Sports
NFF Backs London Training Camp For Eagles
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) insists a planned two-day training camp in England will still go ahead as scheduled despite clubs in Europe refusing to release their players.
The new Nigeria coach, Lars Lagerback, intends to bring the players together as part of his preparations for the World Cup in South Africa in June.
However, the timing of the camp has been questioned by clubs as it comes close to the end of the season when teams have much to play for.
But the NFF still plan to bring in as many players as possible for what is seen as an important gathering, scheduled for 27 and 28 April.
“We understand the challenges involved, but this meeting is significant for the players to meet the new coach before our World Cup campaign commences,” NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire said.
“Not all the players on the provisional squad list will be able to make it but the ones available will meet him.
“There is really a short time between now and the first friendly match scheduled for May 30; hopefully this meeting will enhance rapport between both parties [players and coach].
“This is just a meeting for Lars Lagerback to meet and be introduced to the players.
“So even if some of them can’t make it, we hope the relevance will still be achieved with the few available.”
Clubs including English side Everton, Olympique Marseille of France and Israeli club Hapoel Petah Tikvah have since written to the NFF, withholding permission for their players to attend.
Nigeria appointed Lars Lagerback in late February to lead them at the World Cup in South Africa in June.
The former Sweden coach replaced Shaibu Amodu, who was moved to look after the locally-based side for the African Nations Championship after he failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
Nigeria was drawn in a group alongside Greece, Argentina and South Korea at the World Cup.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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