Sports
Maigari Wants Global Standards In Premier League
Alhaji Aminu Maigari, the President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has said that all league matches should be properly organised to meet global standards.
Represented by Mr Yusuf Fresh, a Member of NF Federation’s Board of Directors, Maigari made this known at the Match Commissioners seminar in Abuja.
He said that the AFCON 2013 victory had placed the country’s football league best in Africa, adding that organisation of the league matches should, therefore, set the standard for countries of the continent.
“Today we are the champion of Africa at both senior and junior levels; it is, therefore, pertinent upon us to set standards and enhance those practices that other countries in the continent can emulate.
“Recently our league was voted best in Africa; to maintain that standard, match commissioners will have to give in their best and conduct good matches,’’ he said.
Maigari said at any football match, commissioners play a vital role because a match could not start without their approval to ensure proper officiating.
He added that the league, which would commence on March 9, needed only men and women of integrity that would not compromise their best.
“The duty of a match commissioner cannot be over-emphasised; they have the power to stop a match from taking place if such logistics as security, medical arrangement and others are not in place.
“Therefore, he must be a man of integrity and great honour.
“He must carry out his work professionally and must be able to stand above all temptations and not compromise to deliver a good football match for all to follow and applaud.’’
He further said that the NF Federations want all hands on desk to ensure that match commissioners perform their duties properly.
Malam Mohammed Sanusi, the NF Federation Director of Competitions, in his remarks, said that they were happy to contribute to the development of the game.
Sanusi said what they put into football was more than what they got as remuneration but that they were not discouraged.
He said the seminar was organised to ensure that the 2013 league was properly conducted and officiated without complaints.
“We have so many challenges as match commissioners ranging from doing what you are not supposed to do and not doing what are you supposed to do.
“These have caused a lot of problems in the administration of football in Nigeria and that is why we decided to bring you together.
“Its not that you don’t know what to do, but it is good to remind ourselves of what you are expected to do.’’ Sanusi said.
Sanusi said that at the end of the seminar, they hoped that commissioners would carry out their duties efficiently to improve the quality of league matches.
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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