Sports
Former Internationals Disagree On Eagles Defeat In Conakry
Former soccer internationals — Okey Isima, Henry Nwosu and Bright Omokaro — have differed on why Nigeria lost Sunday’s 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea in Conakry.
Tidesports source reports that while Isima and Nwosu believed that FIFA’s suspension of Nigeria affected the team’s performance, Omokaro said it had no bearing on the loss.
Alleging government interference in football administration, FIFA on Oct. 4 suspended Nigeria from international football only to temporarily lift the action last Thursday to enable the Super Eagles face Guinea in the qualifier.
Isima blamed the 1-0 defeat on the suspension.
“The players and officials were not sure if the match would hold until the last minute and that, no doubt, must have affected the players’ morale,” said the former defender.
“The Eagles played as if there was nothing at stake. The players did not show commitment.
“The kind of coordinated football Green Eagles of old were noted for was lacking and at a stage, I had to switch to the other match involving Ghana and Sudan to enjoy myself “.
Isima called for the prompt appointment of a substantive coach for the team before their next game against Ethiopia.
“This interim or caretaker coach appointment given to Eguavoen (Austin) does not augur well for concentration.
“The man does not know if he will be in charge for the next match and this instability will definitely hamper any long term coaching plan,” he added.
Former midfielder, Nwosu, said the loss was unfortunate and blamed the defeat on FIFA’s suspension.
“Guinea’s pedigree in football coupled with Nigeria’s suspension by FIFA contributed to the loss on Sunday in Conakry.”
Nwosu agreed with Isima that the uncertainty surrounding the game must have affected the players .
“The players and their handlers were not sure if the match would be played until the last minute and that must have affected them psychologically,” he added.
The former Asec Mimosas of Cote D’Ivoire star advised the coaching crew to work on the players psyche ahead of Nigeria’s next match.
“The players’ psyche must be worked on collectively and individually before the next match to enhance their winning mentality,’’ Nwosu said.
Omokaro differed from his former colleagues and called for the inclusion of some players from the domestic league in the team.
“The coach should include 80 per cent of the local players in the team to ensure stiff competition for shirts.
“Westerhof (Clemens) did that with us and it worked. I have noticed that majority of the foreign-based professionals don’t have anything to offer.
“They will wake up and show more commitment if they are displaced by the local players.
“I don’t subscribe to blaming the loss on Nigeria’s suspension by FIFA. The suspension was done indoor while football is played on the pitch.
“Was it FIFA that asked them to play badly and lose?’’, asked the former Insurance FC of Benin star.
Tidesport reports that Guinea now leads the group with six points followed by Nigeria and Ethiopia with three points each, while Madagascar have yet to win any game in two outings.
The Delta State Sports Commission has come under scrutiny following the state’s disappointing performance at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, where Lagos dethroned Delta to clinch top spot.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, visibly displeased with both the poor outing of Team Delta and the organizational lapses witnessed during the Games, summoned an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) immediately after the closing ceremony.
Delta, which had dominated the NYG by finishing first in the last eight editions, only managed second place this time — a result the governor described as “totally unacceptable,” especially given the state’s significant investment in the event.
According to a reliable source privy to the meeting, Governor Oborevwori expressed deep disappointment, stressing that his administration had provided all necessary support to the Sports Commission and the LOC to ensure Delta retained its traditional top position.
In a decisive move, the governor demoted his Executive Assistant on Sports and former Director-General of the Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, under whose leadership the Games were organized. Owhojero was reassigned from Executive Assistant (EA) to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) with immediate effect.
The governor’s action, our source revealed, reflects his zero-tolerance stance on incompetence and underperformance within his administration. Mr. Owhojero thus becomes the first high-profile casualty of the governor’s resolve to reposition sports in Delta State.
Furthermore, Oborevwori directed the Sports Commission and LOC officials to submit a detailed report on the Games, outlining what went wrong and providing recommendations for improvement. The governor emphasized the need for urgent reforms to restore Delta’s dominance, especially as the state is set to host the next edition of the Games under an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Nigeria Football Federation has distanced itself from a post-match statement that criticised some Super Eagles players following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The statement, issued by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, singled out forward Cyriel Dessers and captain William Troost-Ekong for criticism.
It accused Dessers of being sluggish and faulted Ekong for the own goal that gave Bafana Bafana the lead.
However, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday that the statement did not represent the official position of the Federation.
“I saw the release just like everyone else did. Nobody in the Federation is happy with it,” Sanusi said.
“The NFF did not authorise that statement. We have great respect for all the players. Blaming an individual for a team result is unfair.”
He added that the Federation regards the South Africa match as a collective effort and will not support attempts to scapegoat any player.
“When we win, it’s a team victory. When we lose, it’s also collective. No player should be singled out,” Sanusi said.
He described the targeted criticism of Troost-Ekong as unjustified, noting that the defender had previously been celebrated as the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
“It was an unfortunate own goal. His intention was to clear the ball. Anyone who knows football understands that such things happen,” he said..
Sanusi also expressed confidence in the team’s unity, revealing that efforts were ongoing to regroup and refocus ahead of the remaining qualifiers and AFCON.
“Our house is in order. We’re preparing for the rest of the qualifiers and the AFCON in Morocco,” he said.
“There’s no problem with our players or coaching crew. Our relationship remains cordial. The government and the NFF are proud of the players’ efforts.”
The Federation had initially praised Calvin Bassey for his equalising goal and lamented the team’s failure to convert second-half chances.
But Sanusi made it clear that internal disciplinary action would be taken over the unauthorised release.
“I can assure you the NFF will take action on the matter,” he said.
Nigeria currently sit third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa lead the group with 17 points.
The Super Eagles must now win their remaining games against Lesotho and Benin Republic and hope other results go their way to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tagged “Boxing Jams Music,” the year-end edition will once again blend elite professional boxing with live musical performances. Fans can look forward to thrilling bouts across weight divisions and electrifying performances by some of Nigeria’s top entertainers.
Flykite Productions’ Chief Operating Officer, Bamidele Johnson, said the forthcoming edition will build on the event’s tradition of combining sport and music in a festival-like atmosphere. He assured fans of an unforgettable Boxing Day experience, with added entertainment elements planned.
“GOtv Boxing Night 34 will once again deliver the best of both worlds of top-class boxing and live music. We are committed to giving fans a truly memorable Boxing Day experience at Tafawa Balewa Square,” he said.
Over the years, Boxing Jams Music has grown into the country’s biggest sport-entertainment spectacle, hosting title bouts sanctioned by continental and global bodies alongside live performances by top acts such as Burna Boy, Teni, Mayorkun, Zlatan and Wande Coal.
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