Sports

Super Eagles Too Slow, Predictable

Published

16 years ago

January 17, 2010

Chelsea FC chief scout, Michael Emenalo, has suggested that the Super Eagles lost to Egypt because they were too slow and predictable in their build-up.

Emenalo, whose job involves scouting opponents for the Chelsea coaching staff, watched the team he represented as a defender at the 1994 World Cup lose to Egypt and offered his thoughts to Tidesports source on the positives and negatives from the game.

“Tactically, I love the way they started,” the former Nigeria left back began. “They looked organised and good in midfield and they kept possession very well.

“I also liked the idea of Uche on the left side, but coming in to fortify the midfield and I liked the width in transition offered by Obasi.”

However, that is as good as it got, as Emenalo proceeded to pick out the holes that the Egyptians exploited in the latter stages of the half, and for the rest of the game.

“I didn’t like the way Uche didnt track back and didn’t support Yakubu. There was no width in transition like with Obasi.

“As a team, there were no clear ideas on transition. Everything looked pedestrian. The build-up from the back and from midfield looked slow, and the only real transition was Mikel switching Obasi to get in behind the defence.

“Our movement off the ball was not quick enough and it was predictable.

“Egypt moved the ball faster and always looked for the forward pass, with positive haste.”

If the midfield took knocks, Emenalo still had more to spare for the defence.

“I can’t question the tactics as I am not there and I don’t know what the coach’s instructions were. But there was a lack of defensive solidity.

“From a scouting point of view, the back four were constantly on a jagged edge all over the place and that allowed the opposition for through balls, especially through Taiwo.”

Overall, the verdict was damning.

“We didn’t have any kind of balance or organisation. One of the basics in football is that if you are attacking from one flank, you keep a balance centrally and on the opposite flank. They didn’t have that.

“We just lacked purpose with the use of the ball and the maturity. They were keeping possession, but did not seem to have a purpose for the possession.”

And Emenalo had one final, not so flattering thought for the Eagles.

“One other thing that has been our bane in Nigeria, and maybe most of Africa, is a lack of emotional commitment. Players have to understand what the game means. You can’t take your eyes off it.

“In those 90 minutes, you have to be fully concentrated on the game. The Egyptians understood that, but our players did not.

“There is an example of that when Enyeama had the ball and was looking to release it quickly. An Egyptian player ran in front of him to stop him from starting the counter attack until his team mates had regrouped. That shows that Egypt understood what was at stake.

“You don’t stand when the opposition is in possession. Egypt were constantly in motion.”

Sports

New W.W. Whyte Tournament Focuses On Talent Discovery – Engr. Alabere

Published

4 days ago

November 19, 2025

The Tide

The Chairman of Grassroots Initiative, Engr. Promise Alabere has reiterated that the New W.W. Whyte Secondary Football Tournament was to discover hidden players from the grassroots and groom them to stardom.

He stated that the his organisation is partnering with the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC) for the football tournament, adding that in the first edition 32 players were discovered and NDDC, and his organisation are to fixing them into various clubs.

Engr. Alabere said this while briefing sports journalists last Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, and expressed optimism that the second edition which have 22 secondary schools participating would be exciting and impressive.

” The essence of this tournament is to catch them young because in the 1980s and 1990s most of the players that played for NNPC, Sharks and other big clubs in the country were discovered through this competition.

” Even me I was a product of the W.W. Whyte tournament, as I started playing for the Nigerian Police football club when I was in class four. But this competition stopped about 20 years when two schools resort to bloody clash during one of their games.

According to him the second edition expanded to schools in six Local Government Areas, saying that it will be better than the previous in terms of organisation and others.

“We want to make this edition more exciting and beneficial to all participating schools because the first edition was on experiment but this edition is no longer an experiment” he stated.

The Chairman of Grassroots Initiative,used the forum to advice all participating schools to conduct themselves in a good manner and adhere to rules of the competition.

He equally thanked NDDC for being its major sponsor of the tournament.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Hoopers Ready For NPBL Title Defence – Captain

Published

5 days ago

November 18, 2025

The Tide

Rivers Hoopers captain Victor Anthony Koko has said that his team is mentally ready for the challenge of retaining their Nigeria Premier Basketball League title when the 2025 season Final Four phase holds from November 21 – 23 in Port Harcourt, Tidesports source reports.
The Kings Men, who won back-to-back NPBL titles in 2023 and 2024 unbeaten, are chasing their seventh title.
They will be up against Lagos Legends, Gboko City Chiefs, and Nigeria Customs, as they hope to retain the title they won last year and also pick the ticket to next year’s Basketball Africa League.
Following the conclusion of the Final Eight earlier this month, the KingsMen have had time to fine-tune preparations ahead of their title defence at the Final Four, with the skipper stating that he and his teammates are fully prepared to retain the championship.
“This time around, everyone is ready; everyone is mentally ready. We understand what is at stake, so we need to go all out. And right now, with the level of energy I’ve seen from my team during practice, I don’t think we’re going to be a team that just wants to have fun [on the court]. We’re a championship-winning team, and we want to retain that championship,” he stressed.
Koko has won the league seven times in his career, and he is looking to help the Port Harcourt club reach its height.
“I want us to win the 2025 NPBL title. It’s on my mind, day and night: Hoopers Champions. And I’m assuring our fans that we’re not going to let them down. It’s happening here in Port Harcourt, and we’re going to make them proud.”

Sports

Barau Beat Rangers To Move Out Of Relegation Zone

Published

5 days ago

November 18, 2025

The Tide

Nigeria Premier Football League newcomers, Barau FC have zoomed out of the drop zone after they defeated Rangers International FC 2-0 on Sunday in a rescheduled tie played in Kano.
The Maliya Boys got their goals through Muhammed Umar and Joseph Kemin in the 26th and 76th minutes to record their third win of the season
They have moved to the 16th spot with 13 points from 12 games but the loss by the Flying Antelopes see them slid to the seventh spot with 19 points from 13 games.
The home win is no doubt a relief to Barau FC head coach, Ladan Bosso who has seen his job brought under scrutiny following the Maliya Boys impressive start to the season.