Sports
Utaka Happy To Join Montpellier
John Utaka completed his move from Portsmouth to Montpellier early in the week and expressed his delight at joining a ‘ball-playing club’, but refused to set any personal targets.
“Montpellier is a good club,” Utaka said after being unveiled by the French side. “I find myself in a team that plays the ball well. I am glad to return to Ligue 1 which is a league that suits me.
“I hope that together we will achieve great things.
“I believe that together we will score goals. We are 11 on the field and football is a team sport. I’m not alone on the field. It makes me happy to be here.”
Montpellier coach Rene Girard was pleased to have captured the Nigerian forward.
“My desire was to have a striker who is able to break to score but also to use his speed. He fits the profile I was looking for,” he said.
But the coach made it clear Utaka would have to earn his place in the match day XI.
“John did not come to take the place of someone. He will gradually integrate into the squad. Our team is already running well and is already expanded.”
Montpellier Deputy President Lawrence Nicollin said Utaka was in for the long haul.
“René (Girard) wanted a player’s profile of John and we have done our best to get him as we have done for some time.
“Our goal is to make every effort to ensure that Montpellier has the best team possible and is progressing slowly.
“The arrival of John Utaka is simply part of our commitment to lead the club as high as possible and take it forward.
“He did not sign for six months but for two and a half years and is completely in the future of the club.”
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.