Sports
Eagles’ll Be At Home –Ogunjobi
Nigeria Football Federation NFF executive committee member, Taiwo Ogunjobi says the large population of Nigerians in South Africa are making the team feel at home as they get set to begin their World Cup campaign.
“The players are feeling at home, with the large population of Nigerians here. When we played North Korea in the friendly match at Tembisa last weekend, it was like we were playing at home. There were more people outside the Stadium than inside. It is encouraging as far as the players are concerned.
“Even South Africans are ready to support our team. It is an African World Cup. And I know so many people will still come from Nigeria to support the Super Eagles at this competition,” Ogunjobi stated.
In the past, disciplinary issues have cost Nigeria at major tournaments, but Ogunjobi says the present group have gone past such pettiness.
“The players remain focussed and all they are thinking about is how to do the nation proud and elevate their own names. For this World Cup, I can tell you that the players have shown greater commitment and discipline, and there is more complement of personnel in the different departments of the technical team.
“I also want to say that this team stands a better chance of doing the nation proud. There is huge commitment on the part of the players and technical crew and the Federation has been giving good support. We also appreciate the efforts of the Honourable Minister/Chairman of the National Sports Commission. With all these, I have faith that the Super Eagles can surprise many people here.”
Administratively, Ogunjobi says things have improved, “Things are much better in terms of financial and human resources. The present administration has more money now than we had then and there are more experienced and professional persons in the Federation.
“Certainly, a lot has changed. The Government is also more interested in the team’s participation in this World Cup than was the case in 2002. Our Mr. President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) was even coming to be part of the opening ceremony and will watch our match! What better morale –booster can you have?”
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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