Sports
Nations Cup Failure:Minister Describes SAFA As Disgraceful
South Africa’s FA (Safa)
has been branded a ‘disgrace’ by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula for its reaction to the failure to reach the Cup of Nations.
Safa had lodged a hasty formal appeal with Caf against the head-to-head system used to separate teams. Niger emerged shock winners of a group having finished level on points with South Africa and Sierra Leone.
Safa officials, players and coaches thought goal difference decided who finished first in the group.
Bafana Bafana players even celebrated by dancing after a 0-0 home draw with Sierra Leone believing South Africa had qualified for next year’s tournament.
Coach Pitso Mosimane admitted that he played for a draw as South Africa ground out a 0-0 result at home to Sierra Leone.
Mbalula slammed Safa’s reaction to the failure saying the lack of knowledge of the rules is inexcusable.
“It is unfortunate we misread the rules of the tournament and played for a draw. There is no way a national team can play to get a draw,” Mbalula said.
“National pride means the players must go out there and die for their country. This is a serious blunder. The rules are in black and white.
“I was surprised to hear one of the (Bafana) players arguing that Caf changes the rules after games.
“In other countries, people resign because of such failures. This is unacceptable.
“This is a national disgrace, we are not talking here about Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates but our national team. People came here wearing suits, saying ‘we are appealing’ (to Caf). “You can’t argue with Caf, they will put you in your right place.”
Caf regulations elevate head-to-head records above goal difference and these were taken into account after three teams finished on top of Group G with nine points: Niger, South Africa and Sierra Leone.
The 2012 Nations Cup Rules states that in case of equality of points between two or more teams, after all the group matches, the ranking of the teams shall be established according to the following criteria:
14.1 Greater number of points obtained in the matches between the concerned teams
• NIGER qualify after taking six points from their matches involving South Africa and Sierra Leone, while the latter duo could only tally five
Niger, who had never previously qualified for a Nations Cup, made history despite losing 3-0 in Egypt on Saturday thanks to Article 14.1 of Caf’s 2012 Nations Cup ruling.
This states that ‘in case of equality of points between two or more teams after all the group matches’, the greater number of points obtained in matches between the concerned teams shall be the first deciding factor.
Niger top that three-team mini league, with their six points one superior to the tally mustered by both South Africa and Sierra Leone.
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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