Portugal Head Coach, Carlos Queiroz says he wants to see the Super Eagles fire from cylinders as he has been disappointed by their showing so far at the African Cup of Nations in Angola.
The former Real Madrid FC of Spain Head Coach made this known at the VIP box of the Estadio Nacional De Ombaka in Benguela on Saturday as the Eagles laboured to a 1-0 win over tiny neighbour Benin Republic in Group C.
"I expected a better performance, honestly. But I believe they will pick up as they go ahead in the tournament". Organizers of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals South Africa have been planning a match between Nigeria and Portugal as part of the activities to mark 100 days to the World Cup, but Queiroz´s statement could mean he is no longer keen on a game with a team playing the way the Super Eagles are doing.
Speaking in the same vein, NFF consultant Tunde Adelakun said in Lubango on Monday morning that there is a wide room for improvement for the Nigeria team at the on-going championship.
"I believe the team has far more capacity and ability than it has shown. Perhaps one or two things have not gone right and it makes the entire team look bad. But I know they can rise from that and
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Officials Mum Over Yobo Scan Result
Top team officials have chosen not to reveal the result of a scan done on injured Eagles skipper Joseph Yobo, insisting that they would prefer that they are fully briefed before they could make further comments on the hamstring injury the player suffered.
"We are waiting for them to rejoin the team before we can comment on the situation. We want to get the full details of the situation from the experts," said top Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official, Taiwo Ogunjobi.
Initial diagnosis said Yobo will be out of action for at least two weeks, which effectively rules him out of the Nations Cup.
The Everton defender was forced to have a scan on his suspected hamstring injury in Luanda after he failed to get a proper facility in Benguela, where Nigeria were based for their first two Group C matches.
"Yobo had his scan in Luanda and we expect him and the physio in Lubango this morning (Tuesday)," said Ogunjobi.
Yobo stayed back in Benguela when the Eagles departed for Lubango Monday afternoon following a three-hour delay at the Catumbela air strip.
He, along with the physio, later flew out to Luanda, where a scan was done on his torn hamstring.
"We are waiting for them to rejoin the team before we can comment on the situation. We want to get the full details of the situation from the experts," said top Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official, Taiwo Ogunjobi.
Initial diagnosis said Yobo will be out of action for at least two weeks, which effectively rules him out of the Nations Cup.
The Everton defender was forced to have a scan on his suspected hamstring injury in Luanda after he failed to get a proper facility in Benguela, where Nigeria were based for their first two Group C matches.
"Yobo had his scan in Luanda and we expect him and the physio in Lubango this morning (Tuesday)," said Ogunjobi.
Yobo stayed back in Benguela when the Eagles departed for Lubango Monday afternoon following a three-hour delay at the Catumbela air strip.
He, along with the physio, later flew out to Luanda, where a scan was done on his torn hamstring.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Shooting Incident: Nigeria Empathise With Togo
The Nigeria Football Federation on Friday evening expressed sympathy with the Togo Football Federation over the shooting incident on the team bus that left the driver dead and eight persons injured.
Rebels attacked the Togo contingent bus at the Angolan border as they travelled by road from Point Noire in Congo to their Group B base in Cabinda.
“Our hearts are with the Togolese contingent at this moment and we pray that the Almighty Allah will heal those who are injured. This is a very sad occurrence”, said NFF President Sani Lulu Abdullahi, who flew with the Nigeria contingent into Benguela hours after the incident.
Officials of the Local Organizing Committee have already stated that the Togo team was not expected to travel by road. But NFF President Lulu Abdullahi said that was not important for now.
“What is important is for the entire football world to rise to the side of the Togo team and pray for quick recovery for those injured. It is very sad that the driver has died, and we sympathise with his family.
“The Nigeria Football Federation has already reached out to the LOC on the need for greater security around the participating teams”.
The shooting incident, which affected three players, is the first of such in the 53 –year history of the African Cup of Nations.
Rebels attacked the Togo contingent bus at the Angolan border as they travelled by road from Point Noire in Congo to their Group B base in Cabinda.
“Our hearts are with the Togolese contingent at this moment and we pray that the Almighty Allah will heal those who are injured. This is a very sad occurrence”, said NFF President Sani Lulu Abdullahi, who flew with the Nigeria contingent into Benguela hours after the incident.
Officials of the Local Organizing Committee have already stated that the Togo team was not expected to travel by road. But NFF President Lulu Abdullahi said that was not important for now.
“What is important is for the entire football world to rise to the side of the Togo team and pray for quick recovery for those injured. It is very sad that the driver has died, and we sympathise with his family.
“The Nigeria Football Federation has already reached out to the LOC on the need for greater security around the participating teams”.
The shooting incident, which affected three players, is the first of such in the 53 –year history of the African Cup of Nations.
Friday, January 8, 2010
African Nations Cup Will Go Ahead - CAF
The African Nations Cup will go ahead as planned despite Friday's deadly attack on the Togo team buses which killed the driver and injured nine, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed to AFP.
"Our great concern is for the players, that's our key priority, but the championship goes ahead" Souleymane Habuba, CAF's communications director, insisted.
Tragedy struck the build-up to the Nations Cup which starts here on Sunday when gunmen fired on the Togo team as they crossed the border from Congo-Brazzaville to the troubled province of Cabinda.
The head of the Togolese football federation reported the driver had been killed and nine other passengers injured in the attack claimed by the armed wing of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC).
Habuba revealed that CAF's vice-president had set off from the Angolan capital of Luanda to Cabinda to find out at first hand what had occurred.
"We need to know all the facts about what's happening on the ground, we haven't got them all yet. We can't give a full reaction from reports that we have got from the media."
Habuba did, however, question why Togo, in contrast to the other 15 teams making their way to Angola for the biennial competition, had elected to travel by road rather than flying.
"CAF's regulations are quite clear, teams are required to travel by air, not road.
"We had a meeting of all the teams this morning, or at least almost all of them - Togo didn't show up, and it was only later on Friday afternoon that we heard via information from the media that they had been the victims of an attack.
"But at no point were we told they were travelling by road."
Virgilio Santos of the local organising committee confirmed they had been in the dark as to how Togo were arriving at the Nations Cup.
"We asked all the delegations to tell us how and when they were coming, as well as the players' passport numbers. Togo was the only team not to reply and they didn't tell us they were coming by road," said Santos.
Habuba said CAF would make further comment on the shooting once they had more details either later Friday or Saturday.
The Togo team came under machinegun fire as they were travelling from their training camp in Point Noire in Congo to Cabinda where they were scheduled to play their opening match against west African neighbours Ghana on Monday.
Meanwhile, the African division of the player union FIFPro called on organisers to "leave no stone unturned, assuming the Cup can go ahead, to ensure the security of players and those accompanying them."
"Football is an instrument of peace, a festival," said FIFPro. "It should not be used as a vehicle for mindless violence, whatever the claims of those who seek to take it hostage" for their own ends.
Assuming the tournament does continue as Habuba insists then CAF and the Angolan authorities have a series of major issues to tackle, not least whether to maintain the original programme with games being held in Cabinda or transfer them to the other Cup venues in Angola in Luanda, Benguela or Lubango.
The other teams in their group are Burkina Faso and the star-studded Ivory Coast whose squad includes Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure.
http://www.wsn.com/2010/01/08/football/news/africa/african-nations-cup-to-go-ahead-caf_27242/
"Our great concern is for the players, that's our key priority, but the championship goes ahead" Souleymane Habuba, CAF's communications director, insisted.
Tragedy struck the build-up to the Nations Cup which starts here on Sunday when gunmen fired on the Togo team as they crossed the border from Congo-Brazzaville to the troubled province of Cabinda.
The head of the Togolese football federation reported the driver had been killed and nine other passengers injured in the attack claimed by the armed wing of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC).
Habuba revealed that CAF's vice-president had set off from the Angolan capital of Luanda to Cabinda to find out at first hand what had occurred.
"We need to know all the facts about what's happening on the ground, we haven't got them all yet. We can't give a full reaction from reports that we have got from the media."
Habuba did, however, question why Togo, in contrast to the other 15 teams making their way to Angola for the biennial competition, had elected to travel by road rather than flying.
"CAF's regulations are quite clear, teams are required to travel by air, not road.
"We had a meeting of all the teams this morning, or at least almost all of them - Togo didn't show up, and it was only later on Friday afternoon that we heard via information from the media that they had been the victims of an attack.
"But at no point were we told they were travelling by road."
Virgilio Santos of the local organising committee confirmed they had been in the dark as to how Togo were arriving at the Nations Cup.
"We asked all the delegations to tell us how and when they were coming, as well as the players' passport numbers. Togo was the only team not to reply and they didn't tell us they were coming by road," said Santos.
Habuba said CAF would make further comment on the shooting once they had more details either later Friday or Saturday.
The Togo team came under machinegun fire as they were travelling from their training camp in Point Noire in Congo to Cabinda where they were scheduled to play their opening match against west African neighbours Ghana on Monday.
Meanwhile, the African division of the player union FIFPro called on organisers to "leave no stone unturned, assuming the Cup can go ahead, to ensure the security of players and those accompanying them."
"Football is an instrument of peace, a festival," said FIFPro. "It should not be used as a vehicle for mindless violence, whatever the claims of those who seek to take it hostage" for their own ends.
Assuming the tournament does continue as Habuba insists then CAF and the Angolan authorities have a series of major issues to tackle, not least whether to maintain the original programme with games being held in Cabinda or transfer them to the other Cup venues in Angola in Luanda, Benguela or Lubango.
The other teams in their group are Burkina Faso and the star-studded Ivory Coast whose squad includes Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure.
http://www.wsn.com/2010/01/08/football/news/africa/african-nations-cup-to-go-ahead-caf_27242/
Osaze Misses Eagles Last Training In Durban
Lokomotiv of Moscow forward, Osaze Odemwingie did not train with the other members of the team yesterday morning. The fair skinned striker did not even appear at the stadium as he stayed back at the team’s hotel.
After copping a slight injury in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat of Thanda Zulu ,a second division club here in Durban, Osaze was to rest the left leg for two days.
After copping a slight injury in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat of Thanda Zulu ,a second division club here in Durban, Osaze was to rest the left leg for two days.
Eagles Practice Penalty Kicks
The Super Eagles rounded up their pre-Nations Cup camping here in Durban yesterday with a one hour forty-five minutes training at the ABSA Sharks Stadium.
The training was held inside the mainbowl of the stadium . It was conducted by head coach, Shaibu Amodu. It was a tactical session with the stadium gates closed to spectators.
Before rounding off the session, coach Amodu took his wards through a penalty shoot out session. The three goalkeepers were subjected to the players penalty kick skills.It was the team’s last training in Durban before heading to Angola this afternoon.
The training was held inside the mainbowl of the stadium . It was conducted by head coach, Shaibu Amodu. It was a tactical session with the stadium gates closed to spectators.
Before rounding off the session, coach Amodu took his wards through a penalty shoot out session. The three goalkeepers were subjected to the players penalty kick skills.It was the team’s last training in Durban before heading to Angola this afternoon.
Big bonuses for Eagles
Nigeria's Super Eagles players will each be paid a $30 000 bonus for every game they win at the group stage of this year's African Nations Cup.
That figure will be reviewed and graduated upwards for the knockout stages.
Additionally, the players will be paid an appearance fee of $3 000 per game for every game they feature in at the championships.
The total bonus is an aggregate of $15 000 from the NFF and another $15 000 from the Presidential Task Force. Previously, the players were paid $5 000 as winning bonuses and half of that for a draw, getting nothing for a loss. That situation changed with the arrival of the PTF, which upped the winning bonus to $10 000 during the qualifiers. The figures were agreed on between the NFF and the players during a recent trip to the UK to meet with the team's senior players.
However, Nigeria coach Shuaibu Amodu has told NFF and PTF bigwigs that money was a secondary consideration for the players.
"It is not all about money. It is about how much they want to play for their country. If these boys are not committed to playing for their country, no amount of money will matter.
"What is important is for all of us as Nigerians to support the players in every way, to motivate them to give their best. All this negativity does not help."
http://www.supersport.com/football/article.aspx?id=328727&headline=Big%20bonuses%20for%20Eagles%20
That figure will be reviewed and graduated upwards for the knockout stages.
Additionally, the players will be paid an appearance fee of $3 000 per game for every game they feature in at the championships.
The total bonus is an aggregate of $15 000 from the NFF and another $15 000 from the Presidential Task Force. Previously, the players were paid $5 000 as winning bonuses and half of that for a draw, getting nothing for a loss. That situation changed with the arrival of the PTF, which upped the winning bonus to $10 000 during the qualifiers. The figures were agreed on between the NFF and the players during a recent trip to the UK to meet with the team's senior players.
However, Nigeria coach Shuaibu Amodu has told NFF and PTF bigwigs that money was a secondary consideration for the players.
"It is not all about money. It is about how much they want to play for their country. If these boys are not committed to playing for their country, no amount of money will matter.
"What is important is for all of us as Nigerians to support the players in every way, to motivate them to give their best. All this negativity does not help."
http://www.supersport.com/football/article.aspx?id=328727&headline=Big%20bonuses%20for%20Eagles%20
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