Sports
2010 W/Cup: Lagerback Confident Of Working Miracles For Nigeria
Nigeria’s new Swedish coach Lars Lagerback is confident he can do enough in just three weeks with the players to help the country achieve its target of a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
“I think there is a realistic chance for Nigeria to go a long way in the World Cup in South Africa,” he said.
Lagerback, named as coach on February 27 but yet to take charge of a match, said he could make an impact even though he will have less than a month to prepare his squad before the finals start on June 11.
“I can make an appreciable impact with the Super Eagles despite the short time between when I took up this job and the World Cup,” he added in an interview with FIFA published on the world governing body’s website (www.fifa.com).
“I hope I will have at least three weeks to work with the players. In three weeks, you can do a lot.”
Lagerback, who replaced Shaibu Amodu after January’s African Nations Cup finals, will not be able to start working with his players before they finish their respective club seasons in May.
Nigeria’s top footballers are drawn from leagues across Europe and the new coach said he would seek to spend time with them before the end of their domestic campaigns.
“What I would like to do now is to speak with many of the players and try to explain to them the joy and importance of playing for the team in the first place.
“I need to tell them that even if they make so much money in football playing for clubs in Europe, when it comes to the national team you must be proud of playing for your country.
“So I will try to motivate them and explain that to them as best as I can.”
“But if I find out that a player doesn’t want to do his best for the team, he shouldn’t be in my squad,” he warned.
The former Sweden coach has watched Nigeria’s recent matches on video and is formulating early ideas of a potential squad.
“I believe I know much about the team already. Although it is early to say who among the players I would like to work with, the factors I would consider in picking my players are who among them are most skilful and the best of the lot.
“Nigeria have a great chance to do well in the World Cup. If you don’t believe that you can win matches in a tournament as a team and as a coach, then you don’t deserve to be at the tournament.
Playing football at this level is all about winning,’’ he said.
Sports
Nigeria To Host 2026 Golf AACT
Nigeria has won the bid to host the next edition of the prestigious All Africa Challenge Trophy in 2026.
The AACT is a biennial continental ladies’ golf championship in Africa that had its inaugural edition in May 1992 in Zimbabwe.
Nigeria hosted the AACT in 1996 at the Ikoyi Club 1938, while in 2010, the AACT was played at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, in Abuja.
This would be the third time Nigeria will be hosting the championship.
Interestingly, the West and Central Africa Challenge Trophy (a regional version of the championship) was held for the first time in Nigeria at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estates and Resort, Lagos, in 2023.
Evelyn Oyome, the President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, who was the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the championship’s 16th edition in Morocco, said Nigeria emerged winner amongst the 20 countries that took part in the bidding process.
“Nigeria had earlier hosted the West, Central Africa Challenge Trophy in October last year at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate and Resort in Lagos, showcasing its outstanding golfing facilities, with no fewer than 10 countries participating.
“So, hosting that championship successfully last year gave us the edge amongst so many other countries that also bidded and winning was a huge victory for Nigeria,” she said.
Oyome revealed that the Federal Capital Territory would be the host city for the AACT 2026 edition, with no fewer than 30 countries expected to participate in the championship.
Sports
Musa, Shehu Ineligible For CHAN – Ilechukwu
Super Eagles B co-handler Fidelis Ilechukwu has revealed that Kano Pillars duo Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi were initially listed in the 30-man squad for the 2024 CHAN qualifiers double header clash against Ghana, but were dropped over their ineligibility.
Musa and Shehu, who made sensational returns to Kano Pillars this season, were conspicuously missing when the Nigeria Football Federation revealed the names of 30 Nigeria Premier Football League stars for the assignment.
The CHAN Eagles are currently camping in Ikenne, Ogun State. They will play the first leg of their encounter in Accra on Sunday, December 22 before returning to Uyo for the return leg on Saturday, December 28.
“I was told he (Musa) didn’t meet up with the conditions of playing in the CHAN tournament or qualifiers,” Ilechukwu told our correspondent.
“Ahmed Musa was on our list, there is no way we wouldn’t have included him in the list with his performances in the league but they told us to replace him due to eligibility.
When asked if the same applied to Shehu, the coach replied in the affirmative.
According to CAF regulations, only footballers playing in their country of birth are eligible.
While the above rule favours both Musa and Shehu, their participation was perhaps made difficult by another CAF regulation which says, “Only players with a permanent contract registered in a local club affiliated to their national association are eligible to participate in the African Nations Championship” – as both players are in the NPFL under the Elite Player Scheme.
According to section 9.91 of the NPFL Framework and Rules, “There shall be an Elite Player Scheme wherein each Club shall be allowed to register a maximum of two players who in the opinion of the NPFL will add value to the league.”
Sports
Nigeria Women Football League Set For Annual General Assembly
The Federal Capital Territory is set to host the 2024 Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
In a statement released yesterday, the Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, confirmed that all arrangements have been finalised for the AGA, which will take place at Fabino by Toprank Hotels, Abuja.
The AGA meeting promises to be a significant gathering in charting a way forward for the women’s football rising agenda and the women’s football leagues in Nigeria.
Key stakeholders, including board members and representatives of Premiership and Championship clubs, will review the successes and challenges of the outgone 2023/2024 season.
Notably, Edo Queens emerged champions of the NWFL Premiership for the first time, while Honey Badgers and Ibom Angels secured promotion to the Premiership from the NWFL Championship.
The AGM will also focus on sustaining the league’s growing credibility and improving operations while setting the calendar and start date for the 2024/2025 NWFL Premiership and Championship campaigns.
This pivotal meeting aims to further strengthen women’s football in Nigeria and lay the groundwork for the league’s continued growth.
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