Sports
NFF’s Cash Demand Rubbishes Eagles Preparation S’Africa 2010
Nigeria’s preparations for the World Cup may well suffer even more setbacks after it was learnt that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are demanding hefty cash payments from teams, who wish to engage the Super Eagles in warm-up matches prior to South Africa 2010.
Indepth investigations by our source have revealed that organisers for Nigeria’s only confirmed World Cup warm-up match against Colombia on May 30 in London have asked the NFF to review the Eagles match fee of $150,000.
They have also asked the Nigeria football authorities to dip into their pockets and come up with at least $50,000 as part of their own contribution to the London stadium hire of about $150,000.
NFF officials are also asking organisers for the Colombia game to pay for their flight tickets to London even though Nigeria are due there before the match for their World Cup training camp in Essex.
The NFF have confirmed that they are deep in negotiations with Iceland for a friendly on May 26, but this game may hit the rocks because while Iceland are disposed to foot the travel and boarding expenses of the Eagles, officials are believed to be demanding for an appearance fee of $100,000.
“We’re not an irresponsible organisation,” insisted NFF official, Tunde Aderibigbe.
“We know how important it is to prepare well so as to do well at the World Cup and as such we cannot compromise on this.
“But we also have bills to pay. We have to pay for our training camp, bonuses and allowances of the players, among other costs.”
It was gathered that the NFF splashed over 70 million naira for the participation of the home-based Eagles at the WAFU Nations Cup in Abeokuta as well as the FIFA Under-17 Female World Cup qualifying match against South Africa.
However, a perplexed football pundit wondered, “It is rather baffling that the NFF wish to commercialise these World Cup friendlies even though FIFA have paid them a million US dollars to prepare for the competition.
“Rather than be asking to be paid, it should be Nigeria even paying these teams to play them because they are the ones who really need these matches to prepare for the World Cup. Colombia and Iceland did not qualify for the World Cup.”
Proposed World Cup warm-ups against Paraguay, Ukraine and North Korea have all fallen through in the last few weeks and officials insist they will remain mum about other test games until they have been finalised.
Nigeria are pitched against Argentina, Greece and South Korea at the World Cup in June.
Sports
CAFCC: Enyimba International In Pot 3 For Draws
African soccer governing body has released the pots for the qualified teams for the group stage of the Confederation Cup, Tidesports sources reports.
Enyimba International is among the 16 qualified teams for the group stage of the competition.
The People’s Elephant was placed in pot 3 alongside ASJaaraf, CS Constantine; Bravos Do Maquils, Lunda Suliat, Orapa United, Black Bulls, and Stellenbosch. Pot 1 consists of Zamalek, RS Berkane, Simba SC, and USM Algers while Pot 2 has ASEC Mimosa, Stade Malien, Al Masry, and CS Sfaxien.
Sports
AFCON 2025 Qualifiers : Super Eagles Host Libya, Oct 11
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will host the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matchday three encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Friday, October 11.
The two teams will clash in a matchday four encounter at the Tripoli International Stadium four days later.
The Super Eagles started their qualifying campaign with a 3-0 home win against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.
The three-time African champions were held to 0-0 draw by the Amavubi of Rwanda in their second group game.The West Africans occupy top spot in Group D with four points from two games.
Libya are bottom of the group after amassing one point from two games.
Only the top teams in each group will advance to the tournament proper in Morocco beginning in December 2025.
Meanwhile, Libya has opted to host Group D leaders Nigeria at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Matchday 4 encounter. The facility is located in the city of Benina, some 19 kilometres outside the country’s second city, Benghazi.
Known previously as Hugo Chávez Stadium, the stadium is a 10,000-capacity facility with an artificial turf.
Both countries will do a Matchday 3 battle at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, 11th October, before the clash in the city at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday, 15th October.
While the match in Uyo will kick off at 5pm, the battle in Benina will commence at 8pm Nigeria time.
Libya remain bottom of Group D after two rounds of matches, following a 1-1 at home to Rwanda (a game that was played at the Tripoli International Stadium) and a 1-2 loss to the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan.
Nigeria tops the pool with four points, after a 3-0 spanking of Benin Republic in Uyo on Matchday 1 and a scoreless draw with Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali on Matchday 2.
Sports
NYG: Kano Athletes Protest Over Allowances In Asaba
Kano State athletes, who participated in the concluded 8th edition of the National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, Delta State, last Friday called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to address the issue of their poor camp allowances.
The athletes, speaking anonymously, expressed dissatisfaction with the daily allowance they received, claiming it was significantly lower than that of their counterparts from neighbouring Northwestern states.
“We were given less than N20,000 for ten days, while athletes from Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara received N50,000. Jigawa athletes were paid the highest, receiving N80,000,” one of the athletes said.
Despite the disparity in allowances, the athletes secured five gold, three silver, and one bronze in the competition.
They urged the governor to intervene and resolve the issue.
Also, the athletes commended the Kano State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, for supporting other athletes representing the state in sports like football and basketball and hoped for similar support.
The objective of the National Youth Games, initiated by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, is to promote unity, peace, and understanding among youths while addressing issues of restiveness and unemployment across the country.
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