Sports
Nations Cup Ouster:PH Fans Call For Super Eagles Disbandment
Soccer fans in Port Harcourt, Rivers State have called for the disbandment of the Super Eagles following what they descried as disgraceful performance and ouster from the African Cup of Nation’s in the final qualifier against Syli Nationale of Guinean at the Abuja National Stadium at the weekend.
Some of the soccer enthusiasts who spoke with The Tide sports yesterday were unanimous in insisting that the federal government should re-organise the national team of he country is to make head way in future competitions.
Mr Chika Okenwa, a Port Harcourt based businessman who is also a soccer fan was of the view that the disbandment of the present Super Eagles has become imperative since majority of the players have been infected with indiscipline bug.
He said that the poor performance of the players even in front of goals could be attributed to the running battle between Coach Samson Siasia and some players in the Eagles camp.
Mr Okenwa was of the view that Nigeria’s ouster from the African Cup of Nations was a sabotage packaged by some powerful officers in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and delivered by the players last Saturday.
Mr Inime Alasia on his part, said that apart from overhauling the Super Eagles, there was urgent need for the federal government to probe the role of players and NFF officials in the match between Super Eagles of Nigeria and Syli Nationale of Guinea.
Mr Alasia, who is a sport analyst could not fathom why a star player like Osaze Odemwinge would fumble consistently in front of goal. He pointed out that the interest of the country and its million soccer loving citizens is paramount than self-seeking players and their cohorts in the football house.
Mr Samuel Duru, another soccer analyst, however exonerated the players blame over the country ouster in the nation’s cup.
He attributed the Super Eagles fate last Saturday to the inability of Coach Samson Siasia to know when and how to make changes in a crucial encounter such as the match.
Mr Duru used the opportunity to urge the Federal Government to sack Siasia in order to give soccer the direction it deserves in the country.
Also, Monica Iheakam, a senior sports journalists with The Sun Newspaper said that Samson Siasia should be relieved of his duty because he has lost credibility.
Iheakam expressed sadness over Nigeria’s elimination and blamed Siasia for the national disappointment.
Isaac Nwankwo & Tonye Orabere
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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