group phase and shot the Flying Eagles to the quarter-finals, put the Tunisians to task by scoring only nine minutes into the clash at the mammoth Cairo International Stadium.

 

Belgium-based forward Ahmed Abdullahi increased the burden on the North Africans with the second goal barely after the re-start, and Jude Sunday made it three for Nigeria two minutes later to put daylight between themselves and the Young Carthage Eagles

 

Man-of-the-match Jude Sunday rounded off a blistering afternoon and good day in the office for the Flying Eagles with a fourth goal in the 90th minute.

 

Victory earned Nigeria the bronze medals for a record-extending fourth time at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations, and the Flying Eagles will also be one of the 24 teams in the pot on 31st March when FIFA conducts the draw for the FIFA U20 World Cup taking place in Indonesia 20th May – 11th June.

 

MVP: Star-boy Jude Sunday who scored a brace for the Flying Eagles on Frida

Osimhen could smash British transfer record

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Osimhen could smash British transfer record

Napoli raises transfer price, as Arsenal rejoins Chelsea, Man United in the race to sign the Nigerian goalscoring prodigy

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Napoli: £85m-rated star Victor Osimhen talks transfer links to Real Madrid, Arsenal and Man United | Daily Mail OnlineWanted: Carlo Ancelotti, Erik Ten-Hag, and Mikel Arteta want Victor Osimhen from Naples.

 

By Rasheed Adewuyi 

 

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen could break the British transfer record becoming the most expensive player to play in the English Premier League (EPL) if one of the English clubs jostling for his signature signs him this summer.

 

A report from Italy says Arsenal FC has rejoined the race to sign the Serie A leading goal scorer despite interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, and other top European clubs. So far, Osimen has scored 19 goals in twenty-one matches this season.

 

According to transfer Guru Fabrizio Romano, Napoli now values Osimhen at €133 million (£120 million), far above Chelsea’s current British transfer record for Enzo Fernandez.

 

Chelsea paid a whopping one hundred and six million pounds (£106 million) to sign the Argentine from Benfica in January 2023.

 

“Napoli is unwilling to part with their top striker, so they increased the asking price. Osimhen is a big asset to Napoli. The fans love him, and the management would like to keep him for more years, but at some point, they may have to let go if the price is right, “Fabrizio told Football Picante on Fox sports.

 

“Mikel Arteta may have changed his mind because Arsenal is showing more interest in signing Osimhhen,” he added.

 

It should be recalled that Arsenal had earlier declined to pay  Ninety million pounds (£90 million) for the former Lille FC striker in the January transfer window.

 

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea 2021) £97.5 million, Jack Grealish (Manchester City 2021) £100 million, and Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea 2023) £106 million are the three top British transfers.

‘Football is cruel’-Nigeria coach

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‘Football is cruel’-Nigeria coach

Ladan Bosso says his side “lost stupidly” to ten-man Gambia

 

Ladan Bosso, coach of Nigeria during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations U20 semifinal match between Gambia and Nigeria

Nigeria coach Ladan Bosso laments on hour cruel the game can be. Credit CAF online

 

Nigeria coach Ladan Bosso shared his frustrations with CAF Online after his side was stunned in the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals by Gambia on Monday.

 

“I am very frustrated because we had the team go all the way. Football is cruel,” Bosso told CAFonline after the match.

 

The Young Scorpions secured a famous 1-0 victory over the Flying Eagles in Cairo to qualify for their maiden final.

 

Talisman Adama Bojang scored after eight minutes to send Abdoulie Bojang’s charges through.

 

Nigeria came into the tournament as a strong contender, having won the game a record seven times.

 

Substitute Ahmed Abdullahi won and missed a penalty in the match’s closing stages, which Nigeria dominated.

 

“We lost stupidly; we were naive from the start,” a disappointed Bosso.

 

“We failed to take our chances and missed the penalty in the 86th minute. We didn’t measure up. I congratulate The Gambia for winning.”

 

Gambia joined Senegal in the final of the TotalEnergies U20 AFCON following the Young Teranga Lion’s comfortable 3-0 victory over Tunisia in Ismailia.

 

Poor form infuriate Remo Stars

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Poor form infuriate Remo Stars

Stars promise to ignite flames when league 2022-2023 resumes

 

By Rasheed Adewuyi 

 

Oladimeji Oshode Remo Stars Publicist

 

Oladimeji Oshode Remo Stars Publicist Remo Stars FC players are furious with their present showing on the Nigeria Professional Football League table and have vowed a turn-around of fortunes when the competition resumes next Wednesday.

 

The club’s media officer Oladimeji Oshode, who made this disclosure in an interview with Sports Joust, said the coaches and the players are working hard to correct all the lapses that were observed in the first round.

 

Oshode said: “The first stanza was not good for Remo Stars because we fell along the road off the top of the table. Our current position is not what we wanted. It is written all over the faces of the players that they’re not happy with our present position on the league table.”

 

“The players in one of their training sessions pledged to do their best to win more matches to fulfill their continental aspiration next Football season.”

 

When asked if he truly thinks Remo Stars will play continental football next season, Oshode said, “There’s nothing impossible in soccer. There’s a never say die spirit in our boys. We know how interesting it is to play on the continent, and we will push harder to get one of the slots. It’s not over until it’s over.”

 

FAR Rabat FC eliminated Remo Stars in the CAF Confederation cup in the first round. The Moroccans advanced to the next phase, 2-1 on aggregate.

 

Remo Stars is 5th on the abridged group A table with fourteen points from nine matches. They came third in the league last season.

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